ANNUAL GIVING CAMPAIGN HANDBOOK A practical guide to the YMCA of Austin s Annual Giving Campaign FOR STAFF INTERNAL DOCUMENT 0
TABLE OF CONTENTS OVERVIEW... 2 CALENDAR... 3 TIPS AND TOOLS... 4 STEWARDSHIP... 6 MATERIALS AND RESOURCES... 8 Physical.8 Online.9 Online Fundraising Pages 10 IN-KIND DONATIONS..13 CONTACTS.. 14 1
2018 ANNUAL GIVING CAMPAIGN WHAT IT IS: The Annual Giving Campaign is the YMCA of Austin s annual fundraising drive. It is the primary effort of the Y to raise the important funding used to support financial assistance for members, children and families in our communities and to expand programming. It is the lifeblood of our work! WHO IT HELPS: One hundred percent of Annual Campaign contributions go directly back into the community. These funds help make it possible for children, families, seniors, neighbors and others to benefit from Y programs and memberships, regardless of their financial circumstances. WHY IT MATTERS: The YMCA of Austin is a leading non-profit organization whose mission is to serve the community through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all regardless of background, lifestyle or economic status. We believe that lasting personal and social change can only come about when we all work together to invest in our kids, our health and our neighbors. The crucial funding raised through the Annual Giving Campaign make programs and opportunities accessible to people and communities that they would not have otherwise. HOW IT WORKS: More than 300 community volunteers and Y staff join together in an effort to tell the Y story to everyone in their networks: friends, family, colleagues, fellow members and program participants. The campaign is as much about friend-raising communicating the YMCA s daily impact on people s lives as it is about raising dollars to fund financial assistance and expand programs. WHEN IT HAPPENS: Cultivation and stewardship happens year-round and early asks for major gifts, as well as for board and staff gifts, typically start in October and November. The main fundraising drive for 2018 kicks-off on Tuesday, February 13, 2018 and concludes on Tuesday, March 27, 2018. We ll celebrate our successes on Thursday, March 29, 2018 at the Victory party. YOUR ROLE: During the Annual Giving Campaign, we rely on our volunteers and staff to be ambassadors and champions of our mission. This is achieved through sharing our stories, communicating our impact, connecting people to our cause and providing them the opportunity to give back to their community by donating. Resources can be found at: www.austinymca.org/cause-squad 2
2017-2018 CALENDAR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1: Staff Annual Campaign Workshop (*as part of All-Staff meeting) FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15: Individual online fundraising pages live for 2018 *BENCHMARK OCTOBER 31: 100% Board Commitments *BENCHMARK NOVEMBER 30: 100% Staff Commitments NOVEMBER TBD: In-Branch All-Staff Meetings FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17: Thanksgiving Fellowship Breakfast Green Pastures @ 8:00am TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28: Giving Tuesday (online fundraising day) DECEMBER 1-31: Giving Tree (in-branch) DECEMBER 25-31: End of Year Appeal (email and digital) *BENCHMARK DECEMBER 31: Major Gifts and Renewals secured JANUARY /FEBRUARY: Refresher AC trainings for Volunteers and Staff Thursday Jan.18 th 2:00PM Tuesday Jan. 23 rd 11:00AM Tuesday Jan 30 th 2:00PM Thursday Feb. 15 th 12:00PM TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13: OFFICIAL KICK-OFF (Location - Mercury Hall - 615 Cardinal Ln., Austin 78704, Time 11:30AM-1:00PM; In-Branch activities TBD) *BENCHMARK: 60% of total raised by Kick-Off THURSDAY, MARCH 1-FRIDAY, MARCH 2: Amplify Austin* 24-hour online fundraising from 6pm Thursday to 6pm on Friday THURSDAY, MARCH 1: Amplify Watch Party; Hosted by Google (Location: Google 500 W. 2 nd St., 29 th Floor; Time: 6-8PM) MARCH 9-18: SXSW and Spring Break (just FYI campaign keeps going!) TUESDAY, MARCH 27: OFFICIAL LAST DAY OF CAMPAIGN THURSDAY, MARCH 29: Victory Celebration (Location: Springdale Station 979 Springdale Rd. Austin, 78702; Time: 4:30-7:30PM) 3
*As a grant partner of The St. David s Foundation, all donations raised by the YMCA of Austin online during the specified 24-hour giving day of Amplify Austin will be matched at a certain percentage, typically around 30%. This means that a $100 donation made on this day is actually a $130 donation. Please look out for more information on this event as the date approaches. You can also learn more here: https://amplifyatx.ilivehereigivehere.org 4
