Creating the Perfect Donor Cultivation Event:

Gail Perry@gailperrync

MBA CFRE

wwwgailperry.com gp@gailperry.com

TWITTER: @gailperrync

The Art of Social Gatherings For Your Cause

Who Am I?

• 30 years in fundraising

• Blogger, coach, consultant

• Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill fundraising

• Author “Fired-Up Fundraising: Turn Board Passion into Action”

• Raised hundreds of millions

• AFP Fundraiser of the Year

• Board retreats around the globe

• International speaker and workshop leader

•@gailperrync

Our Agenda

What You’ll Get Today

1. Learn to create an amazing cultivation event

that will introduce new donors to your cause,

and bring current donors even closer.

2. How to get the most out of a donor cultivation

event or party.

3. Emerge from your event with new connections

and closer relationships with major donors.

4. Membership promotion: INSIDERS fundraising

training and networking community.

@gailperrync

4 Parts to Your Cultivation Event

1. What type of an event?

2. How to get the right people there.

3. Make the event itself amazing and

compelling.

4. Follow-up!

@gailperrync

When in

Doubt,

Throw a

Party!

Why Do We Hold Cultivation Events?

ONLY 2 objectives:

1. Make new connections.

2. Bring current donors closer to

your cause.

@gailperrync

Much Fundraising Happens

In Quasi-Social Situations

Events = Deliberately networking to meet

key handpicked individuals

who can advance your cause.

Reasons for an Event

Honor a Visiting DignitaryPhoto National Council of International Visitors

Reasons for an Event:

• Give someone an award

• Coffee in someone’s house

• A “Small Social” hosted by a board member

• Donor appreciation event

• Social: “celebrate the symphony night”

• Smaller donor engagement experiences

• Introduce new VIP to the community

@gailperrync

Photo by Milwaukee Business Journal

Campaign Kick-Off!

Photo Credit Detroit NAACP

Announce a Big Gift!

Photo Credit Detroit NAACP

Formats for Cultivation Events:

• Porch Party

• Coffee

• Reception

• Tour

• Small Social

• Hike

• Dinner

• Volunteer visit

Small Groups of People in Social Settings

Challenges With Cultivation Events

“Our first one, last February,

leaned towards being

slightly awkward.

Yikes!

• Be happy and

upbeat.

• If you are

embarrassed, your

guests will feel it.

• The attitude of the

host can make or

break your event.

Overcome the Awkward Factor:

Challenges With Cultivation Events

“My main question is how to get the

donors to come.

“How many should we invite, and

how many can we expect to

attend?

Attendance Depends on These 5

Factors:

- Who is doing the inviting?

- What type of invitation?

- What type of event it is and does it

seem appealing?

- When and where?

Who is Doing

the Inviting?

We had one of our

major donor couples

host a small, intimate

wine and cheese for

just 20 people – it was

great!

What Type of

Invitation?

I like the personal

letter or email

or both –

followed up by a

phone call.

How to Get VIPs To Your Event

Board members hand deliver.

Board members make phone calls.

Pre-parties before a bigger reception.

Would YOU rather go

to an annual meeting

or a Porch Party?

Does it seem

appealing?

• Helicopter Rededication

• Insider Discussions on the Deck

Success Tip: Fun and Interesting!

“I love these sorts

of events - they

can be

somewhat time

consuming, but I think they are so worthwhile.”

Helis.com

Success Tip: Use a Theme

What’s unique to

YOUR organization?

Make it fun or at least

“social.”

How playful? It

depends.

Success Tip: Be a Good Host

• Greet guests warmly.

• Be sure there’s a

hostess or greeter.

• Name tags are

essential!

Who To Invite?

People who already love you AND

Possible new people who may want to know more.

What Kind of Venue?

A place people might like to go.

Large or small?

What Kind of Program?

Making Your Program Work

The program –

fraught with

danger!

Never, ever,

ever let it get

dreary!

You can use

entertainment

and/or actors

to portray your

mission.

Making Your Program Work

Testimonials let

your mission

speak for itself.

Making Your Program Work

Present your

mission right on

the spot!

Success Tips - Your Program

• Upbeat

• Short

• Specific

• Call to action

How to Work the Room

Be A “Helicopter Fundraiser”

How to Work the Room

Assign specific guests to board

members or staffers.

How to Work the Room

Triage the Guest List!

Do You Make an Ask At a Cultivation Event? NO!

How to Follow Up With Your Guests

“What were your impressions of the

event?

“What struck them most?

Would they like to get involved?

We’d really appreciate your ideas and

your support!

How to Follow Up With Your Guests

Call guests the next day and thank

them for attending!

The All-Important Follow Up Card

Name: _____________________________________

Address: _____________________________________

Email: _____________________________________

Phone: _____________________________________

What most interested me about your organization was:

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

I would like to:

1. ______Join your mailing list

2. ______Hold a small social of my own

3. ______Make a contribution

4. ______Volunteer

5. ______ please call me at __________

6. Other _____________________________________

Join us while prices

are the lowest of the

year

gailperry.com/f

undraising-

insiders/Annual membership is

reduced from $789 to $598

INSIDERS Fundraising Training and Networking Community

INSIDERS Promotion

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Training with the world’s master gurus

Latest, smartest strategiesto take you over goal this year.

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If you join in 24 hours I’ll give you a free 15 minute

consultation!