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Presented at the Nonprofit Café, Bozeman Area Community Foundation June 27, 2014
Tips and Takeaways from the Association of Fundraising Professionals’
51st International Conference on Fundraising
Laura Rhodes Third Sector Consulting [email protected]
Panelists: St. Luke’s Lutheran Health Ministries
White Castle Foundation
Carl B. and Florence E. King Foundation
“Private and Family Foundations Panel”
A few universal truths
• If you’ve met one foundation, you’ve met one foundation.
• How much you ask for is as important as what your asking for.
• “We love white space!”
• Trustees’ memories are like elephants.
From Private and Family Foundations Panel, AFP Icon, March 2014
Watch video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mExs-LuchFQ
From Blackbaud, “The Next Generation of American Giving,” AFP Icon, March 2014
From Stephen Pidgeon, “Getting Your Creative Message Right,” AFP Icon, March 2014
• …a new way of thinking
• …RISK
• …emotional engagement
• …doing things differently
Creative messaging involves…
What has more impact?
• 1 in 3 people will get cancer
• 1 in 3 of us will get cancer
• 1 in 3 of your friends and family will get cancer
• Or…
From Stephen Pidgeon, “Getting Your Creative Message Right,” AFP Icon, March 2014
Doctor Lawyer Cancer What’s in their future?
Inspired by Stephen Pidgeon, “Getting Your Creative Message Right,” AFP Icon, March 2014
‘Corporate’ communications and ‘donor’ communications are 180°different.
− Tom Ahern
Corporate communications are about how great the organization is. Favorite pronoun: We
Donor communications are about how great the donor is. Favorite pronoun: You
From Stephen Pidgeon, “Getting Your Creative Message Right,” AFP Icon, March 2014
Some rules to apply in your writing…
• Use YOU more often than WE
• Write in simple, straightforward language
From Stephen Pidgeon, “Getting Your Creative Message Right,” AFP Icon, March 2014
• In order to communicate with maximum effect to an audience of purchasers, the requirement is to employ a style of language that is comprehensible to the majority of the individuals who will pursue it.
• So we can talk to a group of buyers and get them to do what we want, we need to use the kinds of words and phrases that will be understood by most of the people who see them.
Latin root
Anglo-Saxon
From Stephen Pidgeon, “Getting Your Creative Message Right,” AFP Icon, March 2014
Some rules to apply in your writing…
• Use YOU more often than WE
• Write in simple, straightforward language
• Format for easy reading
• When you’ve written something, think how the supporter might answer these questions
From Stephen Pidgeon, “Getting Your Creative Message Right,” AFP Icon, March 2014
• What’s the problem? • Why should I care about it? • What is this organization doing about the problem? • What can I do as a supporter? • Why do I need to give now? • What happens if I don’t give? • What is their proof of success?
Your nonprofit’s writing checklist…
From Stephen Pidgeon, “Getting Your Creative Message Right,” AFP Icon, March 2014
The “Big 3” Questions
1. Why our organization?
2. Why now?
3. Why should the donor care?
From Tom Ahern, “Writing a Fabulous Case Statement,” AFP Icon, March 2014
Connect with what’s already there
Emotions!!!!!! Values Tradition Location Political leanings Emerging issues Beliefs Desires
Hard Goals Idealism Trends Emotions!!!!!!
Many kinds of connections
From Tom Ahern, “Writing a Fabulous Case Statement,” AFP Icon, March 2014
Appeal to your reader’s core emotions
From Tom Ahern, “Writing a Fabulous Case Statement,” AFP Icon, March 2014
Happiness
Sadness
Surprise
Fear
Anger
Disgust
Disappointment
Hope
Promise
Why emotion?
“The essential difference between emotion and reason is that emotion leads to action, while reason leads to conclusions.” − Donald B. Calne, neurologist
From Tom Ahern, “Writing a Fabulous Case Statement,” AFP Icon, March 2014
Sell the (real) need
“No one cares that you’re underfunded….
…the real motivator for giving is opportunity.” − Tom Ahern
From Tom Ahern, “Writing a Fabulous Case Statement,” AFP Icon, March 2014
Keep it simple
From Tom Ahern, “Writing a Fabulous Case Statement,” AFP Icon, March 2014
“If you can’t explain it in 50 words, you won’t explain it in 500 either.”
− Tom Ahern
Keep it simple
“Obvious. As opposed to, say, academic
or jargon-encrusted.” − Tom Ahern
From Tom Ahern, “Writing a Fabulous Case Statement,” AFP Icon, March 2014
In other words…
From Tom Ahern, “Writing a Fabulous Case Statement,” AFP Icon, March 2014
The study of innovative ways to synthesize materials using nanomaterials' unique properties provides a strong basis for important nanoscience and nanotechnology breakthroughs. From inquiries into the properties of gold quantum dots to revolutionary work with carbon nanotubes, Georgia Tech researchers are focused on uncovering the unique properties of nanomaterials that are the stepping stones to tomorrow's technologies.
“Say goodbye to dry-cleaning bills.”
“Oh No, You Didn’t!” (Real Mistakes Real Nonprofits Make in Fundraising)
Chris Cheever and Michael Bacon, CFRE
Overpromising and Underdelivering
From Cheever and Bacon, “Oh No, You Didn’t!,” AFP Icon, March 2014
From Cheever and Bacon, “Oh No, You Didn’t!,” AFP Icon, March 2014
Overpromising and Underdelivering
Check out these resources
Download the FREE report: https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/ generational-giving-report
Questions? Comments?
Laura Rhodes, CGW
406-551-6200
www.thirdsectorconsulting.com
www.linkedin.com/in/thirdsectorconsulting.com