Development Got You Down?

Enhancing

organizational shifts to help you thrive or to keep your talent

The Rome Group Ellen Howe, CFRE

senior consultant

Ashley Casan Holmes, MSWconsultant

Our Mission:

To strengthen communities by strengthening nonprofits

Today’s Agenda• The Challenge: the revolving door• Impact on our organizations• Barriers to success

• The Solution: strategies for success• Managing Up • Managing Down

• Tools, Tips, and Tricks

Development Got You Down?

Why can’t we make it stick? The average tenure of a fundraiser at their job is just 16 months!

Befuddled, frazzled, frustrated…yep• Lengthy vacancies • Anticipated departures• Development just isn’t for me

Help Wanted: Please!Key issues with the talent pool• Lack of Qualified Candidates• Poor Performance• Missing Skills • Competition for Talent

Impact on our Organizations

Barriers to Success• Unrealistic Expectations• Lack of systems • Lack of leadership buy-in/engagement• Complicated relationships• Lack of Goals & Influence• No Culture of Philanthropy

What can the Fundraiser do…• Seek out mentorship and professional

development to stay sharp• Know your data and understand what

it tells you• Manage up – motivate and engage

your leadership • Make those calls

Strategies for Success

What can the CEO do…• Hire Right• Build a Database of Contacts &

Employee Prospects• Offer Atypical Benefits• Extensive Orientation & Social

Interactions• Consider Mentorship• Grow Your Own Fundraiser

Strategies for Success

What can the CEO do…• Invest in Professional Development• Provide Pathway for Career Growth• Set Clear Expectations• Be Responsive and Accessible• Recognize Staff’s Value and

Contributions• Deal with Conflict Quickly

Strategies for Success

Culture of Philanthropy• Customer-centered and donor-centered• Everyone in the organization:• Understands that philanthropy is

critical to organizational health• Serves as a philanthropic ambassador• Helps to cultivate relationships on

behalf of and in support of the organization

Culture of Philanthropy • Sharing mission moments and

cultivating a shared sense of pride • Systems and tools for easy information

and reporting • Inter-staff training (programs and

development) • Offer time to brainstorm easy ways

to support each other

Managing Up •Using a Call Plan

Planning your work • Development Plan

Reporting on your work • Development Dashboard

Tools, Tips, and Tricks

• Provide background information on the prospect/donor

• Write a Call Plan• Prepare materials for call• Prepare follow-up information and

thank you letters• Record and track all contributions• Recognize success

Managing Up

• Begin by plotting out everything that has to be done for the year by date

• Work backwards to determine when preparation needs to begin

• Plot your course, assign responsibility, and stick to your plan

• Use your plan to keep board, and leadership up to date

Getting Organized

• Know your data (use excel) • Track your progress so that the

Development Team is up to date on achievement

• Meaningful way for Director of Development to have influence on goal setting

• Schedule the conversation in advance of board budgeting

Track Your Success

Contributions

FY 2015 Goal

FY 2015 YTD FY 2014 YTD Progress Toward Goal

Annual Appeal

Grants

Major Gifts

Online Giving

Special Events

Questions? Comments?

The Rome Group Ellen Howe, CFRE

ellen@theromegroup.com

Ashley Casan Holmes, MSWashley@theromegroup.com