100 Tips for Improving Annual Fund & PolioPlus Giving

PDG Donna Phillips, Annual Fund ChairDGN Scott Mills, Paul Harris Society Chair

At Least

Harry Potter’s Tips for Rotary Foundation Annual Fund GivingDestroy the Horcruxes that are Limiting Your

Club’s Foundation Success

“It’s called, as I understand it, . . . a horcrux.”

Gain Access to the Chamber of Secrets

Learn to Navigate the New RI Website: Update Your Internet Browser, Register for My Rotary, Establish a Profile, Post Your Club’s

TRF Goals on Rotary Club Central

Don’t Hide Under an Invisibility Cloak

Appoint a Club Foundation Committee and Establish and Follow a Donor Stewardship Plan.

Light the Goblet of Fire

Educate Your Club, Your Fellow Rotarians, & Yourself

Win the Hogwarts House Cup

Promote Individual Recognition; Recognize and Thank Donors; and Assist Your Club in Attaining Banners and Other TRF Recognition.

Establish an Order of the Phoenix

Set and Attain SMARTER Foundation Goals

Share Your Marauders Map

Learn to Read & Use Foundation Reports.Teach Fellow Rotarians to Access Their Donor History Reports.

Stupify!

Maximize Giving by Using Recognition Programs and Community-Based Fundraising

Learn the Five Steps to Donor Stewardship and Successful Major Gifts

Five Steps to Success

• Plan: Get organized by creating a strategy and a work plan– Effective fundraising requires discipline and hard

work. Successful fundraising programs will have a calendar of planned activities, clearly laid out areas of responsibility and preparation of necessary resources and materials.

Five Steps to Success

• Prospect: Identify and qualify prospective donors– Who among the club’s Rotarians, spouses, friends,

corporate sponsors of events, etc. has a reason to be interested in a particular project or program of TRF? Are there philanthropists who would support the mission? From among those with potential interest, who has the financial resources to make substantial gifts? Don’t cherry-pick $100 donations.

Five Steps to Success

• Cultivate: Engage the prospective donors– Rarely are donors standing in line to make gifts. Clubs

and individual Rotarians must engage the prospective donor in a way that makes them feel they have a vested interest in the foundation’s success. The key question to be asked of any cultivation activity is, “Is this activity drawing the donor closer to the organization, increasing his/her awareness of the need and increasing likelihood of a positive response?” Cultivation before solicitation might take months – or even years!

Five Steps to Success

• Solicit: Actually asking the donor for the money– People give because they believe in TRF’s mission and

because they are asked to give. The person actually doing the asking (and, later, thanking) is extremely important. People give to people who they like, trust and respect. Training and preparing before “the ask” is also critical. For larger solicitations, a period of months, or even years, may pass between the request and the response. During this time, the club foundation committee should be constantly aware of the donor’s interests and attitudes and provide answers to all questions and provide ongoing opportunities for contact without being intrusive or demanding.

Five Steps to Success

• Steward: Retain a relationship and show appreciation– Stewardship starts by recognizing the gift and by showing

appreciation and thanks (privately if the donor does not want the gift to be publicly known). Secondly, the foundation committee should regularly apprise donors of the value that their gift is adding to Rotarians’ capacity to serve. Give donors regular opportunities to be involved in your club’s activities and service. Appreciation should be expressed often, and not just when gifts are made. Often major donors do not have the time or desire to be involved in the details of the organization, but they still should be informed of activities and progress.

Educate Your Fellow Rotarians: Begin with “Why?”

Tell others why you give.Learn why your fellow Rotarians give: What is their passion?Explain why others should make TRF their charity of choice.

Why do you give…

• To the Annual Fund?• To PolioPlus?• Telling your story shows that you put your money

where your heart is, and you help empower your fellow Rotarians to realize – one person can make a difference– A gift to TRF leverages the giving power of 1.2 million

Rotarians– Together we change lives, and through our service, the

first life we change is…our own

Why does your fellow Rotarian give?

• What programs “feed his/her soul?”• What does TRF have that can help advance

that Rotarian’s passion for service?

Why do your fellow Rotarians give…

• The answer is different for each Rotarian• But, if you never ask what is important to them, you will

never know why they will give to The Rotary Foundation. How do you find out? Ask!– Why have you stayed in Rotary?– What has been your favorite project?– When did you realize that you are a “Rotarian” and not just a

member of Rotary?– What Rotary project would you tell someone about to get

them to realize why Rotary is an opportunity for them?• What other questions would you ask?

