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Thought of you today!

It happened again! December 31st is still the champion for Most Giving in One Day. About ONE-THIRD of all giving happens on December 31 and during that last week of the year. Whew!

So now what? Everyone is burned out, right?

Actually, the urgency to give before the end of the year kicks in for tax reasons. Then, as you make the gift, there is a powerful shift and laser focus to determining exactly what you DO you want to give to and WHY!!!  So even as givers recover from the onslaught of year-end letters and emails NOW is the time to fan the giving flame ignited at year-end for your mission.

Think about it — out of all the causes vying for their last-minute generosity – they picked you.  When it came right down to the wire and they reflected back on how they felt about your mission and whatever experience they had with you – you came out a winner.  You have their gift to prove it!

Keep the love light glowing...

So again, now what?

Keeping the love light glowing with your Year-End givers.

Greatest Valentine in the Galaxy!

1.    Write or email a thoughtful message of thanks.  Be fun and fun-loving – send a kid’s Valentine’s Day card.

While it is vital to get that pre-printed, year-end receipt letter out asap – donors want to know you received their gift in time – Then, as you actually make the gift, there is a powerful shift and laser focus to determine exactly what you do want to give to and why. “Roses are red. Violets are Blue. Your gift was amazing and we appreciate YOU!”  I like to send kid’s Valentine’s cards – they are light, fun and don’t cross lines with maybe being too much. This year I’m going with Baby Yoda. How can you NOT smile and feel loved and appreciated?

2.    Use impact stories to reassure your givers that they did the right thing.

Gifts, from $25.00 on up to $100,000.00 and beyond made at year end ALL ARE driven by a combination of tax planning and mission match. Now that the time pressure is off, donors are reflecting and second-guessing – wondering if they did the right thing. January and early February is the perfect time to share the impact of what you will now be able to accomplish because of the amazing donor support last year. This reassures them they made the right decision to give.

3.    Ask them to give of their time and talent – not money.

Over 40% of Americans set New Year’s Resolutions. Often resolutions to “be a better person, give back to my community,” or “get involved” make the list. This is the perfect time to talk with folks about serving on the board or providing input into a particular fundraising project. For example, one of my clients is gathering input from major givers to their scholarship program. The goal is to create a club to foster 3-5 year pledges and deferred giving for scholarships. Current donors can help name the club and set up criteria for membership and special activities just for them. Bringing them together NOT to talk about THEIR gift right now, but rather to help define the giving experience will generate some great ideas and start the thinking about a major gift. With only 9% of people achieving their New Year’s resolution goals, you, as the nonprofit, can be the support system that helps a giver stick with a resolution.

4.    Involve them with a monthly giving project.

Believe it or not, in January there are people who have selected you – and now are reflecting and thinking, “It’s such great work. I wish I could do more.” Guess what?! You can!  Now is an ideal time to run a monthly giving campaign for a select segment of your year-end givers. Focus on a smaller dollar goal that supports a major project of interest to them. This giving will be IN ADDITION TO their major gift. Don’t do this with everyone – have a specific project in mind and plan out the steps to make the experience fun and rewarding.

5.    Connect with them.

Hopefully, you, a staff member, a board member, or a volunteer has already called everyone who made a gift to your organization between November 15 and January 10th.  If not, there’s no time like the present! It’s not too late to pick up the phone and call to thank them for supporting you so generously during the holiday season. Leave a message or send a text if they don’t answer. Going the extra mile tells your donor you care about them and that their gift is appreciated.

Donor fatigue is a real thing. Being a Grateful Recipient and showing great appreciation carries you into creating a joyful giver once again! Whether that’s through a phone call, text message, handwritten note, or email, reach out “just to tell them one more time” how much their support last year meant. Don’t know which type of contact to make? How do they communicate with you? Donors typically prefer to receive communication in the same way they offer it.

Share an impact story they haven’t already heard or could have read elsewhere. Bring your best donors into your organization. Give them a view that others do not get a chance to see. Make them feel as special as they are to the success of your mission.

Chocolate and flowers

And then there is CHOCOLATE and flowers!  May these next few weeks find you smiling as you SHARE YOUR LOVE and FEEL THE LOVE around Valentine’s Day! 

Roses ARE Red —and Violets ARE Blue. Not a day goes by that I’m not grateful for you!

Invest in JOY®

3 Resolutions YOU need for 2023!

YOU are beginning!  However you crossed the 2022 finish line, you are beginning this New Year! Bravo! It’s scary and exciting all at once!

