SEATTLE – The Washington State chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is calling for businesses to sponsor its Walk Like MADD® non-competitive 5K fundraising walk in Seattle’s Greenlake Park on October 29th. The walk is an excellent opportunity for local businesses to give back to the community by helping to raise funds and rally support for MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving®.

Event sponsorship opportunities include on-site exhibits, sign sponsorship, beverage sponsorship, t-shirt sponsorship, and donation of products and/or services to be used as prizes for walkers.

“Sponsors are very important to the walk and their contribution will be well recognized,” said Mischelle Davis, Washington State walk event chair. “This is an excellent opportunity for local businesses to support community and show their commitment to stop drunk driving.”

In Washington State, 54% of all fatal motor vehicle crashes involve a driver that was under the influence of alcohol. In 2009 265 people in Washington State lost their lives in drunk driving crashes.

MADD expects hundreds of walkers to show up for the event. Sponsorship spots are limited and filling up fast. Please e-mail maddseattle@gmail.com for more information about specific sponsorship opportunities.

Several local business such as KOMO and Davis Law Group, P.S. have already made the commitment to support the event. But more help is needed.

Walkers can visit www.walklikemadd.org to register, donate or get more information.

About Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Founded by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to protect families from drunk driving and underage drinking. With the help of those who want a safer future, MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving® will end this danger on America’s roads. PowerTalk 21™ is the national day for parents to talk with their kids about alcohol, using the proven strategies of Power of Parents, It’s Your Influence™ to reduce the risk of underage drinking. And as one of the largest victim services organizations in the U.S., MADD also supports drunk driving victims and survivors at no charge, serving one person every 10 minutes at 1-877-MADD-HELP. Learn more at www.madd.org or call 1-877-ASK-MADD.

Aquarian Centers for Smile and Life Mastery

Invites you to the 1^st Annual

Black Tie Dinner Formal and Silent Auction Fundraising Event

The Aquarian Centers for Smile and Life Mastery (ACSLM.org), a Washington Non-profit Organization which provides Health, Wellness, and Empowerment Programs and Services to Washington Residents is holding its premier launching and fundraising event. Come learn about us and help us celebrate our launch into the Washington arena with dinner and fabulous treats.

COME ONE!  COME ALL!

DATE : FRIDAY, MAY 20^th 2011

The HILTON HOTEL, Downtown Seattle

1301 6^th Ave. Seattle, WA 98101

TIME: 6:00 – 9:30pm

Dinner/No Host Bar

SILENT AUCTION BENEFITING

AQUARIAN CENTERS for SMILE and LIFE MASTERY

Tickets are COMPLIMENTARY!

Call an ACSLM Representative at 800-979-4189 to rsvp today!

ATTIRE: BLACK AND WHITE/FORMAL COCKTAIL

SEATTLE – Following an unanticipated $100,000 challenge gift made on Friday, March 25, Intiman is pleased to announce that the match amount was exceeded. In the past six days, Intiman received an additional $150,000 in donations. As of noon on March 31, the Impact Intiman campaign has raised just over $450,000 towards its first $500,000 benchmark. Due to additional patron investments in the annual fund campaign and tracking ticket sales, Intiman will move forward and carry-over the remaining 10% toward its next benchmark. The momentum of giving in the final week of the campaign is a sign that Intiman can adjust its plan accordingly and turn to a new phase of operational and financial responses.

“We’d like to give a big ‘thank you’ to all of our donors,” said Kim Anderson, president of the Intiman Theatre Board of Trustees. “We met the match because of you. Of course, we are also extremely grateful for the remarkable generosity of the challenge grant donor, who was also very gratified with the public’s response. We’ve heard clearly from our audience, donors, and artistic colleagues that Intiman must continue. Raising more than $450,000 in seven weeks and over $250,000 in one week is a clear signal that encourages us to keep moving forward. We will continue to adjust our 2011 budget and operations to live within our means. However, the community’s provision of this critical $450,000 enables us to move on with strategic planning.”

