Ventures in Philanthropy E-Newsletter: March 2008

		March 2008

	PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:
	*Welcome to our Ventures in Philanthropy* E-Newsletter**

Stewardship—Is It Important?
Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE

In the late 1990’s, Carnegie Mellon University conducted a survey, the results of which are still valid. Their survey concluded that the thing of utmost importance to donors was that they knew how their money was being used by the organization. This is one important aspect of stewardship. How many of you tell donors how their money was used by your organization? This doesn’t mean you have to count how many paper clips you bought with each $10 gift that came in, but a thank you letter that includes wording like, “Your gift enabled us to feed 30 homeless people this month,” can go a long way to assuring your

donors that their contributions are being used wisely and to fulfill your mission.

Some other good stewardship practices include publishing an annual report which includes total income, total expenses and financial data. The higher percentage of income that you can show being channeled directly to programs, the better your report will look. Your annual report is one of the most useful tools in cultivation new donations from current and potential donors. The annual report should also include stories and photos relating to your program.

Properly acknowledging and recognizing donors is also important. Although IRS regulations say it is necessary to send a written acknowledgement of gifts of $250 or more, the organizations that really understand stewardship and cultivation will thank ALL donors, regardless of the size of their gift.

Here are ten tips to providing good stewardship to your donors.

Send donor acknowledgment letters within 24 hours of receipt of the gift.
Be sure you send your donors proper acknowledgement for IRS purposes, including the fact that they relieved no benefit in exchange for their donation, or the amount of the benefit they did receive (for example: fair market value of a dinner or golf tournament, advertising given to sponsors, etc.)
Be certain your 990 form is accurate and provides examples of how donors’ money is being used to directly benefit recipients of your services.
Publish donors’ gifts in your annual report, unless they request anonymity.
Always have a check box for the option to remain anonymous, and ask donors to print exactly how they do wish to be recognized if they are not making an anonymous gift.
Use your website to provide donors with examples of how their gifts are being used.
Be sure to use restricted gifts in the way the donor request.
Have a prudent investment policy for your funds.
Assure that knowledgeable people serve on your board budget and finance, and have an audit committee to assure proper audits are done on a timely basis.
Commit to and publish the Donor Bill of Rights.

Please note: You can find this list of ten tips and an archive of other Secrets of Sucess monthly tips on our website by clicking here.

More New Services—Consultant on Call

If you need consulting services, but cannot afford a high priced consulting relationship, check out our Consultant on Call Program:

Consultant on Call

Need an experienced consultant to answer any management questions or review agency documents but can’t afford one or don’t know one?

If your organization needs help with organizational, governance, fundraising, personnel or any other type of management issues, we have a program designed just for you!

Our new Consultant on Call program provides you with help from some of the country's leading consultants, trainers and authors. Two of the country’s most successful nonprofit consultants, Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE and Michael Sand, Esq. will answer any questions you have. If for any reason they do not have the expertise to handle your specific issue, they will get answers for you from the more than a hundred consultants that work with them.

What You Will Receive

Linda Lysakowski and Michael Sand will answer any questions about fundraising, governance or management issues you or any staff or board member in your agency pose to them by e-mail or telephone. They may consult with their Associates before answering your question. In addition, they will review agency documents and give their professional comments:

Questions or items to be reviewed may include:

Grant Proposals
Development Plans
Staff or Board Position Descriptions
Conflict of Interest Policies
Gift Acceptance Policies
Program Plans
Personnel Policies
Appeal Letters
Websites
Personnel Matters
Fundraising Questions
Management Problems
Board Development Issues

Special Offer

In order to encourage participation in this program, a limited number of agencies will receive unlimited service at the rate of $1,000 per calendar quarter. (We are only going to guarantee the unlimited service and this rate for the first ten clients that sign up each quarter, so please reserve your spot now for our 2008—Second Quarter.)

To download a copy of the Consultant on Call Agreement, please click here.

Technology Corner — A Free Alternative to Microsoft Office

Continuing our exploration of Open Source Software (OSS) from last month, you'll be excited about this one — OpenOffice — a free alternative to Microsoft Office. If you're interested in learning more, you may find this article helpful. It includes screenshots of the interface, reasons why it is an exceptionally viable solution and step-by-step instructions for switching over from Microsoft Office.

To learn more about OpenOffice and to download the software, click here.