TIPS AND TOOLS Predictors of Success Doing these things should lead to a successful campaign! Stewardship & Cultivation Thank your donors: Use the time leading up to the campaign to thank your donors in as many ways possible. Share impact: Invite your donor or prospective donor to see a program their donation makes possible; send a story or video about someone who benefits from Annual Campaign donations; have a program participant send a note about how their life has changed. Get creative! Utilizing Your Data Information on your donors is available to you to help grow your relationship and refine your approach with your donors. Please refer to the data and reporting provided by the development department to help with your efforts. Start Early No time like the present! Getting the support of our closest family and long-time supporters (board and staff members, returning major gifts) in October, November and December gives us a strong lead toward our goal before heading into the public phase of the campaign in February. (*NOTE: Written commitments are fine the donor can fulfill their gift anytime through the following December of the campaign year.) Know Your Y Story What inspires you to raise money for the Y? What is the story you want to share? What are the programs you are passionate about? Tell as many people as you can! Be Informed and Involved Know who your Branch Chair, Team Captain & Team are Read newsletters and weekly tips Make your own personal commitment or gift Identify prospects Set up personal fundraising page online Update your calendar with trainings and events BE INTENTIONAL Schedule time to steward your donors and then make your asks Making the Ask Describe your involvement with the Y Share your Y story Ask open-ended questions Find a connection between the Y and their passions Offer your donor or prospect the chance to get involved and make a difference Speak in terms of IMPACT, not dollars (i.e., Give the gift of swim lessons to a child instead of donate $50) Would you consider a gift of Would you join me in supporting Always say Thank You even if a person does not donate (it s not always a no sometimes it s just a not right now ) Keep in mind that the number one reason people don t give is because they haven t been asked! Know the Difference: Membership Fees vs. Donations 5
Membership and program fees cover our operating and administrative costs, including: Utilities & Occupancy Facility & Pool Maintenance Equipment & Technology Salaries & Services Donated funds enable us: To subsidize many programs and increase affordability, To provide direct financial assistance for those who cannot afford program and membership fees, To expand existing programs, particularly in underserved communities; and To provide start-up funds for community programs. Our Impact 2017 $2.4 million provided in financial assistance 100,000+ Members served in 2017 60,000+ Program participants 38,000+ Men, women and children provided with financial support Our Need 2018 $2.75 million provided in financial assistance 110,000+ Members served 65,000+ Program participants 40,000+ Men, women and children provided with financial support Handling Donations Donations include: Pledges, cash and or checks In order for the Development Department to process donations and acknowledge donors promptly, donations and pledges must be submitted in a timely manner. Please follow these guidelines when a donation is received: Check with your branch Executive on the process for turning in donations (should you turn them into the branch first or directly to the Metro office?) Turn in the donation within 48-72 hours of receiving it Turn in each donation with a pledge card filled out and signed by the donor Don t leave donation unattended in car, desk, etc. 6
STEWARDSHIP The Donor-Centered Fundraising Cycle Studies commissioned by Y-USA tell us many of our donors and partners do not perceive the Y as more than a swim and gym. We are not engaging our supporters in a donor- centered way that shows the impact of their gifts to our communities. A focus on stewardship and donor relations (i.e. saying thank you, recognizing generosity, reporting impact, and experiencing programs first-hand) in our Y s fundraising program can help ensure that your donors experience the type of high-quality interactions with our Y that fosters long-term engagement and investment. The Donor Centered Fundraising Cycle works best when a successful donor relations and stewardship plan is in place to support each step. It is important to connect donors to the Y s cause in order to develop meaningful relationships. Donor retention and donor fatigue are real issues. It costs the Y six to seven times more to acquire a new donor than to retain an existing one. The Y cannot afford to miss the mark when it comes to saying thank you or to neglect opportunities to demonstrate not just program activity, but program outcomes. 7
