STATEMENT OF PHILOSOPHY
First Things First is an organization dedicated to strengthening families through education, collaboration and mobilization. Three key areas are addressed to accomplish this mission; promoting marriage and combating divorce, promoting abstinence and combating out-of-wedlock pregnancies and promoting the quality of fathering and parenting.
The goal of First Things First is to build an aggressive development program that successfully raises the necessary funds and creates an atmosphere of respect and partnership for the entire FTF constituency. Development is the key component that seeks to meet the need of financial support for the mission and describes the process of fundraising in its entirety. That process consists of the planned promotion of understanding, participation and support. As such, understanding and partner involvement are essential for generating the support. Sound business practices and fundraising techniques are the vehicles for obtaining the support. One cannot succeed without the other. Development policies will be closely patterned after the Donor Bill of Rights and Code of Ethics.
Understanding
Understanding is achieved through communicating the mission of First Things First. The following initiatives are part of a comprehensive communications plan with suitable timelines. Keeping constituents informed about the current and future work of FTF and educating the constituency about the mission of FTF will be accomplished through the following activities:
Direct Mail Appeals: Four per year.
Special Events: One major fundraiser and a number of events focusing on ways to educate and equip families with the skills they need to make their families stronger. The events will emphasize collaboration with local organizations and people, mobilizing them to act, and educating the community about the importance of strong families; in particular, about the effects of divorce, out-of-wedlock births and lack of quality fathering.
Donor Luncheons, Meetings: Monthly events (luncheons, coffees, dinners, etc.) held for prospective donors. FTF staff will present a Power Point presentation about the work of FTF.
Billboards: Area public education campaigns rotated periodically.
Media Public Education Campaigns: Shown on local and cable television throughout the year.
Speaking Engagements: Staff will actively look for speaking opportunities.
Newsletter: Mailed out quarterly to entire database; E-newsletter delivered monthly.
News Articles: Local newspaper coverage on a regular basis; weekly column on family issues.
Thank you/Recognition Program: Broad-based program including mission education and volunteer involvement.
Special Insider Newsletter: Quarterly communications sent to major donors updating FTF accomplishments; also behind-the-scenes information about how gift has been used for special donors and grantors.
Internet: FTF Web site updated consistently with FTF information and resource help.
In addition to the above measures, all of the initiatives taking place within the three key issue areas of FTF include communication of the mission.
Volunteer Opportunities: In February, potential volunteers will receive letter outlining volunteer involvement opportunities.
Participation
As a constituent’s understanding and burden for the organization’s mission grows, so does his or her desire for participation, either directly or indirectly. Opportunities for a broad range of participation levels will be provided. These will include, but are not limited to:
Special Events: Constituents will be invited to be a part of planning or volunteering at all special events. This will be done through direct mail and phone calls. Constituents will be invited to attend special events as well.
Board Membership: Committed constituents will have the opportunity to participate in leadership positions.
Committees/Work Groups: Efforts will be made to include constituents in meaningful volunteer work that matches their interests and expertise.
Giving: Constituents will be given opportunities to participate with their financial support on a regular basis. Other special opportunities for giving will be provided throughout the year in a timely and respectful manner.
Appreciation Events: Events to honor and thank constituents will allow participation that directly benefits the constituent. Direct mail and phone calls will provide additional appreciation support.
Miscellaneous Volunteer Opportunities: Special projects, office assistance and other initiatives will be available for volunteer participation.
Support
Solicitation of funds must be done in all honesty, integrity and
confidentiality. Only sound business practices and acceptable procedures and
policies within the fundraising profession must be used. (See Donor Bill of Rights
and Code of Ethics Attachments). An aggressive plan of action will be finalized and
implemented for each of the following areas:
Individual Donations: This includes a strategic plan for annual giving, major donor cultivation and giving and direct mail appeals.
Church Donations: Specific churches will be targeted to solicit for annual support.
Corporate Donations: Sponsorships will be sought for special events, annual fundraiser, special projects and family resource centers.
Grant Support: Ongoing research will be conducted seeking possible funding sources.
Additionally, FTF staff will seek to develop relationships with foundation leadership, committee members and officers to increase understanding of the process.
Gifts-in-Kind: Community relationships will be nurtured for continued support through in-kind gifts.
Thank You/Recognition Program: Comprehensive program to thank and recognize donors will help ensure the success of all funding strategies.
Special Event: One major fundraiser will be held in the Fall.
INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS
Strategies for individual solicitations will be based on the following giving levels. These levels are based on an approximate increase of 20% per category. Numbers listed below include ALL types of donors, including corporations and foundations.
1999 donors 2000 donors Target Donors
2001
$1.00 - $99.00 309 270 324
$100.00 - $249.00 260 244 293
$250.00 - $499.00 40 32 38
$500.00 - $999.00 46 46 55
$1,000.00 - $1,999.00 36 36 43
$2,000.00 - $4,999.00 16 15 18
$5,000.00 & above 18 18 22
A case statement will be written for the overall development program at First
Things First. This document will be adapted to every development project undertaken by
FTF.
DONOR DEVELOPMENT
Board Member Solicitations
Board members will be solicited at the first meeting of the new year. Subsequently, board member visits will take place the first quarter of the year in February and March; at this time board members will be asked to make their pledge for the year. In order of preference, solicitors should be:
a. Board Officer and Executive Director
b. Board Officer and Associate Director
c. Executive Director and Associate Director or Fund Development Committee Chair/Other Board Member/ Appropriate Staff Member or Volunteer
Gaining full support of the Board is instrumental for further major donor solicitations.
A formal presentation will be prepared for board member visits. The FTF notebook of information given to board members at the first board meeting will serve as a springboard for discussion at the visit. Board members will receive a monthly update including fundraising activities from the Executive Director.
Major Donor Solicitations
Files will be created and/or updated for all major donors. Complete biographical information on each donor will be organized. Natural partners will be established for each major donor and gift objectives determined through meetings with board members and other measures. Some type of contact will be maintained on a regular basis through a partner update piece. Extreme care must be taken to plan and implement strategies with respect and integrity. All activities will be planned on an individual basis. The preferred team member combinations would be:
a. Natural Partner and Executive Director
b. Natural Partner and Associate Director
c. Natural Partner and Board President
Potential donors will be given the written proposals that will include: a statement of opportunity or need, proposed action for meeting the need or fulfilling the opportunity, financial data (including cost, other funds available and how much is being requested) and summary statement of the benefit.
There were 83 major donors giving at the $1,000.00 & above level in 2000. Approximately 16 new major donors will be sought for the calendar year 2001. Board members and development staff will identify prospects in quarterly meetings to be held in February, May, August and November. Files will be created, biographical information organized, natural partners identified and gift objectives determined. A plan of action to communicate the mission, provide for participation and request support will be initiated.
General Solicitations
Guidelines for mid-level donor development (gift range $250.00 - $999.00) will
closely approximate major donor guidelines, but on a reduced scale. Files will be
updated with biographical information and gift objectives determined. A plan of action
will be developed for this group of donors as a unit. Individual plans will be
implemented within the unit as donor potential is identified. Preferred team
combinations for personal visits would be:
a. Natural Partner and Executive Director
b. Natural Partner and Board Member
c. Executive Director and Associate Director
Direct Mail Appeals
Direct Mail appeals will be mailed out quarterly. Each appeal will be part of a Direct Mail package (see Direct Mail Program and Direct Mail Renewal Package attachments). In addition, each appeal will be custom-tailored according to donor levels.
Direct Mail #1
The initial appeal for the calendar year 2001 will be mailed out mid-February. This appeal will focus on supporting our new Marriage Media Campaign. Pledges and/or gifts will be sought.
Direct Mail #2 –
Another direct mail appeal will be coordinated with the various special fundraising events hosted by partners, volunteers and/or board members. These mailing will take place within a month of each event and will likely include more than one mail-out.
Direct Mail #3
Special projects will be the focus of the third mail-out. Separate projects will be targeted for varied donor levels. All donors will be given an update on what First Things First has accomplished for the current year and what the current needs are based on the “special projects” focus. The appeal will be sent out mid-August.
Direct Mail #4
An end-of-the-year ask will complete the Direct Mail appeal for the calendar year 2001. A basic appeal will be sent out to the general constituency expressing gratitude for their support and interest in FTF and asking for a year-end donation to help fulfill the remaining goals of the FTF initiatives for the year 2001. A unique appeal will be mailed to middle and upper giving level donors expressing gratitude for what their gifts have enabled FTF to accomplish during the past year and asking for consideration of what their role can be in furthering the mission of First Things First in the coming year.
Pledge Reminders
Pledge reminders should be sent monthly to those who have agreed to support FTF but have not yet fulfilled their obligation.