Faro Sign with Ken, RJ, Bailey and Marcy

I’m celebrating the New Year in Faro, Portugal where Ken and I are exploring with our son, RJ, and his gal, Bailey.  It’s been a tremendous adventure filled with delightful surprises and opportunities to flex your positive mindset muscle that only international travel can bring!

Thank you for investing your talent and passion into inspiring generosity – for non-profit missions…and LIFE! It’s an honorable and noble calling. Here we are ready to launch again!  There are those who go through laborious lists of tasks to prepare for the New Year.  I think it comes down to 3 pretty simple resolutions – and none make you go to the gym, clean your piles or pledge massive changes. 

THREE Resolutions You Need for 2023!

1. Resolve to be bigger than your problems.

It’s not the size of the problem; it’s the size of you! Think about how you struggled with zoom early 2020 – now it’s a cinch. Zoom hasn’t changed really. Perhaps there are more features – but what HAS changed is you – your growth in comfort with the tool. Being in Portugal now is a new language, new money, new streets – all doable with some time and thought.

“Every master was once a disaster.” (Eker). Everything new, or at least new to you, is scary at first. Fear shuts us down. Try instead to be curious. “I wonder how or what I could do to take a next step.” Know yourself. How do you feel most comfortable confronting something new – a person by your side showing you, an on-line tutorial, a class? Jay Wilkinson, Founder of Firespring, and tech wiz, collects new tools he sees and sets aside a Saturday morning each month to explore them. Good advice. As we navigated Portugal, we each had our ways of figuring it out. 

2. Resolve to try again tomorrow.

There are lots of reasons thing don’t go as planned. Some issues seem to never get resolved and get frustrating. Some people we struggle don’t seem to change. You may feel worn out. It may look bleak. It may feel like it will never change.  Have a nice dinner, watch a Disney movie, put it all aside. Tomorrow really IS another day. Life is overflowing with opportunities to begin again.

Remember...every new day,
Portugal Sunset

As Annie sings in the show, “Annie” “Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love you, tomorrow! You’re only a day away!” 

And, the Japanese Proverb goes, “Fall down seven. Stand up eight.”  It doesn’t matter how many times you fall down, fail, or get discouraged – as long as you stand up again.  We learned this navigating narrow one-way streets when we were way too tired.  Tomorrow IS another day.

Begin one time more than you quit.

3. Resolve that the world is basically good and you are here to thrive!   

You choose how you walk through life. Sure, it’s not something you can constantly hold on to, but you DO choose to believe the world – the universe – God – is basically good. I choose to believe that I was placed here to THRIVE – be the best version of myself I can muster. Indeed there are manipulative people out there.  Yet believing that you are destined to be successful and happy and LOOKING for signs towards what you define as success and happiness draws you to it – it must.

quote by Mike Dooley

I say often in my talks that I believe there are people in Madison, Wisconsin who get out of bed in the morning and ask, “How can I be offended today?” And guess what? They find something!

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at….wait for it…CHANGE!

Marcy Portugal 2023

If you are looking for 2023 to be the best yet – it will be.  I promise!  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Invest in JOY®

Happy New Year 2023

Happy New Year 2023

Invest in JOY®

U-Rah-Rah for YOU! Finish Strong 2022!

Just days away from 2023 isn’t it great to look back and remember……

Marcy's collage of 2022

—the donors you helped make the gift that was JUST RIGHT for THEM!

—those whose lives are changed because you and your organization SHOW UP every day!

— the board members who gave and led by example for others to follow suit.

— the skills and knowledge you’ve gained to be even better at this calling of fundraising.

—the camaraderie with your co-workers, volunteers, and team.

—the last minute gifts – miracles and surprises!

— the fun! 

—the way you feel right now – maybe a bit tired but SO Fulfilled!

2022 to 2023

Now is the time to …..

Joyfully adapt and Bravely Believe!

It WILL be a(nother) HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Invest in JOY®

Merry Christmas!

Christmas 2022

Invest in JOY®

Simply showing up is enough!

AFP New Jersey

Busy! Busy! Busy!  Happy December!

Traversing that fine line between overjoyed and overwhelmed – sometimes only seconds apart!  I LOVE IT! Showed up for a great session with AFP New Jersey and then back to get the tree up (or upside down actually). HAHAHAHA!

Marcy's 2022 Xmas Tree

Simply Showing Up Is Enough

5 Key ways to simply show up for Giving (and Living) Success

With millions given the last month – and last day – of December now is the time to embrace that simply showing up is enough.  Be thrilled with how giving empowers your mission. Be joyful as you celebrate this magical time. Be authentic in caring that your givers experience giving the gift that is meaningful for them.

Quote- Simply showing up is enough.