Stewardship Matrix This grid provides a snapshot of what the association development department provides to donors at various levels of contributions. This serves as a baseline of stewardship, to be supplemented by additional stewardship executed by branch executives, board members and those closest to the donor. You are responsible for finding additional ways to thank your donors! Donor Type $1-$99 $100-$499 $500-$999 $1000-$2499 $2500-$4999 $5000-$9999 $10000+ All Donors Gift Acknowledgement and Donor Sticker x x x x x x x Personal Thank You Call from Staff or Senior Leadership x x x x Limited Edition Donor T-Shirt x x x x x x Personal Thank You Note from Staff or Senior Leadership x x Personal Thank You Note from James Finck x x x Personal Thank You Call from James Finck x x x Impact Email (Monthly) x x x x x x x Customized Thank You - Invitation to Program or Event x x End of Campaign Thank You Email x x x x x x x Invitation to The Annual Meeting (Personal) x x x x x x Annual Report (Mailed Copy) x x x x x x Annual Report (Digital Listing) x x x x x Donor Recognition Signage in Branch x x x x Annual Report (Physical Listing) x ($3,000) x x Recognition on austinymca.org site x x Mid-Year Impact Mailer (Physical) x x x x x Holiday Card (Winter) x x x x x x Thanksgiving Impact Mailer (Physical) x x x x Invitation to Thanksgiving Fellowship Breakfast x x x x x End of Year Impact Video (Email) x x x x x x x Staff Specific (in addition to above) Special Staff Recognition Signage In Branch x x x x x x x Staff-exclusive sticker and magnet x x x x x x x Board Member Specific (in addition to above) From Kate Henderson, Current Association Board Chair x x x x x x x Custom Acknowledgment Letter signed by James Finck x x x x x x x First Time Donors (in addition to above) First Time Donor Acknowledgement and Magnet x x x x x x x NOTE: For corporate sponsorships or company donations over $1,000, please contact Jim Pacey to discuss and customize benefits available. Please do not enter into any agreement with a corporation or company without first clearing the deliverables with the development department beforehand. 8
MATERIALS AND RESOURCES There are a number of materials available to you to help with your fundraising efforts. These will be distributed to you via your executive director or development impact team liaison (check with your branch to identify that person). Many of these materials can also be found in digital versions online. Physical items include: Donation/Pledge Card serves as a written commitment of the donor s pledge (future intent) to give or accompanies a gift of cash or check. Captures donor information such as address, interests, and preferred payment method. Please submit a donation card for every contribution received. This information is important for the development office when entering gift data. Major Gift Benefits Card provides a list of benefits available to individual donors who choose to contribute $1,000 or more to the campaign. (*For corporate sponsorship benefits please contact Jim Pacey at the Association Office for details.) Limited Edition T-Shirt a benefit given as a special thank you to any donor who contributes $100 or more to the campaign. This includes donors who choose to spread their gift over the year (ex: $10/month x 12 months = $120). These shirts are for donors only (including staff donors) who give this amount. Thank You Cards available to write a personal note thanking your donor for their gift. Feel free to use your own as well! Proud Supporter Stickers thank you sticker given to any person who donates to the campaign at any level ($1.00 or more). Cause Squad Nametag Flags special flag for staff to wear on their nametag when they donate to the campaign in any amount ($1.00 or more). Cause Squad Key Fob special key fob given to members who donate $5.00 or more to the campaign. This replaces their standard member key fob and should only be given to those members who donate. Activate it the same way you would their regular key fob. 9
Online and digital items: The Cause Squad site: www.austinymca.org/cause-squad Resources & Downloads o Messages from the Chair o Impact Flyers for monthly Cause Conversations o Multi-Year Pledge Form o Annual Giving Campaign Brochure o Annual Giving Campaign Donation Card o Branch Specific Impact Sheets o Cause Squad FAQ o Impact Videos Annual Giving Campaign Calendar Videos & Impact Statements Access to the online fundraising pages choose your branch from the blue buttons. (Instructions can be found on the following pages.) Make a donation, set-up payments, fulfill a pledge: www.austinymca.org/donate Annual Giving Campaign FAQ: www.austinymca.org/programs/annual-giving-campaign 10
ONLINE FUNDRAISING PAGES Create your own personal fundraising page online to help you reach your goal! You can personalize this page with your Y story and share it with friends and family, encouraging them to donate to the Annual Giving Campaign in support of the work you are passionate about. Register 1. Choose your branch from blue buttons along the right hand side of the www.austinymca.org/cause-squad page or bookmark your branch-specific URL: o http://austincausesquad.org/bastrop o http://austincausesquad.org/eastcommunities o http://austincausesquad.org/hayscommunities o http://austincausesquad.org/metro o http://austincausesquad.org/northaustin o http://austincausesquad.org/northwest o http://austincausesquad.org/programs o http://austincausesquad.org/southwest o http://austincausesquad.org/springs o http://austincausesquad.org/townlake 2. Bookmark the page so you can return to it anytime. Once you are registered, when you return to this page, you will sign in at the upper left using the username and password you create/record in step 10. (*Returning participants your username and password should be the same from last year. Please let the development department know if you forget your password and are unable to reset it.) 3. Click on the register button (upper left). 