Dear “Planning” Colleague,

You’ve heard that one of the symptoms of insanity is doing the same thing year after year and expecting a different result. This On-The-Go issue is designed to help you keep your sanity and plan for sustainability as well as unexpected crises. Click on the titles for tips on changing things up …

Plan for Fall Sustainability

Write your 2010 Overarching Annual Sustainability Plan

Prepare a Crisis Response

For any questions or ideas about asking, contact us through OnTheGo@CampaignConsultation.com
for more information. You can still access previous issues of On-the-Go eTA by clicking on the back issues at the bottom of the page.

Plan for Fall Sustainability

The fall/year-end ‘giving season’ often attracts thirty to fifty percent of a program’s annual, unrestricted support. If you are able be sure to capitalize on this “giving season” – if not this year, plan on next year.

Use the plan below to find different ideas for your annual appeal activity.

September

• Segment donor lists for staggered solicitation purposes:
  
  
  • Major donors to be solicited face-to-face with a volunteer leader and followed-up by personal call.
  • Special Gift donors to be solicited by letter signed by a volunteer leader and followed-up by personal call.
  • General Donors to be solicited by email direct / direct mail package and reminded through phonathon/email.
    
    
• Draft a committee of volunteer solicitors from your leaders
  
  
  • Ask volunteer leaders to make their gifts first
  • Ask volunteer leaders to provide names for new donor prospects
    
    
• Review list of lead donors with volunteer leaders
  
  
  • Schedule face-to-face solicitations of targeted major donors
  • Draft personalized letters to targeted major donors to be signed by volunteer leaders
  • Draft personalized letters to new donor prospects suggested by volunteer leaders
    
    
• Begin face-to-face solicitations of major donors by volunteer solicitors
  
  
• Mail out special gift donor solicitation letters signed by volunteer leaders
  
  
• Mail out letters to new donor prospects suggested and signed by volunteer leaders
  
  
• Segment remaining direct mail solicitations:
  
  
  • Repeat donors
  • Donors who gave for the 1st time last year
  • Donors who have given, but not last year
  • Donors who have given, but not for 2-3 years
  • New donor prospects

Click here to continue with your Fall Sustainability Plan

Write the 2010 Overarching Annual Sustainability Plan

Staying of sound mind means establishing action goals and strategies to meet the ever-changing needs in your client and supporter communities. In order to attract more resources, and communicate with volunteer leaders more clearly, prepare written sustainability plans. Below, is a part of an example of an overarching annual plan with the first two columns of Focus Area and Specific Goals / strategic Actions showing.

Click here to download the complete sample with worksheet and help keep your head on straight. Since developing resources is a year ‘round activity, click here for a full year, comprehensive resource development plan example with. Print on legal sized paper.

Prepare a Crisis Response

Crises are never expected and can drive people to distraction. Here are some tips to help you stay focused in the heat of public scrutiny by planning in advance how your organization would respond to a foreseen or unforeseen crisis.

Organize your crisis communication plan around What? Who? When? and Who needs to know?

What should you say?

1. Whatever you say, it should be well planned before you speak a word. When a crisis hits, the public only wants to know three things: What went wrong? How will the wrong be fixed? and What steps are in place to ensure it doesn't happen again?
   
   
2. Develop a simple, straightforward message no matter how complex the crisis. When making a press statement, print it large and read from a script to stay focused, calm and in control.
   
   
3. Prepare a list of specific message points and bring all questions from the media back to these essential points.
   
   
4. Adhere to the cardinal rules of crisis communications: tell the truth, tell it all, tell it succinctly and don’t blame others.

Who should say it?

1. Form a crisis communication team. This team should include all of those individuals who have accurate knowledge about the problem and hold positions of responsibility in your organization. This team will craft any statements to the public and may include such advisors as your legal representative and a public relations specialist.
   
   
2. One person should be designated as spokesperson for the organization. This may be your executive director, the chair of your board of directors, your financial director, your media/public relations staff person, or another person who could represent your organization credibly.
   
   
3. Select a spokesperson who is calm under fire, knows the organization’s message, is comfortable with the media, and able to represent your organization in the most professional and positive manner.
   
   
4. The spokesperson may, if it is deemed appropriate, defer to another expert, but that person must be fully prepared to keep on the message developed by the crisis communication team.

When should you speak?

1. A delayed response will be seen as what it is: an attempt to avoid without taking responsibility.
   
   
2. To maintain control of public perception, and the trust of your supporters and constituents, you need to get your message out ahead of a crisis to avoid incorrect information creating a secondary crisis.
   
   
3. The spokesperson should take time to read any prepared statements, and review possible questions and answers before appearing in front of the media.

Who needs to know?

1. The people who need to hear the story from you may include your staff, volunteer Board/Advisory/leaders, major donors, your program volunteers, your parent organization, your legal counsel, your insurance agent, all supporters including donors, vendors, suppliers, regulators, key community officials, and others.
   
   
2. If an organization finds itself in a situation bad enough to be considered a crisis, fundraising, especially among major donors, is an extremely important function, regardless of how difficult the crisis may have made it. Communicate with your donors.

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