How you operationalize your gift processing will depend on your staff and database system. There are best practices around separation of duties when documenting money and how quickly you send out a formal acknowledgment letter. The document above will outline all these considerations.

From Thank You to Help! What you say – and how you say it – matters. In this session we’ll talk about some of the pitfalls in fundraising writing, differences to consider across various mediums, and how to improve our writing and messaging for better donor engagement. Want to workshop your own written communication? Bring your letter, email, or donor invitation to talk through it together!

The letter below is an actual acknowledgment from a client that is story based. When you use a story in your appeal letter, you can match the acknowledgment letter to reflect that and reinforce that their gift transforms lives.

Congregations expect their people to give of their time and financial resources and readily share their frustration when people don’t step up. It quickly leads to a narrative of scarcity. There’s just not enough. Yet, at the heart, congregations are volunteer organizations. People willingly show up for worship. They choose to give financial gifts. They share their time. It’s amazing to see. What if we moved from a culture of shame and expectation to a culture of gratitude. It begins with thanking people. In this Master Class, Rev. Pete Reuss will move beyond quarterly reports and provide steps to make people feel appreciated for all they do. People who feel appreciated are more likely to take a further step in their journey of generosity.March Roundtable

You have a donor, how do you keep them? Taking care of building and growing a relationship is a center-piece of any development department.