4. Under Select a Participation Type click on Fundraiser (should be default). 5. Under Your Fundraising Goal input your give/get total (challenge yourself!) 6. Under Additional Gift, if you would like to make a gift right now (i.e., pay all or a portion of your pledge or an extra donation on top of your pledge), input an amount. NOTE: Board Members or Staff who plan to give on Amplify Austin Day, who already have a monthly deduction scheduled, have already given, or are planning to give another time do not need to make a donation here (leave this blank). You will have the opportunity to log your gift offline so it counts toward your fundraising goal once you have registered. 7. Click on Next Step button (lower right). 8. Under Personal Information and Contact Details fill in your info. Check the box to be informed when someone donates on your page. If you want colorful email from the Y, check the box and select HTML as your email preference. 9. Under Participant Center Access Information input a username and password you want to use for your fundraiser page. Record your username and password somewhere so you won t forget it. 10. Input Additional Information and Click on Next Step button (lower right). 11. Review the REGISTRATION SUMMARY information and click on Complete Registration (lower right). 11
12. This should take you to the THANKS FOR REGISTERING page. Now you have a fundraiser page, which is ready to be customized. Click on Access Your Participation Center. Customize Fundraiser Page 13. You should now be on the Home Page of your Participant Center. You will be welcomed in the upper right of the page. Under What to do next? click on Set up your personal page. 14. On the Personal Page tab, in the box under Edit Your Personal Fundraising Page you ll find the default web address (URL) of your fundraising page. This is the address you can send to folks so they can go directly to your page. You can click on URL Settings if you want to change the web address to something of your choosing. This is optional. Suggestion: write down your URL with your username and password from Step 10 for reference. 15. Under Title input customized text that you want along the top of your page. Under Body customize your message. You can use the defaults or take time to let people know why this is important/meaningful to you. Suggestion: Consider including your name in your title or body i.e., Kyle Carroll is Working to Strengthen Our Community or Estrella Barrera invites you to join her. Your name does not automatically appear anywhere, so working it into either the title or body will help people recognize it is your page. 16. If you have a photo or video that you want to grace the top of your page, click on Photos/Videos on the right side of the page, click on the appropriate radio button, then click on choose file to browse to the location of the photo/video file. Input a caption, if desired, and click Save/Upload. When done, click on Content on the right side of the page to return to the main content of your page. Click on Save (lower right) to save your edits. 17. To see what your page will look like, click on View Personal Page at the top of the page (to the left of the text Edit Your Personal Fundraising Page. If you like what you see, you are done customizing. If you want to tweak things, close the tab that popped up and return to steps 16 and 17. 18. When done customizing your fundraiser page. You can return to the HOME screen of the Access Participant Center by either clicking on the Home Tab or clicking on the text Access Participant Center in the upper right WELCOME box. Join a Team (Optional) If you have already registered and would like to start or join a team, new teams can be set-up with kimberly.romero@austinymca.org. Email Kim with your team name and the registered team captain s name. The team captain must be registered (i.e., made it to step 13) before a team can be created and available for others to join. **If you already know that you are a team captain before you register, you can choose Start a Team in step 3, create a team name with goal and branch, and then proceed with steps 4-13. IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not register a Team Name as an Individual Participant. You must create a team on its own and each fundraiser on the team must have their own page. 19. If you are invited to join a team, log into the Access Participant Center (use bookmarked link from step 1 and username and password from step 10 if needed). Below the Welcome box find and click on the text Change Team Membership. 20. Search by team name or team captain name to find your team and join it. Email Contacts 21. Make it easy for donors to find your page. Send them an email with the web address to your fundraiser page, see step 15. 12
