Annual Appeals

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Annual Appeals

Before you begin developing an annual appeal campaign, your organization should have a membership renewal program in place. Where 80% of the charitable donations come from individuals, people want to be part of a movement. A well-written and informative solicitation may enhance their relationship with your group.

One example of an annual appeal is the year end appeal. The end of the year is a perfect opportunity for fundraising, because it coincides with the conclusion of the tax year. Many people look for ways to reduce their taxes, including making tax-deductible donations to organizations who deliver public and community services their care about. Shouldn't your organization be on their list of year end donations?

Beyond the appeal's ability to raise funds for your organization, there are the additional benefits of cultivating and increasing the loyalty of your membership, and the number of individuals interested in your cause. For example, the year end appeal provides the following benefits:

• Communicate the group's accomplishments over the year
• Inform members of new initiatives in the coming year
• Upgrade current members' giving levels
• Provide important facts about the watershed where your members live

Getting Started While annual appeals may seem easier than your general membership campaign, it is important to plan the effort for repeatability and to track trends. Some donors, however, may prefer respond to an appeal, and not to your renewal letters. Don't worry about whether their contribution is a renewal or year end giving; they gave your organization much needed unrestricted funds. Here are some thoughts for developing your first annual appeal campaign. Developing Your Message For a year-end appeal reflect on and communicate your successes to your supporters, and inform them of what is to come. Here are some questions to help frame your accomplishments: What were the most important programmatic accomplishments during the year? How and where has your work reduced water pollution or improved the health of the watershed? What were the most important organizational accomplishments during the year? What activities has your group been involved in over the past year (planning, regulatory, assessment, public involvement, and general advocacy)? What outcomes resulted from those activities, such as increased public understanding and action, improved regulatory compliance, and better environmental conditions. The Letter First, communicate that this contribution is over and above their dues, to reduce any confusion when you solicit renewals. Thank them for their past support. Make it personal. Some effective letters have used a story to draw readers into the letter. Use the phrases "you" and "your" to pull people into your letter. Begin with why you are writing to them. Include personal handwritten notes from someone in the organiation the recipient knows personally. Use of white space and graphics effectively to communicate your message. Use underlining or bolding to highlight important points. Use the P.S. to reiterate your request, or offer an incentive. The Mailing Package There is no sure fire process to achieve the most successful appeal, below is items to consider. Mailing List Mail to your general members and list of supporters. You may want to exclude individuals who have recently made contributions. Outside Envelope Get them to open the envelope. Some groups have used a red envelope to draw attention, others have placed intriguing messages on the envelope. Make the outside look as personal as possible, handwrite addresses, and use a bulkmail or first class stamp. Return Envelope Provide a return envelope. Some are very sophisticated, while others are as simple as a printed return labels applied to a small blank envelope. Response Form Make contributions as easy as possible. The response form can be a coupon at the bottom of your letter, a small card or half letterhead sheet. Provide all the giving options you offer and a place for their contact information. Preprint their contact information, if possible, and ask respondents to correct it as needed. Be specific about how they can contribute (check, credit card, etc.), and about the information you need for payment. For checks, indicate who to make the check payable to, and for credit cards, provide fields for type of card, card number, print name on card, signature, and expiration date. Inserts Decide what will support the message of your appeal. Photos, press clippings, and/or a list of accomplishments are inserts to consider if the are relevant and add interest.

Timing When mailing a year end appeal, consider the volume of holiday mail and packages going out in December. Times that have worked for other New Jersey watershed groups: before Thanksgiving, the first week of December, and mid-December. Test different timings, keep records and see what works for your group. Processing the Response Send a thank you to each donor. This is essential to building a loyal group of donors. Depending on the level of contribution, you can send a pre-fab thank you card, a personalized thank you note for large contributions handwritten, or a letter with merged fields for personalization. Important Note: For any gift of $250 or greater, the organization must provide a formal letter to the contributer, and make a copy for the organization's records. The IRS requests that the following information be provided to the contributor: donor's name, amount of money given, and statement indicating that the donor did not receive any goods or services for the gift. Refer to the text below for sample language. There is no standard form, so it may be beneficial to incorporate this information in your thank you response. Many leters include this in the footer. Sample Text "Guided by the directive contained in IRS 170(F), to certify that for your contribution of $XX dollars to [Organization Name], a 501(c)(3) organization, you received no direct benefit of gifts or services in whole or in part." Evaluating Keep records and compare your results to improve your fundraising efforts. This information will also provide input to your annual budget. Keep records of: the appeal cost (envelopes, postage, paper, etc.), the money received, the response rate (number mailed divided by number of people respondents), the average gift (money reaised divided by number of respondents), mail date, and materials mailed. Analyze what worked well and what did not to improve upon next year's efforts. Your first effort may seem like an experience you never want to repeat, but you have laid the foundation building for your future fundraising success. Helpful Hints If you feel uncomfortable about sending out a letter, try a holiday card. In ordering materials make sure letter and inserts fit in the envelope and colors coordinate. The packaging and mailing of the year end appeal should not be overwhelming even for the smallest of groups. Host a mailing party and have fun by providing food, drinks and even music. Further Resources Grassroots Fundraising Journal, a bimonthly magazine to help nonprofits raise funds. Website also provides a Q&A column and articles on basic fundraising approaches. River Advocates Fundraising Guide, River Network, an online guide for river and watershed groups. River Network also provides an online library with information on writing appeal letters.