From Jim Eskin, External Relations Councel . --................................October 2009

To both Jewish and non-Jewish friends, it's a pleasure to declare L'Shana Tovah -- Happy New Year! It's 5770.

It's altogether fitting that we seize this occasion and celebrate new beginnings and, in doing so, recommit and rededicate ourselves to the people, principles, and plans most precious in our lives.

I want to take this opportunity to share a new beginning in my professional life. On September 16th I started responsibilities as Executive Director of the Alamo Community College District Foundation, a vibrant community college system with close to 60,000 students. Its goal is to be the best in the nation and I'm looking forward to the challenge of helping develop the resources to make that a reality.

FP-PI-C-S-S Formula
Fundraising doesn't have to be complicated. I like organizing the work around  a template that mirrors the gifting cycle:
 
(1) Funding Priorities: What do we need to raise money for, and what makes our request(s) unique, timely, and compelling?
(2) Prospect Identification: Which individuals, corporations, and businesses either have an interest in our funding priorities or could be cultivated to have an interest?
(3) Cultivation: How can we forge a personal and emotional bond with the donor?
(4) Solicitation: How do we set the stage for the request and close the deal?
(5) Stewardship: How do we thank and recognize the donor to deepen the relationship?
 
Address these crucial five stages consistently and effectively, and the gift income will follow.

Hold On To Donors    
In this economy, we can't afford to lose a single contributor. Donor retention makes compelling sense on several levels. Never forget that the longer a donor keeps giving, the more likely it is that we will receive a major gift -- often because that individual receives a windfall.
 
Here are some practical suggestions from GuideStar:
 
· Send a thank you note as quickly as possible.
· Get the new donors on your newsletter mailing list right away, or send the most recent copy in a special mailing.
· Call your new donors and invite them to become monthly donors.
· Keep your list of names and addresses as clean as possible.
· Let your donors know when you haven't heard from them.

Philanthropy On The Small Screen       
For seven straight days starting on October 19th, volunteers will be the toast of Hollywood. Images of people doing good will fill America's television screens, appearing on morning shows, soap operas, hospital dramas, cop dramas, situation comedies, reality shows, late-night talk shows, and local news programs. 

In an unprecedented effort coordinated by the Entertainment Industry Foundation, a leading Hollywood charity, more than 60 national TV programs have agreed to incorporate story lines about volunteers into their scripts, highlight real-life volunteers, air public-service announcements, or ask cast members to create a "tag" at the end of their show encouraging people to volunteer.

Why Nonprofit Boards Fail      
Ellis McGehee Carter, an attorney and non-profit expert in Phoenix, spotlights the following common board governance mistakes she has witnessed in her practice.

1. Failing to understand fiduciary duties.
2. Failing to provide effective oversight.
3. Deference to the executive committee, board chair or the organization's founder.
4. Micro-managing staff.
5. Avoiding the hard questions.
6. Insufficient conflict management.
7.  Lack of awareness of laws governing tax-exempts.
8. Operating with outdated, inconsistent governing documents.
9. Airing disagreements outside the boardroom.
10. Failure to cultivate board diversity.

Philanthropedia
Howard Bornstein, a former Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation program analyst,  teamed up with fellow Stanford University business school students to launch Philanthropedia, a group that works to provide donors with access to expert opinions on charities. It identifies foundation employees, university professors, think-tank experts, and others who are knowledgeable about specific causes. The group then surveys those experts to gather their opinions on which charities they find to be the most effective. So far, Philanthropedia has conducted research on three causes: climate change, education, and homelessness in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Backpack Philanthropy
How about this -- giving back by giving backpacks!
 
This is the brainchild of Office Depot Foundation President Mary Wong who conceived the National Backpack Program.
Since 2000, the program has given two million underprivileged kids backpacks and school supplies. The gifts are more than mere receptacles for books and supplies -- they are veritable passports to more promising futures.

Campaign Sucess Story           
Who says you can't be successful in this economy?
 