In a move signaling that shift from immediate financial repair to longer-range strategic planning, Intiman also announced today that it has retained Susan Trapnell, a senior consultant with the national arts and culture management consulting firm, Arts Consulting Group, Inc. (ACG) (www.artsconsulting.com), as the Management Consultant for the theatre. Intiman is confident that with the current financial picture and operations and procedures returning to best practice, the future can now be outlined under the guidance from someone with a reputation of getting results. With more than 30 years of experience in performing arts management, Trapnell has led several performing arts organizations, as well as the city of Seattle’s arts funding department. She previously worked 22 years at A Contemporary Theatre (ACT) in Seattle where she was Managing Director from 1982 – 1999 and again from 2003 – 2007. During her latter tenure, she worked with ACT leadership to reopen the theatre and restore its finances.

“Over the past six-months, we’ve been very focused on identifying and taking corrective steps to address our financial crisis. We’re now ready to develop a new long-range strategic plan and a sustainable financial model,” commented Anderson. “Susan has a proven track record in helping theatres like ours move from fix-it mode to long-range sustainability.”  Trapnell will begin working with the Board and Artistic Director Kate Whoriskey starting April 1 to make the changes necessary to sustain Intiman Theatre as an artistic force in the Seattle community.

This shift also signals the completion of Melaine Bennett’s role as acting managing director. Bennett will begin her transition away from the theatre on April 8. “Melaine has worked tirelessly on behalf of Intiman since the abrupt departure of our former managing director. We are in a healthier position in great part because of her hard work,” Anderson commented. “We have been working together to identify an appropriate time for transition from this interim role, and our current financial and strategic planning position makes that possible. We are very thankful for all Melaine has done for Intiman and wish her well in her next endeavors.”

In addition to Trapnell’s experience, by contracting with ACG Intiman will also have access to the wealth of experience and expertise of this national firm with consultants located throughout the U.S. and Canada. The firm has years of diverse experience in all functional areas and disciplines of arts and cultural organization management. ACG and Trapnell have worked with a variety of arts and cultural organizations around the country.

“My ACG colleagues and I believe that Intiman is a treasure to the Seattle arts community and nationally to the theatre field,” Trapnell added. “We look forward to helping them move forward with a focus on high quality theatre that can thrive during an economically challenging period.”

Intiman is currently presenting Arthur Miller’s All My Sons on stage, now through April 17. Subscription and single tickets for the entire 2011 season are on sale at www.intiman.org.

Seasonal support for Intiman Theatre is provided by ArtsFund; Intiman Theatre Foundation; Kreielsheimer Remainder Foundation; The Leading National Theatres Program, a joint initiative of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; The Shubert Foundation; and Washington State Arts Commission.

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]]> http://itstimeforbusiness.com/2011/04/intiman-fundraising-and-leadership-transition-announcement/feed/ 0 http://itstimeforbusiness.com/2011/03/donate-now-put-the-family-fourth-fireworks-celebration-over-the-top/ http://itstimeforbusiness.com/2011/03/donate-now-put-the-family-fourth-fireworks-celebration-over-the-top/#comments Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:20:53 +0000 ChamberComm http://itstimeforbusiness.com/?p=15959

The Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce is working together with the Family 4th at Lake Union to bring this year’s fundraising to the finish line.

As a Chamber member, you’ve already taken a great step towards building your business in Seattle, and a donation to the Family 4th helps further your commitment to our dynamic community. This free celebration relies upon charitable donations of individuals and hometown businesses large and small. We are pleased to offer unique benefits associated with your donation level, in addition to the pride of helping to ensure the success and longevity of a time-honored Seattle tradition—fireworks over Lake Union.

If you seek branding opportunities instead of the below donation benefits, we offer sponsorship packages beginning at $3,000. Contact sponsorship@onereel.org for a customized proposal.

Click here to donate NOW!

Thanks to our Chamber members who have already donated to the Family 4th Fund!

* Microsoft (BOD)

* Starbucks (BOD)

* Allstate Insurance Company

* Nordstrom

* King 5

* BECU

* Adobe Systems Inc.

* Tom Douglas Restaurants

* Merrill Gardens

* Muckleshoot Casino

* American Medical Response

* Argosy Cruises (BOD)

* Hollywood Lights

* Tulio Ristorante

* Turgeon Raine Jewellers

* Underdog Sports

* Anchor Bay Charters

* Maureen Frisch (BOD)

Antioch’s Center for Continuing Education is launching a series of short, interactive courses on a variety of fundraising topics and techniques for leaders and staff of non-profit organizations. Discounted course tuition is available for groups of three or more participants from the same organization.  To explore this option further, please contact the Center for Continuing Education at 206-268-4118.

