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August 29, 2024

sandra web 

From the desk of:

Sandnra Kidd ¦ Senior Partner

It’s All About the ABCs

I am having some home renovation projects done this month. Because none are major, I am managing the projects myself, juggling the scheduling and sequencing of the plumber, the painters, the basement fix-it people, the tree service…you get the idea.

Serving as my own general contractor for these various projects reminds me of the importance of A) solid planning, B) good communication, C) proactive collaboration–and then D) flexibility when A, B, and C hit a snag. As you plan your fall 2024 stewardship, cultivation, and solicitation calendar, you will want to keep your ABCs in mind.

A)  Solid Planning. Does your planning consist of taking last year’s 2023 calendar and replacing “2023” with “2024”? If so, you may want to reconsider. While I am a firm believer that consistency is a good practice for annual fundraising, fall 2024 is different. This is election season—and Americans, including your donors, are getting bombarded with messaging. This fall, you want your annual giving solicitations to stand out in the crowd. You also may need to be more persistent in follow-up on your asks, using personal two-way conversations with donors whenever possible.

B)  Good Communication. External communications with your prospects, donors, alumni, patrons, and friends will be most effective when they are clear, concise, personal, and pertinent. One tip: Count the number of times you say “I” or “we”—versus “you”—when crafting fundraising letters, emails, and texts (if you use text solicitations, please don’t send one to me!). Your appeals should focus on your prospects’ motivations, why they support your cause, and what they need to know to make an informed philanthropic decision.

C)  Proactive Collaboration. Internally, a planning meeting with key staff in marketing, communications, fundraising, constituent relations, and volunteer management will help ensure that everyone is in sync for the coming months. Using your office and database management tools—common calendar, priority lists, dashboards—will help keep your internal team on schedule. And please be sure to report results out to everyone on the team, senior management, Board members, and fundraising volunteers.

D)  Flexibility. You can rest assured that something this fall, next spring, next week, will not go according to plan. When that happens, hit the pivot button! Good luck!

(As for me, I am back to waiting on the plumber, who promised to come no later than 6 pm today….)

Do Your Part to Help Your Museum Community

ilsThe Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is preparing for the National Museum Survey (NMS), the first federal data collection on museums. The survey will launch in early 2025, and data from this survey will help inform policymakers, the museum field, and the public about the impact and reach of institutions like yours.

To be successful, museums need to participate! The first step is to make sure your museum is registered with up-to-date data. You are urged to update your institution’s contact information on the IMLS website to access the contact information form and help shape this vital upcoming collection for the museum sector!

Go here and be a part of this endeavor.

Don’t Ignore Women in Your Fundraising

Is your nonprofit holding on to decades-old fundraising strategies that primarily target men — specifically older white men. Did you know that those strategies could result in the loss of billions of dollars in donations as women are becoming wealthier and more engaged in philanthropy?

With U.S. women expected to inherit up to $30 trillion over the next decade, according to the Bank of America Institute, many more could join the ranks of Mackenzie Scott and Melinda Scott Gates. Already, women are changing the philanthropy world by spearheading more group funding approaches. Funding collectives, largely led and dominated by women, donated more than $3.1 billion from 2017 to 2023, data shows.

Does your organization need to do a better job of appealing to these women? The Women’s Philanthropy Institute at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy has published recommendations for how nonprofits can include women donors in their fundraising plans. Check them out.

Our Team is Growing

jane bargothiAlexander Haas is honored to welcome Jane M. Barghothi to our team as Associate Partner. Jane has a background in higher education advancement and most recently was Vice Chancellor of Advancement at Appalachian State University, which had its largest fundraising year in its history under Jane’s leadership.

Prior to that she served as Executive Director of Development at the University of Georgia, and she worked closely with the State Botanical Garden of Georgia to build the Deen Day Sanders Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum. At the University of Wyoming, Jane focused on frontier and rural healthcare, highlighting the need for health professionals throughout the state. This included engaging and partnering with individuals, foundations, corporations and healthcare advocacy groups in and around the mountain west. Her CV is packed with experience and results! Welcome to the team Jane!

Haas Folder and Designer Honored

folder honorCongratulations to our friend, Ira Jackson, president of Perfect Image, who is the recipient of the 2024 Benjamin Franklin Award from the Printing & Imaging Association of Georgia. Recognized throughout Georgia’s print industry as the highest honor conferred to an individual, the award honors Jackson’s long-term, major contributions to the state’s print and graphic arts industry and to his community.

Jackson designed The Legacy of Beatrice Hirsch Haas which won Best Presentation Folder at the event. The folder was created in collaboration with the Association of Fundraising Professionals to recognize the life and legacy of Be Haas, our firm’s founding partner. Each future recipient of AFP’s Be Haas Award will receive a personalized booklet. Many of Be’s friends and colleagues participated in the creation of the booklet. Again, many thanks and congratulations to Ira for bringing it to life. 

We Know Museums
For more than 35 years, Alexander Haas has been a fixture in the nonprofit community. We are honored to have worked with leading museums and cultural organizations across the country that help communities be a better place to live. Just ask our clients.

Face It: Museums are Different
Our services aren’t cookie cutter. We don’t operate with a boilerplate, merely changing names and locations. We craft each and every service we provide to match your museum’s unique needs, wants and abilities. We work hard and expect you to do the same. Together we can help you transform your museum, your fundraising, and the community you serve.

Whether your need is in Capital Campaign, Annual Fund Campaign, Major Gifts, Leadership Annual Giving, Planned Giving or all of the above, we take a fresh approach to nonprofit fundraising.