A $1-billion fund drive started in late 2003 by Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has reached its goal a year ahead of schedule. The campaign, believed to be the largest ever for a New England health-care institution, has collected more than 1.7 million donations in its six years, 107 of them topping $1-million. Half the money will be used for research and patient care, and $200-million will go toward new technology and construction on the Dana-Farber campus.

Future Of Direct Mail  
The Direct Marketing Association projects a 10% drop in direct mail. Several reasons are cited, including rising printing and postage costs and competition from other channels, including e-mail and the explosion of social media.
 
But don't bury direct mail.  Electronic mail doesn't replace the USPS any more than telemarketing replaces personal visits.  Each of the communications vehicles have particular strengths and weaknesses, and are all part of a comprehensive giving strategy. No single channel can do it all, though we will be challenged to work smarter to get our audiences to open our envelopes.

Entrepreneurial Bliss    
Business owners -- followed closely by professionals and managers -- have the highest overall well-being of any occupational group in the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. Transportation and manufacturing workers have the lowest overall well-being.
 
The high well-being of self-employed business owners is particularly interesting in light of recent findings that business owners work longer hours than do people in any other occupational category. Their high well-being, despite working longer hours, supports Gallup research showing that working long hours is only highly detrimental to well-being for those who are less engaged in their work. In terms of income, business owners, on average, make slightly less than professionals and managers/executives, but still eclipse these groups in well-being.

Can't Get Enough Media          
Americans are increasing their overall media consumption, and media multi-tasking is part of the equation. The Nielsen Company reports that the number of people watching mobile video increased 70% from last year, and people who watch video online increased their viewing by 46% compared to a year ago. In addition, the average American TV consumption remains at an all-time high (141 hours per month) compared to the same time frame last year.

The 290 million people in the U.S. with TVs spend on average 141 hours, 3 minutes, each month tuning into television. The 134 million people watching video on the Internet spent on average 3 hours, 11 minutes, during the month doing so. The 15 million people subscribing to mobile video in the U.S. spend on average 3 hrs, 15 minutes, each month watching video on a mobile phone.

PAC Update   
The Public Affairs Council's 2009 Corporate Political Action Committee Benchmarking Report uncovers seven key findings: 
 
1.  PAC managers are doing more with less.
2.  The division of labor between PAC staff and volunteers is changing. 
3.  Consultants continue to shoulder a significant share of PAC administration activities.
4.  CEOs are becoming more strategic in their involvement with PACs.
5.  PAC boards of directors are becoming more democratized.
6.  Participation rates have declined, but PAC receipts have increased.
7.  PACs may be moving towards a rolling contribution business model.

Ex-Prez Ratings           
He wasn't popular in office, but for nearly one out of three voters (32%), Jimmy Carter is the living ex-president who has done the best job since leaving the White House.  
 
In a Rasmussen Reports survey, George W. Bush comes in last with 9% support. Bill Clinton is viewed by 29% as the ex-president who has performed best since stepping down as chief executive. Twenty-two percent say that of George H.W. Bush.

Teddy's Legacy           
The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate will be an enduring testament to the late Senator's love of the institution. Fittingly, it will be located adjacent to the JFK Presidential Library on the campus of the University of Massachusetts in South Boston.    
  
The Institute will feature a museum and exhibit space, ceremonial and reception spaces, a library, research area, and several classrooms. It will also host a "Summer Senate" for high school students. Two students from each state will come to the Institute each year to study a topic, hold mock hearings, draft legislation, and debate the topic.

Quiz: POTUS Vocabulary       
Can you match the following words with the Presidents who invented or promoted them? Answers presented in the column at left. Until next month ...

	Jim Eskin External Relations Counsel 10410 Pelican Oak Drive San Antonio, TX 78254 210-523-8499 (H) | 210-415-3748 (C) jeskin@aol.com
Stratagems is a copyright-free publication. Readers may duplicate and/or redistribute the information in each issue. Comments and suggestions are welcome! Send your feedback to: jeskin@aol.com

Answers: 1=e, 2=a, 3=b, 4=d, 5=c.

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