Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

IT’S ALMOST NEW YEAR’S EVE . . .

. . . do you know where your donors are?

Join the webinar online. http://fuze.me/24674979Enter the meeting number: 24674979To join from a phone: +1-201-479-4595

Participants will be muted during the presentation to maintain good sound quality. If you have a comment or question, please raise your flag and you will be unmuted.

Welcome to the webinar!

BLUE STRIKE

This 45-minute webinar is designed to help fundraising staff push through the final hours of the giving year.

The recommendations are tailored for organizations engaged in advocacy, civic engagement, policy work, and public interest law.

WELCOME

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

BLUE STRIKEINSPIRING SUPPORT FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Of those polled as part of theNonprofit Insiders Network, 28 percent said that they raised between 26 and 50 percent of their total annual income from the year-end ask alone.

GIVING AT YEAR END

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

. . . will focus on what we can do in the final two days to help reach or exceed our fundraising goals.

THIS WEBINAR . . .

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

1. Charitable giving laws update

2. Today and tomorrow –priorities and to-do list

3. Looking ahead to January

4. Other resources

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

THE AGENDA

Three charitable giving incentives:

1. IRA rollover

2. Enhanced deduction for donations of food inventories, and

3. Deduction for conservation easements.

TAX INCENTIVES EXTENDED

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

FINAL TWO DAYS

1. Display fresh, relevant content

2. Carry out priority solicitation activities

3. Connect with staff

4. Engage your board, and

5. Check your website and online presence

TUE. DEC. 30 AND WED. DEC. 31

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

List of accomplishments, top ten priorities in 2015, thank you video

Ideally, you’ll have some issue-focused content, but if not feature a profile of a volunteer, donor or staff person.

1. CONTENT

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

Who to focus on

How to reach them

What to say

2. SOLICITATION ACTIVITIES

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

First, renewals: anyone who gave in 2013 but has not given this year. Second, upgrades: anyone who gave more last year than this year.

Steps: run a final lapsed donor list. Sort by largest to smallest and/or cumulative lifetime giving. Sort by location or interest.

WHO TO FOCUS ON

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

Call and/or email

It’s okay to do both!

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

HOW TO REACH THEM

Ask for a gift or pledge, or just say ‘thanks, we hope we can count on you again.’

Usual year end donor? ‘Thank you for your previous support -- we hope you can count on you again.’

Donates at other time of year? ‘We’re calling to ask for your support’

Upgrade – ‘Would you consider a gift at this time?’

WHAT TO SAY

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

Remember to include substance, not just a deadline. What will you accomplish in 2015?

Look for your most successful subject lines

Send two emails on Dec. 31; one at 11 am and another at 3:00 pm.

EMAIL TIPS

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

Make sure staff and volunteers have the tools they need

Be available and reachable

Use a team approach to build culture of philanthropy in your organization

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

3. CONNECT WITH STAFF

Send an update today; let them know how year end giving is shaping up

Thank you calls; encourage them to make thank you calls

Set up New Year’s Eve “chat room”

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

4. ENGAGE BOARD

Home page – see content above

Shadow box – is it deployed and working?

Donation pages: check the back-end, i.e. links, auto-responders, auto-fills

Third-part sites (BBB and CN)

5. CHECK ONLINE PRESENCE

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

SIERRA CLUB SHADOW BOX

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AUTO-FILL

JANUARY 1 TO 15

1. Preliminary report and thank you to board

2. Special thanks to staff – in keeping with office culture (lunch, cookies?)

3. Donor thank you letters & acknowledgements asap

SEND THANK YOU LETTERS AND REPORTS – JAN. 1 OR 2

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

BLUE STRIKEINSPIRING SUPPORT FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

OTHER RESOURCES

My #1 Year-End Fundraising Tip by Gail Perryhttp://www.gailperry.com/2014/11/1-year-end-fundraising-tip-will-bring-highest-dollar-return/

Last-Minute Boosts to Late-December Email Appeals by Mike Snusz, Blackbaudhttp://npengage.com/nonprofit-fundraising/last-minute-boosts-to-late-december-fundraising-emails/

300 More Email Subject Lines from End of Year by Steve McLaughlin http://npengage.com/nonprofit-fundraising/300-more-email-subject-lines-from-end-year-fundraising/

Donor Advised Funds: What You Need to KnowThursday, January 15, 2015 at 01:15 PM Ruben D. Orduña, vice president of development and donor services for The San Francisco Foundation will cover everything you need to know and do when your donors choose this giving vehicle.

Prospecting for Major DonorsThursday, February 12, 2015 at 03:00 PM Rebekah Kaithern divisional director of major gifts with Eastern PA and Delaware Salvation Army will share her recommendations for major gifts prospecting.

Toward a Predictive Model for FundraisingFriday, March 06, 2015 at 01:30 PM NTEN Nonprofit Technology Conference in Austin, TX

BLUE STRIKE WEBINARS

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

Thank you for joining today!

Mary Dillon Kerwin

President, Blue Strike

Check out our other s l ide shows at http://www.bluestr ike.org/resources

Blue Strike Webinar: It's Almost New Year's Eve, Dec. 30, 2014

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