Upcoming courses for non-profit professionals and leaders:

• Corporate Gifts: How to Obtain In-Kind and Financial Support for Your Non-Profit Organization
• Grassroots Fundraising for Non-Profits: How to Make and Sell Merchandise to Support Your Organization
• Social Media Networking for Non-Profits: Tools and Techniques to Raise Awareness and Money for Your Organization
• Fundamentals of Fundraising: Donor Relationships 101
• Writing a Successful Grant Proposal
• Learn to Serve workshop series

Have any questions or wish to register? Please feel free to call our office at 206-268-4118 or you can visit our website and register online at: http://www.antiochsea.edu/ce/courses-nonprofits.html

I’ve said it before and I’ll inevitably say it again: When it comes to marketing, retention is way less expensive than acquisition. It is easy to think that securing a new gift, or volunteer, or media story is an end. You’ve landed the deal and now you can move on, right? Not so. Savvy organizations think of that first commitment (whatever it may be) as a beginning. Because keeping a donor happy is much less expensive than convincing another one to join your ranks.

If you read Penelope Burk, you’ll know the term ‘donor-centered’. In her book ‘Donor-Centered Fundraising’, she outlines one of the hallmarks of a donor-centered approach: prompt, personal gift acknowledgement.  Sounds so simple and obvious, yet not all organizations have a system in place to support this practice.

Explorations in Math, a small, Seattle-based nonprofit that turns math into a fun, life-long adventure for elementary school students, recently put a fantastic process in place to thank their new donors. To get (and share!) the full scoop, we interviewed Megan Nordeen Wildenradt, Explorations in Math’s terrific and tireless Development & Outreach Specialist.

Me: Tell us about the process you have put in place for thanking new donors.

Megan: We send a one-page letter thanking the donor for their donation. In the letter, we include pictures and quotes from the children who benefit from their support. We include a simple response card that asks them about their interests and their preferred method of communication. (See the ‘Sample New Donor Information Card’ below.) We want to reinforce that a new donor has made the right decision in giving us a donation.  We want to show them that we care about what they want to get out of our relationship.

Me: How long have you been sending out ‘Donor Information Cards’?

Megan: We started back in January, right after our winter appeal. We sent it out to all first time donors.  We sent another batch out to new donors from Make a Move for Math, our February fundraising dinner.

Me: What have you learned?

Megan: We’ve been able to learn more about donors and how to effectively communicate with each one individually.  They tell us once and then we know for all future communications. They feel heard.

Me: Do you follow up with the donor by phone after you send the thank you letter?

Megan: We were on the fence for a bit on the phone call piece.  Our donors hear from us a lot—from thank you notes, newsletters, social media, etc. We weren’t sure if they would appreciate a call.   In the end, we decided to give them a few weeks to digest all of our info and then call just to say, “We truly want to get to know you more. We see from your card that you want to receive x, y, z from us. Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about how you like to be communicated with?” It seems like the calls are appreciated.

Me: Would you recommend this process to other nonprofits?

Megan: Yes! We’re really excited that we’re making the effort to foster lasting relationships with our donors and doing our best to listen to them and engage them the way they want to be engaged.

I only have one suggestion for Explorations in Math: have a board member pick up the phone right away to thank donors and tell them that a donor information card is one the way.  According to Penelope Burk’s study of 145 donors (80% individuals), 95% of respondents said that they would be very appreciative if a member of the Board of Directors called them within a day or two of receiving their gift just to say thank you.  The thank you call could go something like this: “Hi, I am a board member of Explorations in Math and I want to let you know how thankful we all are for the gift you made this week.  You will be receiving a letter in the mail next week with a postcard so you can let us know exactly how you prefer we communicate with you in the future, but I wanted to make sure you knew right away how grateful we are for your commitment to helping elementary students succeed in math.”  Done!

For any of you now chomping at the bit to try this process at your organization, Explorations in Math was kind enough to share exactly what they put on their card. If you’re going to do this, make sure you follow the “appoint, capture, convey” protocol (outlined in a previous post) and put all the info into your trusty database.

Big thanks to Explorations in Math for sharing their spiffy new postcard process with us!

Explorations in Math’s New Donor Information Card

Name
Employer
Address­­­­­
City/State/Zip
Phone
E-mail

Would you like to receive updates on how your support is helping elementary school communities we serve build sustainable math culture?

