Donation Processing for Rescue Missions

James Cowen, ICP

Does Size Matter?Donations Who/Whom?

100,001+ Union Rescue Mission Los Angeles

100,000 Seattle Union Gospel Mission Seattle

50,000 Orlando Union Rescue Mission Orlando

25,000 Sunday Breakfast Mission Wilmington

All Different Volumes Same Problem

Bank Deposit

Save a

Donor’s Gift

Donor’s Gift

What are our Common Problems?

• Donor sends a gift• We open today’s gifts• We sort today’s gifts• We add up today’s gifts• We copy checks• Go to the Bank• Key Donor & Gift into fund raising software

What are our solutions?

• Keep it the same• Get someone else to do it

– Staff saved– No staff changes– More work– How much

• Build your own– Ottawa Mission

Build Your Own: Mail-Room Marty

• Page Scanner

Build Your Own: Check Scan Sam

• Read Check Amount– 60% to 80% accuracy

• No MICR reading– Bank Account– Routing– Serial Number

Build Your Own: Coupon Carl

• Reads barcode• Renewals

– Easy• Acquisitions

– Key in last name– Compare to RE7– Find match– Or key entire acquisition

Build Your Own: Ottawa Mission Keys

• Available on-staff resources– Internal technical staff– Wanted the challenge– Plenty of time to overcome startup– Technical tools used– Own support

• Canada does not have US-like Check 21– Physical bank deposits only

What are the solutions?

• Keep it the same• Get someone else to do it

– Staff saved– No staff changes– More work

• Build your own– Ottawa Mission

• Buy It

Buy it? Does it make sense?

• Current costs– Full-Time Staff– Temporary Staff– Volunteers: Are they really free?

• Bank fees• Acknowledgement timing• Annual number of donations

– Cost to process each gift

Buy it? How do Gifts come?

• Donor only sends Reply Device• Donor only sends check• Donor sends both• Donor sends check and letter• What’s on the Reply Device?

– Barcode – Appeal Code and Donor ID– Other

Mr. Robert Palmer1926 Arnold Blvd.Redmond, WA 96209

Buy it? Sort Gifts?

• Physical Size– Check size– Other sizes

• Like-Types™– By Physical Size– By Type

Buy it? Common SplitPath™

• 1 Path• Split

Buy it? Path to Data Excellence

Buy it? Why Data Excellence?

• Data Perfection is impossible– We are human– We have faults

• Verify Important Data Visually– Check Amount– Check Data

Get it wrong,maybe you won’t lose your Donor!!!

Buy it? Bank it

• Electronic bank submission– Accounts Receivable Check Conversion (“ARC”)– Check 21 – Cheque 21® Canada | 2009+AGRM 2006 Convention in SeattleDick Sykes, CFO, Union Rescue Mission151,000 Donations137,000 Personal Checks ARC’ed Business and Other Checks taken to the Bank

AGRM 2007 Convention in AtlantaJohn Bang, CFO, Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission100,000 Donations100% Cheque 21® System

Buy it? Bank it

• Benefits– Less than 48 hour access to ALL funds– Bounced resubmitted electronically– Much easier deposit process

• Issues– Not all banks equipped– Exhausting implementation– Bank fees may go up– NSF may go up

Buy it? Bank it

• Remote Deposit Capture– eDeposit | iStream Deposit – Check scanner sold by Bank

Fund Raising Software Donor and Gift Data is NOT Updated

Buy it? Fund Raising Gets Helped

• Data Excellence was achieved– Acquired Donor verified

• Electronic cross-reference• Manual intervention

– Known Donor– Gift – Other Data

Buy it? 2500M® Fundraising

• Fund Raising Software quirks– Closed doors– Developer cooperation– English as a new language

• Image residence– Inside Fund Raising Software– External Archive

Everyone is Happy...AccountingDevelopment andGift Receipting

Buy it? Cheque 21® Systems

• Common SplitPath™ for efficient processing• Achieve data excellence• Shortens time to acknowledge Donors• Deposits checks/cheques faster• Post data into fund raising software• Access images of gifts and donor records• Process more gifts with smaller staff resources

Buy it? How to obtain info?

• Complete Aqubanc website Contact page• 800.350.4720• AGRM@Aqubanc.com • www.Aqubanc.com

Copyright 5/19/2007 – Aqubanc , LLC – All Rights ReservedDonation Processing at Ottawa Rescue Mission used with permission from Ottawa Rescue Mission – Copyright 2007

Aqubanc, Cheque 21, Shrinkode, 2500M, Steward Your Resources, SplitPath, Like-Type, and, VisuallyVerify are the US and Canadian marks, registered marks, company and product names of Aqubanc, LLC. Any other marks, registered marks, company and product names are the marks and brands of their respective holders.