Prospective Donor Events
Meetings will be scheduled throughout the year for small groups of potential donors. FTF staff and partners will identify potential hosts and guests for these events. Hosts should be a partner or volunteer who has given of their resources to FTF. The majority of those invited should be those who have not given to our organization. The purpose is to educate attendees about the work of FTF and to ask them to make a contribution. For attendees who are donors, our goal is to get them to increase their giving.
The following things should happen at the donor events:
• Attendees should be given time to get to know each other and staff present
• There should be an opportunity to ask plenty of questions
• The host should be willing to ask for financial support and volunteers for the organization. If the host is unwilling to do so, FTF staff should make the pitch.
FTF staff will work with the host/hostess to prepare the guest list, and FTF will design and mail appropriate invitations, choreograph the event with the host, and follow-up and evaluate. There should be at least one person from FTF (staff, board, volunteer) for every five to eight guests.
The invitation should indicate that they will be asked for money. Wording could include: “A chance to learn about, and contribute to this important work,” or, to encourage a gift from someone who cannot attend, give them an option such as, “I can’t come, but I want to help. I am enclosing a gift of ______.” The invitation might encourage them to bring a guest as well. Include directions for those who may not be familiar with the neighborhood.
The pitch should be given after the presentation—about an hour into the event. Arrangements should be made so the host knows when to tell them how to give the money. The host should encourage his/her guests to join them in supporting FTF. There should be a basket for guests to deposit their gift or designated receivers.
If the host doesn’t give the pitch, or if the host doesn’t want to follow-up with guests who didn’t give, an appeal letter should be sent.
Other opportunities
FTF will pursue chances to be involved in the Combined Federal Campaign and church ministry fairs, when appropriate.
CHURCH DONATIONS
A concentrated effort will be made to identify and solicit churches that have natural links to FTF, particularly churches participating in the Marriage Savers program and educational opportunities designed for clergy and lay leaders. Appropriate church members will be asked to assist FTF with making requests to be included in the church budget. A comprehensive written proposal for churches will be prepared by FTF to provide additional support in this effort. Requests to be included in church budgets for the calendar year 2002 will take place in July and August of 2001.
For churches that operate on a fiscal year, recommended timelines will be established. Churches that institute budgets based on a calendar year will be identified during April and May. Volunteer solicitors will be sought during May and June. The written proposal should be completed within the last two weeks of May. Church visits with volunteer solicitors and/or FTF staff will take place in June and July.
FTF will take also take advantage of ministry fairs and alternative gift opportunities in the community.
CORPORATE DONATIONS
Files will be created and/or updated for all FTF major donor corporate supporters. Biographical information will be organized and gift objectives determined. Individual programs that are compatible to corporate donors will be created from the FTF Thank You/Recognition program. Activities will be recorded on a month-to-month basis.
A list of opportunities for special project support (updated at the first of each month) and written proposals will be a part of corporate solicitation packages. Other audio or printed material will be included as necessary.
The board will review corporate prospects and natural partners. This will take place quarterly in January, April, July and October. Corporate solicitations will take place following each of these review periods.
Corporate sponsorship will be sought for the following special events:
Annual Fundraiser - Major fundraiser to be held in November 2001. One major corporate donor will be sought for approximately $30,000.00. Other corporate sponsors will be sought for advanced leadership gifts.
Father-of-the-Year – One major corporate sponsor and additional sponsors will be sought for essay contest. This event is not a fundraiser, but serves to further the mission of First Things First and build constituent relationships.
Special Events – Smaller corporate sponsorships will be sought for other special events to be held during the year. These consist of events such as Donuts for Dads, Volunteer Appreciation, and National Family Week.
GRANT SUPPORT
Grant funding will be sought on a local, state and national level. Research will be conducted for both private and federal funding opportunities. During the 2000 calendar year, grant awards were received from:
The Maclellan Foundation $300,000.00 award (100% matching)
The Robert L. and Kathrina H. Maclellan Fdn. 90,000.00 award
The Benwood Foundation 60,000.00 award
First Presbyterian Church 4,000.00 award
Chattanooga Christian Community Foundation 5,000.00 award
Hamico Foundation 5,000.00 award
National Charitable Christian Foundation 25,000.00 award
Rotary Club 2,000.00 award
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 500.00 award
North American Royalties Foundation 500.00 award
The Hutcheson Foundation 5,000.00 award
The Medical Society Foundation 2,500.00 award
The Navarre Foundation 500.00 award
The Kiwanis Club of Chattanooga 2,500.00 award
The Weldon F. Osborne Foundation 30,000.00 award (over 3 years)
Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church 2,000.00 award
Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church 3,120.00 award
We have been approved to submit a grant request to the Tiger Woods Foundation. We will submit it in the first quarter of 2001.