Connect with as many of your key givers as possible now – those who have given this year, and those who usually do, but you haven’t heard from yet this year. Start with your largest givers – but have a long, long list. You’ll get some surprises!

“You are important to us and I want to wish you happy holidays! If there is anything I can do to help you with your year-end giving, I’m happy to help.”

1. Show up at the door.  MAKE TIME!

Connect – in person. Olivia takes out poinsettias. Nancy bakes bread. Holly has pictures from camp. Call and stop in. Don’t take your coat off. Be sure to get to the kids stuff and the funerals, too. In person.

 2. Show up on the phone. True story from one of my coaching folks.

“Called David to ask if they were planning on making their gift ($25,000) before year end and if so, was there was anything I could do to help make that happen. He thought they had done it!  He said, “Yes, we will get on that right away.”  Within about 10 minutes I got a text message saying the money had been requested from their Vanguard account and would be showing up shortly.”

Enough said.  And texting is great, too!

3. Show up in the email. 

Short. Simply. Simple gets read, busy does not. Get all the emails cued up to go out – now, December 28th and 31st.  HELP them remember they can simply click and do YOUR MISSION some good.

4. Show up in their mailbox.

May your days be merry and bright! Send a card. Your year-end letter can be sent again with a note attached – “Wanted to be sure you saw this – Thank you and Happy Holidays!”

5. Show up for yourself.

When you are just too pooped – and you really don’t enjoy the thing you have on the list to attend – email to say your plans have changed and you can’t join in. Rest.

IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!  (Can you hear me singing?)

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

Invest in JOY®

In the spirit of Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving 2022

Invest in JOY®

What is your life vision?

Setting goals to serve Your Success…and YOU! 

This past week over 50 – YES 50 – folks joined me for the AFP DEEP DIVE on Major Gifts. Typically I limit the group to 30-35 but with MAJOR GIFTS being SO CRITICAL NOW, I let it go. Took two zoom screenshots and I’m not certain I captured everyone! Singing “People Love to Give Me Money” was chaos and I know I didn’t personally speak with everyone. The session was clearly a success – EVEN THOUGH I FAILED TO MEET SEVERAL OF MY GOALS.

AFP Deep Dive Nov 2022
AFP Deep Dive Nov 2022

Like many of you, I was hard-wired I swear since kindergarten to connect setting goals, and achieving them, with being productive and successful.  Failure to do so was, well, failure. I’ve spent a lot of my overall VERY SUCCESSFUL LIFE feeling like I often failed to do what I said I would do when I said I would do it by – personally and professionally. Can you relate?  You get a bit jaded on this whole goal thing. It becomes more of a game to fill in the required “annual plan” with your best guess of what you can actually do – or you can always set the bar really, really low.

Over time I’ve adopted a different view on goals and planning… thanks to coaching and life.

Chart your course.
goals different paths

For our fundraising work we often use specific dollar, attendee numbers and visit metrics for our goals. In a campaign, we create a Chart of Gifts and then work to fill it in with donor names we think will invest at the various level. Plotting this out gives us a sense of security and confidence. We have a plan.

However, it seems when we have very specific deliverables we focus more on what we MISS than what we make.

“We were hoping for 200 attendees and ended up at about 180 – a bit short.”

“We factored Paul in for $100,000 and ended up he gave $50,000.”  (What about the fact that his largest gift prior to this was $5000?)

“I was planning to make calls for visits and ended up responding to an email from a potential donor about a $50k gift. Didn’t get those appointments set up.”

You have your own examples, I’m sure.

If 180 people had a great experience the goal of 200 is fine, but does not mean we somehow failed or were short.

If we had $100,000 gift goal down that resulted in $50,000 did we “leave money on the table?” or do something wrong in the asking process?  Or was $50,000 the amount that was right?  I had lunch with a donor of one of my clients this week. She said, “I never wrote a check (to make a gift) I didn’t enjoy!” THAT is reaching a goal.

Our days are filled with interruptions – so why do we plan them out as if we can manage the time as we planned? 

And, we can actually get frustrated with our family, boss, donors, and ourselves because they are not falling in line with what we planned!

Commit to broad end results.be happy about..My goal is for you to enjoy, and be happy about, your development work and your life. 

  1. Your joy is governed by how you think about the results you experience.  We choose to see something as a failure or a success. See the original goal as your ‘best guess’ for the result and be open to a different result as you move forward toward the goal.
  2. Have long-vision goals. Make very specific steps you can reasonably take in a day or week to move toward that goal. 
  3. Decide that extending or modifying a goal is part of the process – not a sign you failed.
  4. Celebrate what WAS ACCOMPLISHED – and view this as a step in a continuing journey toward that longer vision.
  5. Every goal can be reworked.  The Campaign can have a Phase II to get to the needed result over a longer timeline. More gifts can be sought to make up for those that came in lower than the gift chart level assigned. You can try again to get along better with your kids.
  6. Our most important goals are on-going and hard to measure:
  • To have close and loving relationships.
  • To enjoy donors who are happy about their giving.
  • To feel pretty healthy most days.
  • To have work that makes you feel valued and fulfilled.