Please stop by next month when we'll be exploring the top Customer Relationship Management (CRM) programs available through open source.

By Popular Request

Many people have requested that we take our workshops “on the road” to cover a greater part of the North America. If your local AFP Chapter, State Association of Nonprofits, National or Regional Office is interested in sponsoring a workshop, contact us at info@cvfundraising.com. Here are some popular topics:

The Development Plan — The Foundation of Success
Building an Effective Board of Directors
Involving Volunteers in Your Development Program
Are You Ready for a Capital Campaign?
Starting a Major Gifts Program
Developing Your Case for Support

Sessions can be presented in half day, full day, or multi-day back-to-back workshops. We can also customize a training program for your organization’s board and staff.

Many people have wanted to attend workshops but because of distance or the fact that some of our workshops are held for predetermined audiences, it has been impossible to attend. Check out our Webinars through Affinity Seminars and Philanthropy Journal, where you can get top-notch education in the comfort of your home or office, save money and traveling time. Watch our website at www.cvfundraising.com for video taped presentations that will be offered in a few months.

Other Training and Professional Development

You may order The Development Plan, Recruiting and Training Fundraising Volunteers and other books recommended by Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE, and learn more about our recommended fundraising books by visiting our website: www.cvfundraising.com/resources/cvbooks. CAPITAL VENTURE has developed a Training Catalogue, which is available by email. We offer a wide variety of workshops for groups such as AFP chapters, statewide associations, national organizations, Dioceses, United Ways and Centers for Nonprofits. If you would like to receive a copy of our offerings, please contact cvlinda@cox.net.

New Consultant Appointment

CAPITAL VENTURE is pleased to announce the latest new consultant who has joined our ranks, Kathryn Short, who will primarily help with public relations and coordinate an ever-increasing array of electronic and print collateral projects for clients. She is also our webmaster and the first-response for computer and software problems.

Kathryn has a diverse background encompassing all aspects of nonprofit start up, fundraising, marketing and 15 years experience creating print and electronic collateral for nonprofit organizations.

We are pleased to welcome Kathryn to CAPITAL VENTURE!

We will be featuring each of our consultants in upcoming issues of Ventures in Philanthropy.

To read more about our other nationally based consultants on our website, please click here.

UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS
March 10 , 2008 The Funding Consortium Capital Campaigns Riverside , CA Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE Pam Grogan Click here for details and registration form		April 11 , 2008 Funding Consortium/CAPITAL VENTURE/eTapestry Foundations for Success Part I: Involving Volunteers in Your Development Program Part II: Using Technology to Improve Your Development Program Las Vegas, NV Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE Mike Kierce, eTapestry Click here for details and registration form
March 11 , 2008 Funding Consortium/CAPITAL VENTURE/eTapestry Foundations for Success Part I: The Development Plan Part II: Using Technology to Implement Your Development Plan Riverside, CA Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE Cody Sharp, eTapestry Click here for details and registration form
		April 21 & 22, 2008 CAPITAL VENTURE/Advantage Consulting/Legacy Leaders The Development Plan, Annual Fund, Planned Giving and Capital Campaign Las Vegas, NV Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE Anthony Alonso Michael Rosen, CFRE Sue Kreeger, CFRE Click here for details and registration
March 29, 2008 AFP International Conference The Development Plan San Diego, CA Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE Margaret Guellich, CFRE Click here for details and registration
		April 14 , 2008 AFP Monterey Bay Chapter The Development Plan/Capital Campaigns Carmel , CA Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE Email Linda for details
March 30, 2008 AFP International Conference Preparing for a Capital Campaign San Diego, CA Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE Martin Novom, CFRE Click here for details and registration
March 31, 2008 AFP International Conference Hear It From the Experts Discussion Panel San Diego, CA Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE Click here for details and registration

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CONTACT U S
CAPITAL VENTURE
Advancing Philanthropy through Consulting and Training for Nonprofits
Offices throughout the United States
		Administrative Office: P O Box 731 Reading, PA 19607	Executive Office: 10245 S. Maryland Pkwy., Ste. 1188 Las Vegas, NV 89183 866-539-9990 toll free 702-892-0955 voice 702-892-0655 fax

	CAPITAL VENTURE Associates are located throughout the United States. Call to find the one closest to you. (866) 539-9990 toll free

Email: info@cvfundraising.com Website: www.cvfundraising.com

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