Starting, rescuing, or even improving an annual fund requires hard work and preparation. Sure, there are plenty of books showcasing tried-and-true methods to grow the donor base, increase revenue, retain donors, and reach project milestones. But there is nothing like hearing from an author who has mastered these methods (and more) through more than a decade of in-the-trenches experience. Wouldn't you like to learn from an experienced practitioner with a gift for breaking it down for you so that you can dive right in without wasting time?
Pamela H. Witter, MBA, has brilliantly distilled down the entire process into five strategies that she uses to successfully grow the annual funds she manages. These strategies include perfecting messaging, utilizing data to improve systems, segmentation, relationship building, and best practices--all of which are laid out for you in Five Strategies to Increase Annual Fund Revenue.
In Part One, Pam starts with a flyover, giving you a clear idea of where the annual fund fits with the other players such as major, leadership, and planned gifts.
Since small, midsize, and large shops take different approaches in raising annual fund money, ranging from direct mail to event-based fundraising to phonathons and more, she discusses these approaches and where they best fit.
Having laid the foundation, she wastes no time in describing how one team increased its annual fund revenue by 40 percent and uses this as a powerful springboard to the rest of the book.
In Part Two, the author discusses the importance of aligning image with identity. In other words, branding.
Pam then shows how to define your ask, increase responsiveness, and begin exploring data to put your best foot forward. She explains how to inspire donors to action through imagery, voice, and other tools--focused on a compelling case for community transformation.
Pam explains how to make your program rise above the crowd and get noticed by discovering and touting that which is truly distinct about your mission.
But, as she explains, it's not enough to utilize effective methods. The results need to be monitored and measured in an analytical, strategic approach. After reading Part Three, you'll have a new appreciation for data management, analysis, and prediction to clarify difficult decisions.
In Part Four, Pam focuses on the all-important "people" aspects of the annual fund. She plainly confesses that before she got into working with the annual fund, she was inexperienced in face-to-face solicitations but eventually mastered the process. To help you, she borrows freely from the major gift model in showing you how to approach donors to make the ask.
Pam shows why leadership, management, and team dynamics play an essential role in whether a fundraising department succeeds or not. Whether you're in charge or you are part of a team, you will learn how to improve outcomes toward understanding influence, personal leadership, and relationships within the group.
Pam concludes by leading you on a " best practices road trip," where you'll consider what you don't know, explore solutions outside your four walls, and find innovative approaches you didn't know existed
In a nutshell, you will:
- Gain a foundational understanding of fundraising and the annual fund
- Discover how to perfect your messaging to inspire more and larger donations
- Demystify the use of data and systems to decrease cost and increase income
- Learn how to apply a major gift model to your annual fund
- Find the confidence to talk comfortably with donors about their gifts to your mission
- Identify which best practices make sense for your unique shop
