Maybe you've met a giving circle or two. They are groups of people who pool their donations and decide together where to give. Obviously the donor dynamic is very different from the way it works with individual direct mail. It creates much more sophisticated and demanding donors with a strong investment mentality.
A recent post at About Nonprofit Charitable Orgs is about ways to reach giving circles: Giving Circles Are Looking for Good Nonprofit Brands. If you want to cultivate giving circles, here's what you need to let them know:
- Your philosophy, mission, and core values.
- That your organization is continuously learning.
- Your track record of success.
- That you enable donors to engage in true partnership with your cause.
- That you can demonstrate fiscal responsibility and ethical standards.
A little different from the simpler-is-better world of direct-response fundraising.
It's probably worthwhile to reach out to giving circles. More about them at Giving Circles Network.
(See also Giving circles: threat or opportunity?.)
Technorati Tags: fundraising, giving circles
For extensive information on how giving circle operate and where to find them, you can also refer to the Giving Circles Knowledge Center, at www.givingforum.org/givingcircles.
Posted by: Rick Rose | 13 February 2008 at 09:50