Why make TRF your charity of choice?

• Where does my donation go?– Who controls the money?– Will it benefit persons in my community?– Will my club have access to the funds?– How will my donation advance the service goals of my club and the service

opportunities of my fellow Rotarians?• Is it well-spent?

– What portion goes for programs?– How do independent evaluation organization rate TRF (e.g., Charity

Navigator, 4-star, 6 years running)• Is it carefully invested?• Rotary volunteer service makes the donation do more• Other reasons?

Why We Give: Educate Year-Round

• Tell the story about TRF year-round– Foundation Moments—weekly 2 minute

discussions about TRF – Program speakers (suggest one every quarter)– Club newsletter & website articles– Social media

District 7610 Foundation Newsletter

• Use the District 7610 monthly Foundation Newsletter to educate Rotarians, promote programs, and publicize clubs’ giving/EREY/RFSM status.

Why We Give: Tell Rotarians Where the Money Goes

• Educate Rotarians and potential donors about where the money goes. – The SHARE concept is a powerful tool, ensuring

100% of each Annual Fund donation dollar goes to programs and providing clubs an opportunity to determine where DDF—half of the money—will be spent.

SHARE

50%

District Designated Fund (DDF) which funds:• District Grants (up to 50% of DDF) • Global Grants• PolioPlus• Rotary Peace Centers

50% World Fund

Earnings pay for TRF administration

YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3

Annual Fund (Share) Contribution

100%

World Fund provides 1:1, $-for-$ match of all DDF funds, and .50:1 match for all cash, committed to Global Grants

YEAR 2

Individual and Club Recognition

Club Recognition

• Promote Foundation requirements in the RI President’s & Governor’s citations and club banner programs. – Club citation requirements usually have EREY,

RFSM, per capita requirements due March, April, and May. Encourages your club members not to wait until June, or their club may not qualify.

Individual Recognition

• Promote Individual Recognition opportunities and how they help and obtain recognition for the club:– Major Donor (e.g., over time, outright, or three-year pledge

of $10,000 to any fund) (how this will help the club meet its goal and fund programs and expand its service opportunities)

– Sustaining Member (individual and 100% club)– EREY (individual and club)– Paul Harris Fellow (individual and 100% club)– Paul Harris Society– Triple Crown (club and individual)– Arch C. Klumph Society

Individual Recognition

• “Recognize” and thank donors every chance you get at club and district events, at special receptions, and with special trophies or appreciation gifts. [We don’t give to be recognized, but it’s always nice to recognize those who do give.]– Make recognition meaningful and public– Thank donors personally– Present recognition items: EREY stickers to Major Donor

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Educate Rotarians to Access Reports

• Educate Rotarians continuously on recognition points and on how to access their donor histories

• Learn how to access member’s donor information and recognition status on the Club Recognition Summary and EREY Eligibility reports. [Knowledge breeds familiarity; familiarity breeds giving.]

Goal-setting and Goal attainmentAchieving SMARTER Foundation

Giving Goals

Goal-setting and Goal attainment

• Set SMARTER Goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound, evaluated, and reevaluatedLetter Most common Alternative

S Specific Significant, stretching, simple, sustainable

M Measurable Motivational, manageable, meaningful

A Attainable Appropriate, achievable, agreed, assignable, actionable, action-oriented, adjustable, ambitious, aligned with corporate goals, aspirational, acceptable

R Relevant Result-based, results-oriented, resourced, resonant, realistic, reasonable

T Time-bound Time-oriented, time framed, timed, time-based, time-specific, timetabled, time limited, time/cost limited, trackable, tangible, timely, time-sensitive

E Evaluate Evaluated, evaluate consistently, ethical, excitable, enjoyable, engaging, ecological, evidenced

R Reevaluate Reviewed, rewarded, reassess, revisit, recordable, rewarding, reaching, recognize mastery

Goal-setting and Goal attainment

• Setting goals and gaining buy-in gives Rotarians additional motivation and commitment to attain the goal

• Tips for monitoring success– Record keeping: Build a club spreadsheet– Establish a baseline– Track progress of each member– Learn when a member likes to give

Goal-setting and Goal attainment

• Know your club’s and individual Rotarians’ giving history . . . and capacity to give

• Where can that be found?

