The Annual Giving Exchange

Can a gift be “too small”?

Ask this question to a room of development officers and I bet half of them would say “yes” and half would say no.  While there may not be a right answer, consider the following questions to determine the best answer for your organization.

• Are you asking your donors to support your organization “because they can,” or are you asking them to invest in your organization because they believe in its mission?  I once asked a volunteer how he decided on the size of his annual fund gift.  He told me that he always gave “until it hurt” because it made him feel part of the cause.

• Do you want to make a statement about how many supporters you have?  Barak Obama’s fundraising strategy encouraged donations of all sizes and mobilized a large network in the process.

• What are you doing to establish long-term expectations for your donors?  Be careful not to set the bar too low.  Old habits die hard, even for the most generous people.

• Who is more important, a young $5 donor who is still defining their values or an elderly donor who has given $100 in each of the past 30 years?  Yes, getting someone in the habit of giving early can have a big payoff down the road, but keep in mind that loyal donors are often your best planned gift prospects.

• How important is efficiency in your organization?  Many (often smaller) organizations need to consider the cost of processing small gifts.  Long-term strategies mean nothing to a nonprofit that is forced to close its doors because it can’t afford to pay the rent.

Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA had fun with this question when some of its recent graduates produced a musical video parody called “Just Five Bucks.”  Click here to watch it.  Then ask yourself, what size gift is “too small” for your organization.