NAYDO Webinar Series
sponsored by Lighthouse Counsel
Your Annual Campaign:
Obstacles You CAN Overcome
October 3, 2013
Jeff Jowdy, President, Lighthouse Counsel
Dave Fulscher, Senior Consultant, Lighthouse
Counsel
Objectives
• Identify most prevalent obstacles facing YMCA’s
to conducting an effective annual campaign and
how they have overcome them
• Provide the tools to overcome these obstacles
Obstacle 1: Ineffective board
solicitation
• Select board solicitation chair
• Assist the chair with recruitment of board
solicitation committee members
• Assess board member giving capabilities
• Make assignments for solicitation
• Set deadline for board personal contacts before
campaign kickoff
• Engage top volunteer leadership first with best
practices
Obstacle 2: Poor recruitment of
volunteers
• Volunteer recruitment is a numbers game
• Ensure that all volunteers are recruited face to
face and by another volunteer
• Staff person should have a personal visit with the
campaigner whether new or returning
• Increase the number of volunteers each year
• Avoid using staff members as campaigners on
teams
• Always outline expectations and make it easy for
the volunteer
Obstacle 3: Inadequate coaching
(training) of staff and volunteers
• Establish culture of a year-round process
• Provide opportunities for volunteer training,
including options for new and experienced
campaigners
• Include experienced volunteers in training
• Focus on mission, testimonials and how the
funds are being used
• Campaign mechanics can be orchestrated by
staff
Obstacle 4: Staff taking on volunteer
roles
• Recruit all leadership volunteers face to face
• Prepare volunteer leadership for meetings
• Assist volunteer leaders in recruitment by
accompanying them on visits
• Be specific with volunteers about duties and
assist them but don’t do the jobs for them
• Never give staff the leadership roles that
volunteers need to fill
Obstacle 5: The case for support is too
general and not mission-specific
• Engage the staff in formulating the case
statement
• Select specific initiatives and causes that your
campaign supports
• Make storytelling a key component of the
campaign
• Tell the story of those positively affected
• Give donors options to support specific portions
of your mission initiatives
Obstacle 6: Ineffective use of
membership base
• Provide new member mission orientation
• Make year-round mission and campaign
education a priority
• Recognize member donors
• Recruit program participants to become team
members who raise funds to support the
charitable effort for that specific program
Obstacle 7: Not enough prospects
identified
• Ask for a minimum of 10 prospects from your
volunteers
• Research potential donors from your membership
lists and past donors to be selected by current
volunteers
• Follow up on all prospects by the end of the
campaign
Obstacle 8: Not enough attention paid
to developing major gifts
• Initiate major gifts process late summer and early
fall
• Recruit top leadership for the major gifts
committee
• Make specific assignments with deadlines
• Ensure year-round major gift stewardship
Obstacle 9: Social media and the
internet
• Coach volunteers to navigate donors to the Y
website to make donations and for information
• Provide opportunity for one time and pledged fits
online
• Follow up on all online gifts with a personal call
and contact
• Ask all volunteers to make call and thank their
donors who made gift through internet or social
media
• Use social media in community phase
Obstacle 10: Inadequate reporting
• Can lead to substantial shrinkage of funds
collected compared to dollars pledged
• Don’t count a pledge without written confirmation
• Confirmation pledge with thank you within 48
hours
Obstacle 11: Volunteer and staff
apathy
• Often results in poor attendance at campaign
events and reporting dates
• Communicate campaign events in advance and
keep them to a minimum
• Make events brief and ensure a specific function
• Reward event participation
• Communicate weekly with volunteers through
periodic phone calls and letters, as well as emails
Obstacle 12: Low donor retention
• Recognize donors within 48 hours
• Make a personal call to the donor
• Regularly report progress on your mission
initiatives
• Ask for donor feedback
• Do not make donors ATM’s
• Educate donors on campaign timing so that they
can plan
• Encourage participation at campaign celebration
Obstacle 13: Low volunteer retention
•
•
•
•
Recognize all volunteers
Identify all top producers
Ask for volunteer feedback
Make sure succession of leadership and
volunteers
• Identify volunteers year-round
• Provide volunteers with personal support and
coaching
Survey suggests most important parts
of a strong campaign:
• Board commitment as well as involvement
• Involvement of the right people who can make
things happen
• Involvement of as many volunteers as possible
• Large number of preselected prospects
• Develop a campaign calendar and plan—and
sticking to it
• The CEO must be the lead staff person in the
campaign and own every detail in its
implementation
Questions?
Attendees online may conduct the poll at this time.
Y-USA Training Resources
• Red Book and Green Book resources
• The YMCA of the USA is providing a one stop
shop on their website for annual campaign
training materials
Thanks to the YMCA Professionals
involved in this webinar:
• Erik Daubert, Director Fund Development
Partnerships, YMCA of the USA
• James Finck, President/CEO, YMCA of Austin
Texas
• Robin Furness-Fallin, Senior Vice President and
Chief Development Officer, YMCA of the USA
• Gail Glasser, Senior Vice President for
Association Advancement, Capital District YMCA,
Albany New York
• Curt Hazelbaker, CEO, YMCA of Northwest North
Carolina
Thank you!
Jeff Jowdy
[email protected]
Dave Fulscher
[email protected]
615.790.7683
LighthouseCounsel.com
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