Goal-setting and Goal attainment

• Hold club goals assembly (preferably before the term starts) to gain buy-in of club– Gain the buy-in and support of the incoming

board, first– Then expand it to key employees and the general

membership• Mail goals post cards • Place goals card or flyers on tables

Goal-setting and Goal attainment• Progress Reports: Keep your fellow Rotarians aware of the club’s and their

individual progress towards achieving the goals– Personalized “on target” flyers, accompanied by pre-populated donor forms– Focus reports on:

• Where are we now vs. goal (or, if more, last year)?• What is needed to achieve goal?• What is our “challenge goal” if the first goal is already well within reach?• Number of EREYs to reach 100%• Number of Sustaining Members to reach 100%• Number of PHF needed to reach 100%• Per capita giving amount• Recognition/thanks, if applicable, of what that donor gave to help the club already that year

– How to generate reports?• Prepare detailed table from TRF reports• Generate flyers in Microsoft Mail Merge

• Personal discussions with each Rotarian are most effective• Don’t rely on emails or flyers. They are only tools.

Goal-setting and Goal attainment

• Emphasize to your club the importance of understanding the relationship of membership “Start Numbers” and “End Numbers” to Foundation giving and recognition. [Too many clubs don’t understand this.]

Goal-setting and Goal attainment

• Continue to advocate special fundraisers for Polio. [This reduces the loss of individual Annual Fund contributions to Polio—the “robbing Peter to pay Paul” syndrome.]

Making it Easy to GiveEncouraging Gifts to TRF

Making it Easy to Give• Make giving easy for your members

– Pre-populated donor forms (now online)– Allow donations with dues – Recurring giving via Rotary Direct– Links to online giving portals– Personal calendar year-end reminders and Rotary Year-end

reminders• What have they given in the past• What matches are available• Amount needed to next recognition level

– Tell them how they can access their Donor History Report• Remind about club’s per capita giving goal

Making it Easy to Give

• Institute a Recognition Point matching point campaign at least once during the year.– District 7610 usually has two per year, which

specify minimum of $500 donation to Annual Fund, with a 500-point transfer.

Maximize Giving and PointsGlobal Grants • Paul Harris Society

Major Gifts • Planned GivingLead by Example

Maximize Giving and Points with Global Grants

• Use the “Annual Fund Match” alternative funding approach in appropriate Global Grant applications. Give cash to the Annual Fund instead of grant, in exchange for more DDF. [This can significantly increase your future District Designated Funds. Make sure you execute a Memorandum of Understanding each time you do this.]

Maximize Giving and Points with Global Grants

• When giving cash to a Global Grant project, send the contribution to TRF via a 123EN Global Contribution Form, designating the approved grant number. – Club/donor receives Recognition Points for the

donation– Points can be used for matches towards PHF to

encourage additional donations

Maximize Giving through Paul Harris Society

• PHS: TRF-administered recognition for donors of $1,000 each year a donor is financially able– District 7610 Rotarians asked to make the donations

annually to Annual Fund-SHARE• With Rotary Direct, monthly contribution of less than

$85 (daily, less than a Grande Starbucks)• Individual and Club recognition• Membership forms

– District website– Monthly District TRF newsletter

Maximize Giving through Major Gifts

• Major Gifts are gifts of $10,000 or more• Major Gifts can be one-time, outright gifts or three-

year pledges and are instantly recognized as Major Donors

• Don’t forget to suggest gifts via appreciated securities

• Donors who promise a Major Gift or Bequest of $10,000 before October 1 of this year will be invited to the Zone 33 Million Dollar Dinner to be held on October 19 in Charlotte, NC

Maximize Giving through Planned Giving

• Donors who make planned gifts through estate planning (insurance, trusts, will bequests, etc.), where bequests to Endowment Fund are $10,000 or more are members of the Bequest Society

• Benefactors: $1,000 or more through estate planning or lifetime gifts to Endowment Fund

• How does Annual Fund benefit? Donor can designate SHARE to receive the earnings from the bequest: Half of SHARE (DDF) to District 7610

• Think of it as your “Last Happy Dollar”

Maximize Giving Lead by Example

• Don’t expect others to follow you if you do not lead by example

• Assemble a TRF committee made up of Rotarians with a history of giving

• Pair potential donors with committee members who already have given at or near the level being asked of the prospective donor