What is your life vision?  Mine is to help others create their best life.

That vision guides how I interact with my spouse, my kids, my clients, donors and all the fundraisers, board members and leaders every day and how I judge myself and my progress. At the core is my belief that the world is good and I am destined for joy and success.

Vince in my APF Deep Dive course said, “When I work with donors I feel like I am helping them with THEIR “American dream.”  That’s a vision!

May you, too, be lifted up and energized by your life vision. A life spent working towards your vision is a success. 

Invest in JOY®

Donors Drop by 7% in Second Quarter 2022

Feel like déjà vu? In 2008-10 the economic turn-down turned off the lights at many non-profits. But many others were just fine. Why? Authentic major donor relationships. 

AFP Lead

At AFP LEAD, the second quarter 7% drop in donors was a hot topic. In my session, where JOY reigned supreme, we celebrated that DOLLARS now are actually up 6.2% — buoyed by major donors.

It’s really quite simple. When times get hard we ask ourselves, “Who can I count on?  Who can I trust?” If you were one of those non-profits who had high transactional asking and talked about your donors only in terms of “solicitation and retention strategies” you were in trouble. With no real relationship it’s hard to weather a storm – in fundraising or in life.

Here’s what that means for you as you approach year-end.

2022 Year-End – 5 Key Messages

1. Invest in JOY!

At my AFP LEAD session, “Leading to Inspire Joy in your Development Team” it was clear that retaining your JOY right now can be tough. However, without it you really can’t be the person your staff and your major donors need you to be. MORE THAN EVER, you must bring optimism, fun and authentic caring to your relationships. Find and foster your JOY!

2. Seek to be authentic with Major Donors

While it may be easier or more convenient to connect over zoom, your success now depends on you figuring out how your DONORS are most comfortable and what they need…. and DOING IT! Are they lonely? Are they fearful? Are they looking for “What’s next?” to invest in!? You hold the key to meaningfully connecting your major givers with what their giving does…really does. Even your most data-oriented donor wants to believe, and understand how, she is doing some good in the world for another human being – in plain English.

3. Drop year-end mailings to non-donors or to acquire new donors.

With current inflation, your smaller donors just don’t have $25 bucks. And if they do decide to complete the transaction, it won’t cover your typical year-end costs. Use email. Only mail your year-end message to current donors and perhaps a small more-connected segment or two. This is NOT the year to seek new engagement. While US charitable giving increased in Q2 2022, “these gains were accompanied by a continuing steep decline in donor acquisition and retention, particularly among new and newly retained donors” according to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project’s (FEP) Second Quarter Fundraising Report.

4. Beware of, and Reframe, your thinking!

“It will be so much harder to raise money this year” becomes “Money comes to me easily and frequently.” From Wayne Dyre, “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”  And, you can train yourself to do this in an instant! One of my former clients, Renee Thompson, says “Every time I’m talking to a donor I’m helping them realize they have permission to give what brings them joy.”  Sure beats wondering how you will “get the money.”

Start Right Now!

 5. Start RIGHT NOW.

“Can we find some time soon to talk about the year-end giving you want to do with our organization? I want to be sure we have the time you need to make the best gift for you.”  There is incredible wealth out there. Dream big with your biggest givers! You want to experience the magic of major gifts!

Find and foster your JOY
Carl Calbrandsen

This week we lost a great man – Carl Gulbrandsen – Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation managing director for 16 years and a visionary champion for Wisconsin research innovation. Carl’s commitment to advancing university research and bringing scientific solutions forward to benefit the world continues. Today WARF has over $3B under management. He was also a drummer, told great Norwegian jokes and prioritized his family along with his work. 

Here’s what I want you to know about him: Joy was the essence of his being. He always had an idea in his head, a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face.

May you be inspired to do the same. 

Invest in JOY®

I’d rather do it myself!

Why it better serves donors to engage partners in major giving relationships! 

You know what they say…”By the time I get someone to help me, it’s just easier to do it myself!” For many non-profits partners are vital in major gift relationships! 

Last Friday I had the total delight of being with an amazing collection of faith-based small non-profits. These organizations all had received grants from the Madison Christian Giving Fund – the program sponsor.  Few had anyone dedicated to fundraising. Most wore several hats including fundraising. All were passionately dedicated to the kids, seniors, homeless, moms or whomever they were helping.

