Year End Mailings

Hopefully by now you will have your year end mailing to all your prospect and donor database approved and ready to go.

You may want to include a Post Script for Legacy Giving.

Some quick ways to write that:

P.S. Since you have been such a great supporter of our work, would you consider placing a gift in you trust or will for us?

P.S. Including a gift in your trust or will can make your giving last forever at no cost to you today.

P.S. We have done wondrous things for XXX years and we will for another XXX. At this time of giving would you consider a gift to our charity in your trust or will?

P.S. A simple way of giving that costs you nothing today is a legacy gift.  Would you consider making a gift in your trust or will? We will always appreciate your support.

P.S. Come join us in our <name> society by giving a gift in your trust or will today. Call <first name of person handling these gifts> at ###-###-#### or email at <email address> for exact information.

From Planned Giving.com - Snail Mail is Your Friend

From the PlannedGiving.com  52/52 email newsletter:

CALL US 800.490.7090

Snail Mail is Your Friend "If the mailbox in front of my house was as large as my email inbox, it would be the size of a tractor trailer." - Viken Mikaelian, PlannedGiving.com CEO and Founder Consider this: 73% of people in the U.S. prefer postal mail, while only 18% prefer the same content by email. 79% of consumers will act on direct mail immediately compared to only 45% who say they deal with email right away. Direct mail is 10 to 30 times more effective than email. 62% of Americans enjoy checking the mailbox for postal mail. Even Google figured out that snail mail works!

Historic Barns Park and Botanic Gardens open for tours - Grand Traverse Insider - Morning Star Publishing

by Jeffray N. Kessler
Contributing Writer

Jazz and local fare in the majestically-restored
Cathedral Barn added to the welcoming atmosphere at last week’s open
house for the new park. Photo by Jeff Kessler.

TRAVERSE CITY – Veritable throngs of people turned out last Sunday to explore progress that has taken place at the Historic Barns Park and Botanic Gardens, and they were not disappointed.

What began as an exploratory survey in 1999 to determine the area’s interest in a botanic garden on 56 acres of former state hospital grounds culminated in a celebration of collaboration and determination by citizens, local governments, state government, education institutions, businesses, volunteers and philanthropists who all had a hand in making this dream a reality.

The grounds were offered up for review by a corps of volunteer docents and tour guides during Sunday’s open house. Those who attended the event found themselves led on an exploration of progress.


More ...
Historic Barns Park and Botanic Gardens open for tours - Grand Traverse Insider - Morning Star Publishing

Communication forever...

From the LeadingAge Philanthropy listserv:

True story why communication is important:  

A long time fundraising mentor and friend of mine gave $100,000 to a Richmond area (VA) organization during a campaign and named it after her late husband.  About 5 years later, the organization failed to talk to her about their new expansion plans and the garden disappeared without her knowing in advance.  She discovered it on a visit …

She was not only insulted, but she never gave them another dime, plus she talks about them to her friends (people of means)!  Had they picked up the phone and shared their expansion plans, she would not only have not been insulted, she would have probably given them another $100K to the new campaign.  

What a loss for both the donor and the organization.

Patricia S. Morris, MPA, CFRE

Vice President

Virginia Baptist Homes Foundation

1900 Lauderdale Drive | Richmond, VA 23238

Office: (804) 521-9229 | Cell: (804) 873-0918

pmorris@vbh.org  | www.vbh.org/foundation