Raising Funds for PoiloPlus and Annual Fund from the Community

Increasing Giving Capacity

Community-Based Fund Raising

Local fund raising resources & project partners:• Other foundations• Community banks • Corporate donors • Employer matching programs• In-Kind sources (hospitals, medical centers, used

equipment sources)• Globus Relief and similar non-profits• Donor lists of local non-profits

Community-Based Fund RaisingSome possible fundraiser events are:

• Purple Pinkie Project: Millions of children in endemic countries know that a freshly painted purple pinkie means freedom from Polio. When local community members make a $1.00 contribution to PolioPlus, Rotary volunteers mark their pinkies with the same gentian violet used around the world on NIDs (National Immunization Days). The purple pinkie is a personal symbol of helping one child become free from Polio forever. For more information, visit the following website: http://www.rotary6940.org/uploads/District_Purple%20Pinkie%20Project%20Handbook.pdf

• Celebrate a Big Day: Rather than exchanging gifts for a special occasion, request that friends and family make a contribution to PolioPlus.

• Raffles Big and Small: Raffle off a car, a seven-night cruise or four tickets to a local event such as a basketball game or a concert. Clubs can have a weekly raffle for local restaurants or area businesses.

Community-Based Fund RaisingSome possible fundraiser events are:• Skip a Meal: At your Rotary Club meeting, opt to skip the meal and

donate the cost to PolioPlus.• Host Rotary Night: Arrange with your local ball clubs and host a Rotary

Night at the ball game. Both major and minor league teams have pitched in to help Rotary “strike out Polio”. Auction off throwing out the first pitch. Set up a booth in the ball park with information on Rotary and PolioPlus.

• Organize a walk-a-thon, bike-a-thon or skate-a-thon: Find Rotarians, Rotarian Fellowships, athletic groups or other community members who want to participate and ask them to solicit pledges for miles or kilometers walked, pedaled or skated.

Community-Based Fund RaisingSome possible fundraiser events are:• E-bay/online auction: Ask Rotarians, friends and family to clean their

attics and basements of items (clothing, jewelry, furniture, housewares in good condition) they wish to give away. Collect the items and list them for auction on E-bay. Enlist the help of techno-savvy Rotaract and Interact clubs to take electronic photos of the items and post them on-line.

• Plan a Special Event: dinner, golf tournament, festival, picnic, wine tasting, Valentine’s Day dance, silent auction, sports competition are just a few suggestions that could draw participation from Rotarians and other members of the community.

• Create a special item for sale: CDs, cookbooks, ties, teddy bears, and mugs are only some of the items that have been sold to raise funds for PolioPlus.

Community-Based Fund RaisingSome possible fundraiser events are:• Million Dollar Dinner: Arrange to have a dinner with a Rotary Senior

Leader, local celebrity, or District Governor. Invite guests who are able to make a significant gift to PolioPlus.

• Fireside Chat: A local Rotarian invites other members from the District to his or her home for an update on Polio eradication and an opportunity to discuss making a major gift. This event may be hosted by a Rotary officer or a Major Donor.

• Organize a Rotary Run for Polio Eradication: Solicit corporate sponsorship to cover the costs and raise funds by charging a registration fee for runners. Consider having team or age-category competitions.

Community-Based Fund RaisingSome possible fundraiser events are:• White elephant gift auction: after the holidays, ask club members to

donate “white elephant” gifts that they do not want or need. Auction these items off at a club or district meeting to raise money for Polio!

• Pennies for Polio: a great way to involve non-Rotarians in the district. Rotarians and their friends and families place coin-collection cans or boxes in local businesses, schools, and homes. All proceeds are combined and donated to Polio.

• Movie Night: Work with local cinemas to organize a movie night where the proceeds (or part of the proceeds) from admission are donated to Polio. Publicize the event in the paper, on the radio and in all Rotary Clubs in the area and encourage family members, friends and non-Rotarians to attend.

The Art of DivinationFinding, Accessing, Manipulating, and Using TRF Reports.

