Word on the Wire – Themes & Trends in Philanthropy
Karen Willson, CFRESenior Vice President
KCI (KCI Ketchum Canada Inc.)June 8, 2009
2008
90% of funds will come from 10% of donors, Relationships will be key, Accountability will be a cornerstone not a sidebar, Volunteers will be prized resources, Corporate giving will become more transaction-based, Individual donors will be more discerning, Donors will be more
diverse, Technology will grow in importance, A mature profession will develop, The strong will get stronger.
Importance definitely grows…
• Web 1.0– Information online…strictly a one-way published
media
– Fundraising – the ‘donate now’ button
• Web 2.0 / 3.0– Web design that facilitates creativity, information
sharing, collaboration (facebook, twitter, blogs)
– Possibilities for fundraising
New Statistics
• 1.4B people access web each day• 3.8 B will text a message • Canada logs the second highest usage of cell
phone time in the world – 400 minutes per month
• 70% market penetration in 35-54 age group• Fastest growing market (guess??)
Mean for 2009/10
• Technology is here to stay• Must recognize – and resource for – its growing
importance• Remember: Decision-makers at many
organizations not ‘in touch’ with this technology
• Must not be ‘lost in translation
Integration
• Must be part of your overall revenue generation strategy
• Important part of your tool-kit• Have not seen that this is the new, great
solution to all of our fundraising issues• Many influences on donors’ decision making
i.e.: economy
What have we seen/read??Globe and Mail: November 2, 2008
Universities eye 'painful' cuts in wake of crisis
St. Catharine Standard: November 11, 2008Market woes haven't hit Brock too hard
Globe and Mail: October 3, 2008Workplace charity drives prepare for lean times
Globe and Mail: October 5, 2008
Donation sta
ts point to
charitable ‘
perfect
storm’ Ottawa Citizen: November 12, 2008
Give generously:
Difficult times ar
e when
we most need our
charities
Ottawa Citizen: November 6, 2008
Market woes
hobble key c
harity group
:
Community Fo
undation of
Ottawa has l
ess
money to giv
e, greater d
emand
Globe and Mail: September 30, 2008Rotman to grow, despite downturnGlobe and Mail: September 23, 2008
Charities brace for drop in donors
May not have heard?
• Murphy and Helen Hull, donate $10 Million to Humber River Regional
• Charlotte & Lewis Steinberg, donate $2 Million to North York General Hospital
• Jay and Barbara Hennick, donate $3 Million to York University (March 2009)
• Dan Greenberg, donates $1 Million to the Ottawa Hospital (March 2009)
• Donna and Gary Slaight, donate $1 Million to Young Centre for Performing Arts, Toronto (February 2009)
Remember this?
July 1998 June 2003
S&P/TSX Composite Index
Where to from here?
Feb 2004 Feb 2009
S&P/TSX Composite Index
Fundraising in these times.
• Visible, stay out there• Ramp up cultivation and stewardship
– Remain the charity of choice
– Maintain the sense of urgency
• Be thoughtful and strategic about solicitation timing– Who will understand the need to demonstrate leadership
and confidence - make gift now, increase size of gift
• Suggest alternative vehicles for making a gift, such as gifts of property, life insurance, or bequests as alternatives to giving cash or stock
Organizational agility.
Organizational integration.
A new K.I.S.S. principle.
• Keep it simple and strategic• Stewardship, Stewardship, Stewardship• Be:
– Mission-focused– Relationships are key– Have a plan, work the plan– Be open and accountable– Be grateful– Remember: “People give to People”
• #1 Reason people give: They were asked