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| Re: Inviting Local funders/foundation to a thank-you event
Posted by Tony Poderis   on 12/5/2008, 10:54 am, in reply to "Inviting Local funders/foundation to a thank-you event"
VIP Poster
Julie: Yes, last year we did have a round of discussion regarding the invitation (paying or guests) extended to foundation program officers to attend our fund-raising events. Not a good idea, according to consensus, because of the "premium" benefits of dinners, etc., which most foundations do not accept. Your event is quite the opposite, and is very appropriate.
We all know that “Donor Appreciation” events are essential to the building of our donors’ loyalty. They work just as well for individual, corporate, and foundation donors. Thanking them in that specific way is yet another step in active and continuing cultivation. We want those previous gifts to be renewed, and we want them to grow in size and frequency.
Such Donor Appreciation events should be developed and presented by responding to our donors with (1) Active cultivation, (2) Careful consideration, (3) Respectful appreciation. No. (3) may be the most important here.
You are correct to emphasize that the event to which you refer will be “simply” a thank-you event. I know you will agree that it should be “strictly” so as well. The latter admonition is more to the attention of your client to ensure that officials of the organization stick to the promise of the invitation---that the event is truly a thank-you event. I have seen some of these programs get out of hand, from tacky solicitation handouts, to excessive verbiage and overt solicitation pitches made by officials of the organization, to interminable video shows of what the organization does. That’s where point no. (3) especially comes in. It’s a social event. It must be kept that way.
A few (very few) well-chosen words of welcome and appreciation from the leader will do it. OK to cite a few major organization highlights and successes. OK to as well to have a few display boards around with photos, citations, testimonials, etc.
On the other hand, we know that every non-profit “social event” is, in effect, a “business meeting,” so the thank-you-only strict fix to the event will have a tacit understanding that the organization will come back for more money at a later time. That is all which is needed and necessary for the donors to know at the event. They will get the (mostly unspoken) message.
Best wishes,
Tony
Tony Poderis
http://www.raise-funds.com
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