Madison Christian Giving Fund

In my session, I highlighted major giving mindset, vibrant options for giving and using partners along with my signature tool – Ask for Anything Artfully! For these nonprofits, it’s crucial to use partners.  

Partners quote

ALL OF YOU can benefit from embracing others in your major giving relationship building. Here’s how!

Partner puzzle fits

1. Who are Potential Partners?

Partners go beyond the board – way beyond. How often I have heard, “If only my board would help!” Sure, the board can be a great help AND there are so many more potential partners. 

  • Other donors (of ALL sizes)
  • Other staff members
  • Recipients of your services
  • Alumni, members, students, etc
  • Faith family
  • Sports united folks (Badger fans/Packers fans/Little league parents)
  • Service group friends (Elks, Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions)
  • Your financial people
  • Volunteer financial people – planners, attorneys
  • Your organization’s volunteers
  • Spouses of Board members
  • Emeritus Board members
  • Past staff members now retired
  • Event or organization sponsors
  • Event table hosts or silent auction item donator
  • Vendors (your printer for example)
  • Parents/Families of those engaged with you
  • Your board and
  • YOUR organization’s unique opportunities!

2. What makes a good partner?

The criteria is pretty simple – an inkling for what you do, a perspective on what you do, some experience with what you do, some investment into what you do and the willingness to help. (notice I don’t say they have to be over-the-top supporters)

3. What exactly do partners do?

Partners are invaluable in providing help in the ways THEY are comfortable and strong. Partners do NOT need to ask for money – that’s the development professional’s role. What you ask of them needs to mesh with their skills and time availability. It can range from a quick conversation over coffee, to attending a retreat – from writing a card, to sharing their story. You are only limited by YOUR mindset around this. Think of everything YOU say and do. Who could also tell that story, make that point, share that experience, text that photo, validate your stories and demonstrate your impact?

PLUS – they can often be the reason someone WILL meet – just to engage with the partner – thus giving YOU the chance to secure the visit, zoom, call.

4. How do partners move the giving relationship forward?

They are not us – the paid fundraising staff. Enough said. They bring their personal experience and opinions. They may not always agree with everything the organization is doing. They may still be finding their way with the organization. They may not be major donors themselves (but it is best if they have given something). They are positive and share good energy for what you do.

For me, the best is that they take on part of the conversation when in person, on zoom on a group phone call.  This gives me the chance to sit back, listen and observe how the donor reacts, responds, and engages in a way I don’t get to see if I’m by myself.  That’s golden!

5. Are there challenges to look out for in working with partners?  Sure.

  • They can be difficult to schedule requiring us to be more ahead of the game.
  • It can take more time to walk through the goals of the interaction – AT FIRST – but this gets easier over time.
  • You need to remind them of confidentiality – don’t assume they get it.
  • You will find it gets complicated and your partners connect! That’s good, too.
  • You have more to get entered into the database.
  • You can’t control what partners say and sometimes it surprises you!
  • They cancel. Too many times and you need to move on.  
  • You have to watch how you talk about people! I think this is a GOOD

CHALLENGE! How are you talking about your donors? Manipulative, calculating, like an ATM or sincerely considering the gift most meaningful for them?  Always talk about your donors as if they are standing next to you.

Better utilize partners

6. How do you begin to better utilize partners in your major giving relationships?

  1. Make a list of potential partners and what donors they could help you with or what role they could take on with you.
  2. Begin with one or two of them. Make a plan to add more in a timeline that works for you. Maybe one/month.
  3. Talk with them about the way they would be most comfortable helping you – does it mesh with what you were thinking?
  4. Have them do that action with you once – make time to walk through it with them. 
  5. If it works – REPEAT. Give a partner a specific task/role to get good at! Every master was once a disaster – let them practice this one task/role and master it!
  6. Let them be on their own. You will find that for some tasks – tours, thank you calls – your partners can be on their own after some time. Celebrate that now partners are actually freeing up your time! 
  7. Enjoy sharing how we honorably do our fundraising work – how we serve – how we engage. Thank your partners. Celebrate with them. Stay in touch with the results of a major giving relationship so they know what happens!

Major giving relationships are just more fun when shared.  Drop the mindset that it’s too much work and embrace the party! Get ready to be bombarded with goodwill and connections that create constellations of joy in your life!

Invest in JOY®

Let’s Connect

info@marcyheim.com

(608) 772-6777

Marcy Heim Consulting | The Artful Asker
2679 Fahey Glen
Madison, WI 53711

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