Can we make you aware of opportunities to get more involved in the math movement? Please check all that apply.

• EIM Supporter Newsletter- distributed quarterly
• Special Events (fundraisers, MathFest, public math workshops and family math nights)
• Volunteer Opportunities with Explorations in Math
• Learning more about bringing Explorations in Math to your school
• Please check here if you do not wish to be solicited by EIM

How do you prefer that we communicate with you: postal mail, e-mail, or phone? (Circle top choice)

Comments:

Over the Edge invites your organization to support the athletes of Special Olympics Washington by raising funds to Toss Your Boss!

Over the Edge allows you the opportunity to rappel from the roof of a building in downtown Seattle.

Rainier Tower stands 41 stories tall…  will your boss have the courage to be tossed for a good cause? Here’s how you find out!

1. Gather your co-workers: Send an internal e-mail, schedule an “important meeting”, or ask for time at the next staff meeting. Get everyone on board to toss your boss!
2. Decide who’s getting tossed: Your fearless leader may not seem so fearless when it comes to dangling over the side of a 514 foot building. Funds raised are for a great cause, so make it fun and exciting for whoever is going Over the Edge!
3. Register Online at: www.sowa.org and choose the Over the Edge Link
4. Communicate your team goal: Collectively, you and your team must raise a minimum of $1,000 to Toss Your Boss.  We’ll make it easy by providing you the tools you’ll need to fundraise successfully.
5. Raise funds for a great cause and join us at Rainier Tower on August 14^th to Toss Your Boss!*

If you are interested in rappelling Rainier Tower…

Space is limited for this thrilling and inspiring way to support Special Olympics Washington.  Be one of the first people EVER to pledge to raise $1,000 and go Over The Edge in support of Special Olympics Washington.

EVENT DETAILS

Some important things to note about the Over the Edge event:

• You are registering for a rappel spot with “Over the Edge” that is only guaranteed if you reach your fundraising minimum of $1000 by July 29^th
• On July 29^th, you will have the option of paying the difference to yourself OR to be placed on a wait list until you reach the minimum goal of $1000
• If you drop down to the wait list, you will only be awarded a spot when you reach the minimum and if a rappel spot is available
• If you raise $1000 by August 13, 2010 and there are no rappel spots available, you will have a guaranteed spot for OTE 2011
• Donations, including your registration fee are non refundable
• All donations are 100% tax deductible
• Must be 18 years or older
• Body weight must be less then 300lbs

If this sounds good and you can gather enough courage to step out Over the Edge of a 41 story building and rappel 514 feet to the ground…follow the link and Register Now!

For more info, contact Ashley Stanfield – astanfield@sowa.org, 206-829-7085

The Center for Nonprofit Success is hosting their fourth annual Seattle Fundraising Summit. If you are looking for ways to raise more money for your organization, this conference is not to be missed.

It features an outstanding lineup of speakers, which you can view here: http://www.cfnps.org/Seattle_10.aspx?target=speakers

If you are interested in speaking at the upcoming Seattle Summit, there are still a few speaking slots available. You can see which sessions we still need speakers by going to: http://cfnps.org/spinv_interested.aspx?S=88

Sign up for the entire conference, or take advantage of our unique a la carte registration system.

Don’t miss this valuable opportunity to learn from the experts in your community!

The Seattle Fundraising Summit Event Information:

Date: July 27-28, 2010
Location: Seattle University, Student Center Building, 901 12th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122
Cost: There are two early bird registration options:

1. Full two day Pass – $475. This includes two free 30 minute mentoring sessions valued at $50 each.
2. A la Carte registration – $55 per seminar and $50 for each mentoring session.
   [Early bird registration ends on June 18]

More information about the Fundrasing Summit can be found at: http://www.cfnps.org/Seattle_10.aspx

In addition to the Fundraising Summit, the Center for Nonprofit Success conducts the monthly Seattle Nonprofit Leadership Series. For a list of upcoming sessions, please go follow this link for more information: http://www.cfnps.org/SeattleLS10.aspx

Post by: Erica Mills, Mills Communications Group

A few weeks ago, I was kicked back, staring at the ceiling, thinking about nonprofit marketing and donor communications.  Nothing unusual, right?

But it was unusual.

First off, I almost never just kick back. Between my company and my two little kids, my days are action-packed and fun-filled, but they don’t allow a lot of time for relaxation and calm reflection. (Not complainin’…just sayin’.)