Finding Reports Online• Go to: https://www.rotary.org/en and click on “My Rotary” at the top• If you have not registered, do so now• Option one: Go to Rotary Club Central via the “My Club Snapshot” box

on the My Rotary page• Option two: Point/click “Manage,” and a drop-down list will appear

– Under “Club and District Administration” click “Reports”– Scroll down the list to the third section “Contributions & Recognition”

• Donor History Report also available from the member’s profile page (click on your name at the top left in My Rotary)

• Polio and SHARE reports are NOT on Rotary Club Central, but they are available through the My Rotary > Manage option

• All reports available from Contact.Center@rotary.or or by calling 1-866-9ROTARY

Reports Available OnlineMonthly contribution report : Shows contribution progress for each club in a district in three areas: Annual Fund, other funds, and Endowment Fund.Club recognition summary : View the number of PHFs, Major Donors, Benefactors, Bequest Society Members, Rotarian donors, and non-Rotarians donors, as well as individual recognition amounts (towards PHF), current PHF level and date achieved, available Foundation recognition points, and the last contribution date and designation.PolioPlus : Shows polio contributions for each club in a district for the current month as well as for the Rotary year. Also includes any district designated funds that have been allocated to PolioPlus for the year.SHARE : View the annual fund-share contributions for each club in a district, which is the primary source of district designated funds available to the district three years later.Every Rotarian, Every Year : Tracks individual recognition achievements during the current and previous Rotary year for the following giving levels: Every Rotarian Every Year, Rotary Foundation Sustaining Member, and Paul Harris Society. Donor history report : The Donor History Report is a historical cumulative report for an individual. The report shows all contribution and recognition transactions specific to a donor’s account and provides the status of each type of recognition officially recognized by the Rotary Foundation. Benefactors : View individuals who have given, or who pledge to give, $1000 or more in contributions to the Permanent Fund.

Monthly Contribution Report

• Select “Monthly Contribution Report”• Designate your role (Club Foundation Chair,

district position, member, etc.)• Select “Monthly Contribution Report”—again• A “Prompts” window will appear:

– Click on Rotary Year you want, then “>”– Click “Enter Month”, then select month, then “>”– Click “Run Query”– Can Export report as Excel or pdf

Monthly Contribution Report

Club Recognition Summary

• Select “Club Recognition Summary” from My Rotary > Manage > Club & District Administration > Reports > Contributions & Recognition

• Designate your role (Club Foundation Chair, district position, member, etc.)

• Select “Club Recognition Summary”—again– Report generates without a “Prompts” window– Can Export report as Excel or pdf

Club Recognition Summary

PolioPlus Report

• Select “PolioPlus” from My Rotary > Manage > Club & District Administration > Reports > Contributions & Recognition

• Designate your role (Club Foundation Chair, district position, member, etc.)

• Select “Polio Challenge Report”– Report generates in pdf, only

PolioPlus Report

SHARE Report• Select “SHARE” from My Rotary > Manage > Club & District

Administration > Reports > Contributions & Recognition• Designate your role (Club Foundation Chair, district

position, member, etc.)• Select “SHARE” Year (e.g., Program Year in which funds

will be spent: 2016-17)– Program Year is the year that the funds will be distributed, which

is three years from date of contribution year– Report generates in pdf, only– Only three or four years are typically available to be generated

SHARE Report

Areas of Focus (AoF) contributions will not be included on this report because they do not qualify for SHARE, and no portion of AoF contributions is returned to the District as District Designated Funds (DDF)

EREY Eligibility• Select “Every Rotarian, Every Year” from My Rotary >

Manage > Club & District Administration > Reports > Contributions & Recognition

• Designate your role (Club Foundation Chair, district position, member, etc.)

• Select “EREY Eligibility”—again• A “Prompts” window will appear:

– Click on Rotary Year you want, then “>”– Click “Run Query”– Can – Can Export report as Excel or pdf

EREY Eligibility What’s the club’s current membership?

Why are these areas blank?

Tracks Three Categories of Eligibility:• EREY*• Sustaining Member*• Paul Harris Society* Recognition determined as of June 30 of the Rotary Year

Benefactors

Donor History Report

Donors may elect to have spouse contributions tracked jointly for Major Donor recognition

and for Bequest Society recognition

Donor History Report

Recording Your Club’s Foundation Goals

• From “My Rotary”, click on “Rotary Club Central” in the “My Club Snapshot”

• Or, if the “My Club Snapshot” box does not appear on your account, search for “Rotary Club Central”– Select:

Monitor club progress and achievements in Rotary Club Central.– Confirm your role (e.g., Club Foundation Chair)– From Rotary Club Central page, click on “Foundation Giving” tab– Scroll down to “Goals and Progress,” select year and press “Edit”

button for each category; enter goals and press “Save”– To learn more, watch the teaching module:

http://vimeo.com/68388475

Remember: You are not alone!