2010 Education Foundations ConferenceOshkosh, Wisconsin November 18, 2010

Donald R. Gray

Universal Vision Statement for Philanthropy

“You want to compose a good world. It is an honorable and noble profession”

… Maya Angelou

• Your words define who you are

- to others

- to yourself.

• Choose them carefully!!!!!!!

Mrs. Evelyn Kaufman

Stow High School English Teacher 1958

A Few Words About

• Philanthropy– Good word– Has become distorted– $$$$$

• Generosity– All inclusive– Captures what we do

• Abundance

Gifts and Donations

A GIFT is a tangible symbol of feelings between people

A DONATION is a tangible symbol of support to a cause

Development and Fund Raising

A GIFT is to DEVELOPMENT (givers)

as

A DONATION is to FUND RAISING (donors)

Inappropriate Terms

• hit up• shake ‘em down• put the arm on …• squeeze, milk, dun• loaded• should, ought, owes us • pass the hat• get into his/her pockets• low-hanging fruit

Annual vs Major Gifts

• Annual Donations– frequently given/asked– discretionary income– unrestricted fund– mailings, events, phone– Internet, social networking– 2-5% of income– 90% gifts; 10% dollars– 1st step to major gift– very, very important

Importance of Annual Fund in Major Gift Activity

• For all givers to universities who make a first “major gift” of $25,000 or more, – 75% made a first donation of $250 or less in

response to the annual fund– 83% have given at this level) for at least 5

years; almost 60% for at least 11 years

Annual vs Major Gifts

• Annual Donations– frequently given/asked– discretionary income– unrestricted fund– mailings, events, phone– Internet, social networking– 2-5% of income– 90% gifts; 10% dollars– 1st step to major gift– very, very important

• Major Gifts– infrequently given/asked– from assets: stop/think– relationship required– targeted/restricted projects– 10-20x annual fund gift– 10% gifts; 90% dollars– often repeated over time– critical to success

The Math of Major Gift Work

$ For each major gift (>$25K), you need three possible or probable major givers

$ On average, a major gift is closed after 9 meaningful contacts, or between 6 mos-2yrs

$ Thus to get 5 new major gifts requires 3 x 9 x 5 = 135 meaningful contacts.

ULTIMATE GIFTS

• Once in a Lifetime Gift• Combination of Giving Methods; Many

People Involved• Total Commitment to Institution’s Mission• Long, Emotional Relationship (and several

previous major gifts) • Often Involves Major Naming Opportunity• 1,000-2,000x Annual Gift/10-20% Net

Incoming-Producing Assets

Oseola McCarty(1908-1999)

• Life Savings: $150,000

• Size of Gift: $150,000• Reason for Giving

– To help others avoid a life as hard as hers

• Purpose of Gift– Scholarships for poor

student at the University of Southern Mississippi

Ted Turner, in giving $1 Billion to UNICEF:

“If that little woman can give away everything she has, then I can give away a billion dollars.”

Top Four Reasons People Give Major and Ultimate Gifts

• Belief in Mission and Stability of the Organization

• Sense of Civic Responsibility• To Invest in Projects with Significant

Social Return• High Regard for Staff and Volunteer

Leadership

“It is one of the beautiful compensations of this life that no one can sincerely try to help another without helping himself”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Bottom Three Reasons People Give Major and Ultimate Gifts

• Guilt and Obligation• Promotional Materials and Proposals• Tax Considerations

Successful Development

THE MYSTICAL MINGLINGOF

A JOYFUL GIVER

AN ARTFUL ASKER

A GRATEFUL RECIPIENT

The Cycle of Successful Development

Creating the Joyful Giver

Attention

Interest

Desire

Action

Making the Artful Ask

NO

maybe

yes

acknowledgeInvoking the Grateful Recipient

Show

Creativity

Additional Interest

Identification

Initial Contact

Want to Learn More?

Fundraising and Development for Nonprofits

June 1-3, 2011Madison, Wisconsin

Web site: exed.wisc.edu/devconf