By Richard Nicholls, Age Cymru. WCVA Funding Conference 2012.

1. Art & Science
Why You Need Both To Build
Individual Donations To Your
Charity
Richard Nicholls

2. What we’re going to cover
• Harnessing all your channels to ask
• Using case studies
• The process of making approaches
a) Using a prospect report effectively
b) Cultivating future support
c) Meeting etiquette and getting appointments
• Asking and making the most of the it
• Asking at the right level and understanding tax

3. People...
...give to people

5. Key Date Last Office
Name Type Project Status Goal
Contact Expected Action Lead
Invited
Leading Spread
Mktg them to our
Super- Comp. the Identify £25k Dec 2013 Kevin
Director annual
Market Warmth
dinner
Local
Chair
well Spread
invited to
known Indiv. Our Chair the Res £5k Dec 2013 Kevin
tour
wealthy Warmth
building
bus. man
Awards
Spread
National for All Written
Trust the Ask £5k Dec 2013 Rich
Lottery prog app made
Warmth
manager
Gift Aid
Spread
on Prepared
Indiv. Retail Mgr the Plan £2.5k Dec 2013 Rich
Donated data set
Warmth
Goods
Build a prospect report

6. 1 Use it everyday and keep it updated.
2 Share it with senior staff every month – not once a year.
Let your colleagues and associates help you to build it.
3 Fundraising is a team sport.
4 One fundraiser can only really manage 50 contacts.
5 But every fundraiser should have 200 names on their list.
Five golden rules of prospecting

7. RESEARCH IN UNDERSTAND
DATA MINE
DEPTH MOTIVATIONS
Clients Giving History Socialite
Clubs &
Gift Aided Goods Devout
Associations
Policy Holders Peer Networks Affected by cause
Campaigners
Ensure your report really is
your top list!

8. “By failing to prepare,
you are preparing to fail...”
...Benjamin Franklin (on higher level donors?)
• The time and investment in an agreed, written
approach plan is worth it for higher level individual
donors
• Don’t let your Chief Executive tell you they are too
busy
• Don’t fail to prepare your Chief Exec to be prepared
• Make your brief stimulating – use photographs to
bring your approach plans to life
Plan approaches
to high level donors

9. Common reasons for Possible solutions Example Why?
fundraisers not being
able to engage a
Prospect
“Didn’t get a Go back to your President of Ford People like being
response to the research and find a Motor Company – flattered!
email or letter I sent” connection that will lecture to MBA
make your offer students
more attractive.
I got a response “but Think creatively See an equine People want to
the Chief Exec of the about the veterinarian in experience new
UK’s biggest opportunities we can action opportunities
supermarket chain is present that people
too busy to meet me” do not ordinarily
have access to.
We wrote to 5,000 People support Letter comes from Emotional
people asking them people or pets – find their pet! Response connection; future
to support the a different why of rate becomes the investment in their
Animal Hospital writing to them. best ever seen pets wellbeing
appeal but only 25 (25%!!!!)
people supported
(0.5%)
Art of Getting in!

11. DO DON’T
...observe etiquette from your ...ever keep your mobile phone
emails/letter preparation to the on – let alone actually use it.
meeting itself.
...prepare in terms of ...wear inappropriate clothing.
appearance – show the person The meeting is about the donor
you respect them giving you – not you.
their time.
...arrive early. ...arrive late.
...listen. Match the donors ...Do all the talking.
interests with your project.
Asking Do’s and Don’ts

12. • Project Manager/Chief Executive/Service User to ask
• Fundraiser to attend – never ‘go solo’
• Use a Table of Gifts
• Let the donor know what their peers are giving
• Prepare in advance your naming and recognition policy
• Confirm with the donor their intentions
• after they have been expressed
• Prepare to be surprised
• Don’t be afraid to ask again
• Provide a donor charter
• Say thanks!
Higher level donors –
How to ask!

13. Gift Aid basic rate 25%
Higher Rate Tax Payers 40% or 50%
HRTP claim the difference back!
Give £100 (charity gets £125) claim back
either £25 or £37.50
The donation that cost you £75 or even
£62.50 gets the charity £125
Other tax breaks for companies and for
payroll
SO DON’T UNDER ASK!!!!
Make the donation work
hard for your charity

14. Ask whenever you can

15. Keep asking!

16. • According to Webster's New Collegiate
Dictionary, the definition of science is
"knowledge attained through study or
practice," or "knowledge covering general
truths of the operation of general laws”
• According to Tolstoy, art must create a
specific emotional link between artist and
audience, one that "affects" the viewer.
Thus, real art requires the capacity to unite
people via communication

17. Age Cymru Spread the Warmth campaign starts
now finishes February and involves: ITV Text
Santa; Keep Well This Winter Guide; Age Cymru
Thermometers; Edwards Coaches partnership;
Bobble Day; Gala Dinner and Awards; Winter
Concert; Winter Warmer; Bilingual Christmas
Card range; Fill Me Til I Want no More
Collections; Choir practice; Cathedral Concert;
Raffle; Big Knit with Innocent Smoothies;
Information and Advice Guides; Energy
Insurance Promotion; Running Events; And
there’s more!