The Annual Giving Exchange

Last week, I spent a long afternoon listening to a discussion about gift clubs.  At the beginning of the meeting, everyone was asked how gift clubs could be better leveraged to increase giving.  The consensus was that members needed to be offered better benefits.

Next came hours of brainstorming, scribbling on post-it notes, and summarizing concepts on a white board.  The list of ideas was long and not terribly original.  The first suggestion was recognition in an annual donor publication.  “Or do we already do that?” asked one senior manager.  Then came countless other ideas (most of which had already been implemented) including invitations to special events, names on a plaque, a subscription to a newsletter, and breakfast with the President.

Things did get a little more creative when someone suggested offering members a dedicated development officer.  We’ll call it our “concierge service.”  The name was a nice touch, but most agreed it was really just a marketing tactic.  And so went the rest of the meeting, one attempt after another to come up with something new and exciting to offer donors in return for their generosity.

I came away thinking that an important point had been missed.  It’s not what donors get from us, but when we expect from them, that needs to be clarified.  Good philanthropy isn’t the result of an outstanding donor benefits program, just as good corporate leadership isn’t simply the result of good CEO pay. You only have to look to Wall Street over the past several years to see that.

In your next meeting, see if the group can list five things you expect from donors.  Make it something you wouldn’t be afraid to post on your organization’s Website.  Yes, one of them should be financial support, but don’t be afraid to explain the obligations that come with leadership including time, creativity, and shared relationships.

I’m sure your donors are smart enough to figure out the benefits of philanthropy on their own.