NAILBA Perspectives - July/August 2014 - (Page 20)

nailba charitable foundation The First Rules of Fundraising I JOHN RIPPINGER, CLU, CFP, CHFC, RHU, LUTCF, REBC PRESIDENT, NAILBA CHARITABLE FOUNDATION 20 perspectives JULY/AUGUST 2014 thought I knew what the first rule of fundraising was. I recently Googled the phrase to see if what I thought was anything like what anybody else on the web with an opinion about it said. I was surprised to find that, not one, not two, but more than a dozen different "first rules" were cited. By far the most common first rule was "ASK." We know this in our line of work, too, in the for-profit world-you can't get a YES unless you ask, right? Makes sense that this applies to fundraising. People don't give you money because you're just sitting there. The second most common first rule I found quoted was that "people give to people." The NAILBA Charitable Foundation tries very hard to show you the faces of the children and families we help every year. Nothing tells a story better than being able to see how our contributions change lives in our communities. You might just write a check to the NAILBA Charitable Foundation, but we believe you do it because you know that money goes right back to children and families in need. Which ties nicely into another first rule: "appeal to the donor's sense of social responsibility." You know supporting a charity in your community is the right thing to do, and contributing to the Foundation is too. Another oft quoted first rule was to "set a target." For the past couple of years, the Foundation's Board of Directors has stated an annual fundraising goal of $300,000. We've increased our fundraising dollars more than 20% per year since 2011, and we are SO CLOSE, but not quite there. We're counting on the contin- ued generosity of our members and corporate partners to put us over the top this year. "Don't annoy your donors" was another first rule I came across that made me smile. It's our job to keep you informed, to make that important "ask," but we never want to be annoying! It's supposed to be fun! (That was somebody else's "first rule.") I think the annual silent and live auction events are a fun and very successful vehicle for the Foundation to raise needed funds. And trust me, nothing is more fun than being the sponsor of a successful grant application when you get to present that check. (Speaking of which, don't forget the deadline for this year's grant applications is July 18!) "Make it easy for your donors to give" is a first rule that makes a lot of sense. Bidding For Good, our online auction platform, does just that, and we've been brainstorming more and different ways to make donating easier than ever. Watch for more news soon on some ideas we're working on for automatic monthly donation options, and for some ideas on planned giving. We're in the business of helping people plan for life's inevitabilities, and it would be a great thing to have the Foundation and its grant recipients benefit from some of that planning. And finally, the first rule that made the most sense to me. After asking, of course, is "saying thanks." Thank you to our members, to the marketing groups who have partnered with us to match their members' donations, and to our corporate partners, without whom we would not be able to do nearly the amount of grant giving that we do. We appreciate your past support, and look forward to a continued partnership toward our goals in the future. A first rule I can get behind: Thank you.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NAILBA Perspectives - July/August 2014

NAILBA Perspectives - July/August 2014
Contents
Chairman’s Corner
CEO Insights
Social Skills
NAILBA 33 Preview
NAILBA Charitable Foundation
Life Happens
The Remote or Virtual Office
Member Profiles
Mooers Award Nominations
Agency Successor Networking Group
Agency Resources
BGAs Leading Technology Through Connections
Reading Ahead
Calendar of Events
Index of Advertisers

NAILBA Perspectives - July/August 2014