22. Templates have been set up for you, but if you want to add information to your email, feel free to use your own language and/or from the resources provided here: www.austinymca.org/cause-squad 23. Log into the Access Participant Center (use bookmarked link from step 1 and username and password from step 10 if needed). If you received an online donation on your page, those donations will show up under Recent Activity at the bottom of your Home page. Be sure to send Thank You notes! Track and Update Progress 24. You may want to record offline pledges or donations that you received in person so you can count those gifts toward your public fundraising goal on your page. In your participant center, click on the tab labeled Progress, then click on Enter New Gift (right side of page). Enter a new gift for each individual donation received. Click on Additional gift entry fields to include donor information such as preferred recognition and whether to show the amount publicly or not. 13
What is an in-kind gift? Gifts-in-kind, also referred to as in-kind donations, are a type of charitable giving in which, instead of giving money to buy needed goods and services, the goods and services themselves are given. Gifts-in-kind are different from gifts of cash or stock. When can an in-kind donation be counted towards Annual Campaign revenue? In-kind donations can only be counted towards Annual Campaign Revenue if the item(s) have been budgeted for and a GL Code is provided on the request form that corresponds with the expense. Examples of acceptable in-kind donations that can be counted as revenue: A credit reflected on an invoice of services. Ex: If a branch owes Company ABC $1,000 for a service; the invoice they send to the branch includes a credit of $600, bringing the total amount due to $400. This $600 credit must be listed on the invoice as a donation NOT as a discount. If a branch has a budgeted expense of $250 to cover the cost of food at an upcoming event. Restaurant XYZ donates the food without charging the branch. A document or invoice from the restaurant needs to be provided to reflect this. If you are unsure whether or not a donation can be counted as Annual Campaign revenue, please check with the development department to confirm before accepting or submitting the gift. NOTE: Sometimes, the item being donated has a value to the donor greater than the amount a branch has budgeted. Only the amount you would have spent on the item can be counted toward your Annual Campaign revenue. However, the donor may work with their tax professional to reflect the actual fair market value of the donation when submitting their taxes. Please contact the development department with questions. What back up do I need to provide to the Development Dept. for an in-kind gift? When receiving an in-kind donation, please be sure the individual or organization can provide a receipt or documentation that specifically reflects the goods or service being donated. What if a donor wants to make an in-kind donation that is not budgeted for? We always aim to celebrate any gesture of philanthropy made by our constituents. If a donor would like to contribute goods or services to the YMCA of Austin, please check with your branch executive or the development department to ensure the items being donated are appropriate before accepting them. Even items given with the best of intentions are not always something we can accommodate. A special letter of acknowledgment reflecting the contribution that the donor can use for his/her tax purposes will be provided to the donor by the development department. 14
QUESTIONS? Annual Giving Campaign Kyle Carroll, Director of Annual Giving P: 512-322-9622 x103 E: kyle.carroll@austinymca.org Kimberly Romero, Development Associate P: 512-322-9622 x136 E: kimberly.romero@austinymca.org Sponsorships & Corporate Giving Jim Pacey, SVP of Social Responsibility P: 512-322-9622 x134 E: jim.pacey@austinymca.org Marketing & Communications Sean Doles, VP of Mission Advancement P: 512-322-9622 x135 E: sean.doles@austinymca.org Leilani Perry, Director of Marketing & Communications P: 512-322-9622 x137 E: leilani.perry@austinymca.org Shelby Gill, Communications Manager P: 512-322-9622 x102 E: shelby.gill@austinymca.org Paige Turner, Digital Media Manager P: 512-322-9622 x145 E: paige.turner@austinymca.org John Bosco, Graphic Designer P: 512-322-9622 x126 E: john.bosco@austinymca.org Capital Campaign & Grants Megan Arnold, Senior Director of Development P: 512-322-9622 x132 E: megan.arnold@austinymca.org Christina Cha, Director of Grants P: 512-322-9622 x146 E: christina.cha@austinymca.org Sarah Villarreal, Capital Campaign Coordinator P: 512-322-9622 x114 E: sarah.villarreal@austinymca.org 15