Let’s be proud of our 2020 accomplishments, and enter 2021 in the thrive-mindset; in the be-bold-mindset; in the excel-mindset. Here are five ways that will help get your advancement shop there, five ideas that are worth investing time and resources into.
1) Forecast gift revenue to gain and give better insights
Pipeline forecasting is often based on a fundraising definition rather than a gift revenue calculation. Strategic insight for annual and campaign planning focuses primarily on pipeline forecasting.
Tactical insights are derived from asking: What is our gift revenue forecast? It is valuable to understand how past, current, and future fundraising performance was affecting revenue, especially as 2020 showed itself to be so unpredictable.
Organizations seeking to expand into gift revenue reporting should start thinking about how their fundraising data interplays with accounting and revenue data.
The nugget here is not to remove pipeline forecasting from your toolbox; rather it’s to add gift revenue forecasting. It will give you the ability to respond quickly in emergencies and unexpected situations, while still planning for the long-term.
UC Berkeley and Williams College are doing some good work in this area; Michiel Westerkamp, president of Raising Insight is an expert in this area.
2) A healthy organization is reflected in its metrics and goals
Establish metrics and goals that support your organization’s values as well as the health of your pipeline. What mattered pre-pandemic is different than what matters now.
Integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles alongside development priorities in metrics and goals. This must be top-down and recognized advancement-wide.
For instance, the UO’s advancement team is actively fundraising for five DEI initiatives focused on specific diverse campus populations. Each initiative has goals to increase alumni and donor engagement, raising funds from a broad base of mid-level donors. Metrics and goals are established at individual and unit levels across advancement.
Expand and strengthen your pipeline through various pipeline engagement, development, and growth strategies. Establish metrics and set goals that endorse and encourage the proper outcomes.
Don’t allow a rigid reporting platform to sabotage your good intentions. If you’re changing metrics but are delayed in changing the reporting dashboard, clearly communicate what metrics are new and what metrics are no longer relevant. Lack of clarity around metrics and goals affects morale and satisfaction
3) Invest in digital transformation for advancement services
What does digital transformation look like for your team? It should include investments in new and existing technologies to expand the pipeline, talent investments for effective implementation of digital programming, and removing silos among your various teams. Make this the year to inspire, innovate, experiment, and create. Your advancement services team will make that happen!
4) Seek and share information with your team and colleagues
Teams are most effective when information is shared openly and freely. This will save time and money. If you have access to information from other units, divisions, teams, or leaders, think about who needs that information (such as data, reporting, access to people or meetings, updates to processes, etc.). Find ways to combine it with other information to make it more powerful.
What is the one piece of information you are missing that will bring you to the next level? Seek out that information. Conversely, what is a piece of information that you have that can help a team member or another unit operate better? Be proactive in offering information and squash any hoarding tendencies.
5) Position your organization for DAF payouts
Donor Advised Funds received 12.7% of individual giving in 2018, but distributions from DAFs are not keeping up. When will we see reforms that require DAFs to distribute donations that benefit mission-driven charities? Organizations receive DAF gifts at a higher rate by expanding attempts to solicit gifts from DAFs. Partner with your friends in prospect development to develop a strategic plan.
In closing…
Some of these ideas will take more time and more resources than others. Establish a taskforce to elevate for 2021. Nothing changes if nothing changes. Here’s an updated picture of Ginger, who hasn’t changed.
By Maureen Procopio
Senior Director, Campaign Strategy and Institutional Benchmarking
University of Oregon Advancement
541-346-2061