The reason I was “kicked back” was because I was at the dentist and they love tipping you WAY back in those chairs. And weirder still is that I was relaxed even though my dentist was drilling holes in my teeth.

This gave me pause. Why the heck was I letting this woman forage in my mouth with big, pointy implements, for crying out loud?!

The answer was simple: I trusted her.

When I really stopped to think about it, I realized that I trusted her not just because she’s a good dentist (which she is), but that the whole office instills a great deal of trust in its patients.

Here’s what I mean: When I showed up that morning, I was scheduled for two procedures. Upon arriving, I told the receptionist that I was just going to do the drilling that day. (The mouth guard could wait.)  About 23 seconds later, the dental assistant came and got me. About 37 seconds after that, the dentist came and said, “So, I hear we’re just sticking with drilling today.”

It took them one minute to get the piece of information I’d given the receptionist into their system and the information given to everyone who needed to know it. One minute.

What, you might ask, does this have to do with donor communications? Well, how many times have you heard someone say something along the lines of, “I don’t give to that organization anymore because they were sending me too many things in the mail and I asked them repeatedly to stop and they didn’t”? What they’re saying is: I didn’t trust that organization anymore because they didn’t listen to my request. And we all know that donors give to organizations they trust.

It’s not that nonprofits are trying to willfully disregard donor requests. It’s simply that getting the systems and processes in place to follow through on these requests proves more challenging than you’d think. And it’s especially hard if you’re a small, resource-constrained nonprofit.

And this is why my dentist office epiphany is so handy. They’re a small shop with a really good system so we can learn from them.

If we simply swap “donor” for “patient”, their system can work for many small nonprofits. Here’s how it breaks down:

1. Appoint. Have “collect and process donor requests” written into one position’s job description. This is different than simply assigning the task to someone currently on staff.  Associating the task with a position ensures that, regardless of who is in the position, the task gets done. This is especially important in small organizations where there tends to be high staff turn-over. (If someone else receives a donor request,  they should immediately pass it along to whoever is currently in this position.)
2. Capture. Invest in a system that contains the fields your organization needs to honor these requests. Have opt-in/opt-out fields for each of your marketing mechanisms (e.g. newsletter, annual report, event invitations, etc.). The goal is to keep this information as current as possible. Your system doesn’t need to be expensive or fancy; it needs to work.
3. Convey. Have a standing agenda item at team meetings called “Donor Love” or “Delighting Donors” or something along those lines that is all about information you have recently collected that needs to be relayed to other team members in order for your organization to honor the request. If you only meet monthly, find some other way of relaying this information (e.g. weekly email, Basecamp message, etc.). The key is to get this information out proactively and regularly.

That’s it. That’s all my dentist did. Appointed, captured and conveyed.

Your donors may not let you drill holes in their mouths, but if you follow-through on the requests they make they will trust you. And we all know that donors give to organizations they trust.

Note: This post was inspired by Seattle dentist Dr. Lina Kim and her amazing team!

Seattle Magazine’s Seamless in Seattle Readers’ Choice winner for 2010, Jolie Etoile Poirier, will be our featured designer at our first Emerald City Fashion Week Designer Dinner event. You will have the opportunity to meet with Jolie too learn more about her, her line and her inspiration while enjoying a great meal.

In addition Jolie has generously offered to auction off a custom item valued up to $2,500 to show her support of Emerald City Fashion Week at the dinner. Join us on June 2, 2010 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Cafe Campagne for good food, good wine and great fashion!

Your ticket to the event includes the menu below with your choice of entree, and one glass of paired wine. Dauber Art Photography will be on hand to document the evening.

Salade Verte

Mixed greens in sherry vinaigrette

Entrees

CONFIT DE CUISSE DE CANARD

Crispy duck leg confit served with thyme skillet potatoes

STEAK FRITES

Pan-roasted hanger steak with

sautéed greens, Roquefort butter and pommes frites

Poisson du jour

Pan-roasted with Yakima asparagus in caper butter

Dessert

Terrine Au Chocolat

Chocolate hazelnut terrine with orange syrup and toasted hazelnuts

Space is limited so RSVP today: http://ecfwddpoirier.eventbrite.com

Thank you to our partner sponsors Flavor of Seattle, Cafe Campagne and Dauber Art Photography!