Overheard at a recent gathering of Washington, DC area development professionals hosted by Schultz & Williams and Sterling Martin Associates:
- The recovery has been slow for some organizations, but others have seen their number of donors remain stable or even grow, though their average gift may be lower.
- Many direct service organizations have benefited from the public’s increased awareness of the impact of economic struggles – from foreclosures to loss of health insurance, among other crises.
- Organizations which have invested in acquiring and upgrading donors during this down period will reap the benefits of their long-term relationships with donors. Organizations which were not able to continue building their donor constituencies will be at a disadvantage.
- Some organizations report that their Board members have been asking staff to provide them with talking points and background so that they can be more effective spokespeople as they engage in fundraising.
- An evaluation of corporate cause marketing promotions is badly needed – it is unclear how opportunities like the Pepsi Refresh Project benefit the nonprofits that make the effort to participate but do not receive the cash rewards.
Stay tuned for an extended analysis of this special roundtable in a future edition of Resources Realized.
If you would like to be notified about an upcoming gathering, please contact Mike Schultz at mikeschultz@schultzwillstg.wpengine.com.