Grant proposals for renewals or new proposals will be submitted to the following foundations in compliance with appropriate funding deadlines:
The Maclellan Foundation
Chattanooga Christian Community Foundation
Hamico Foundation
Caldwell Foundation
The Rotary Club of Chattanooga
Benwood Foundation
The March of Dimes
Community Foundation
The Robert L. and Kathrina H. Maclellan Foundation
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
North American Royalties Foundation
The Hutcheson Foundation
The Medical Society Foundation
The Navarre Foundation
The Kiwanis Club of Chattanooga
The March of Dimes (tentative)
The Weldon F. Osborne Foundation
Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church
Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church
FTF has plans to research the following foundations and establish contact with those that could support the FTF mission:
Annie B. Casey Foundation
The BBC Foundation
Wayne and Ida Bowman Foundation
The Hand Foundation
Kate Collins Roddy & J.P. Roddy, Sr. Foundation, Inc.
Virginia & George Scholze, Jr. Foundation
Oliver & Evelyn Smith Foundation
Carl A. & Theresa K. Swafford Foundation
The Tennessee Trust
Wallace Foundation
Williams Family Charitable Foundation
The Wright-Bentley Foundation
Campbell Foundation
Card Foundation
Chazen Foundation
Chrysalis Foundation
Delansa Foundation
Kennedy Foundation
Mullen/Goldberg Trust Fund
Gordon Street Foundation
Peckerwood Foundation
M.B. Seretean Foundation
Steiner/Liff Foundation
“Thornton” Foundation
Tonya Foundation
Wolford Foundation
Woods-Greer Foundation
The Bank of America Foundation
William E. Simon Foundation
Lands’ End
Chatlos Foundation
The following foundations do not accept applications, but should be considered.
Dixie Yarns Foundation
The Evans Foundation
The Foundation Center, the Center for Nonprofits, the Internet, other sources and networking will be utilized to identify potential national funding sources. Grant proposal assistance will also be made available through The Foundation Center pending approval to join The Foundation Center by the Associate and Executive Directors of First Things First. Consultant associate membership will allow eight to ten toll free consultations per month and free access to directories and computer software.
SPECIAL EVENTS
The purpose of special events is mainly for donor acquisition, public relations,
informing the public about the mission and creating opportunity for ownership through
participation in activities of the organization. With this concept as its basis, First Things
First will plan the following special events.
One major fundraiser will be held for the calendar year 2001. Covenant Transport has been the major corporate sponsor for the past two years and will sponsor this year’s event as well. Michele Weiner-Davis will be the speaker.
The previous three fundraisers have been successful banquets. Charles Colson, Michael Medved and Joe Jones were the speakers. In consideration of the unprecedented success of past banquets, it would be advisable to continue this type of event in the established format. The event will take place on November 1st. Michele Weiner Davis, international speaker and author of the bestselling book Divorce Busting will be the speaker for 2001. Facilities and speaking arrangements have been finalized. A timeline for the fundraiser is in process.
Other special events will be held throughout the year 2001. The purpose of these events are to further the mission of First Things First and build constituent relationships.
Although these events are not primarily fundraisers, funds will be raised through corporate sponsorship or grant awards.
A plan of action and timeline will be prepared for each activity in an acceptable amount of time prior to each event. These events include, but are not limited to:
Father-of-the-Year – Essay contest and celebration
Appreciation Events – Thank you events for donors and volunteers
Marriage Mentor Training – Training couples to be mentor couples in their church
Abstinence Education- training with Ron Johnson
Seven Secrets of Effective Fathering training - with Ken Canfield
GIFTS-IN-KIND
Through established relationships in the community, some donors choose to give in-kind gifts. First Things First will continue to build these relationships in the community. In-kind gifts include food, meeting rooms, office equipment, media matches and services.
PLANNED GIVING
By November 2001, FTF will develop a planned giving program which will give FTF partners a chance to support FTF with various types of gifts.
THANK YOU/RECOGNITION PROGRAM
One of the most effective tools in renewing and upgrading donors is the Thank You/Recognition program. A strong program that consistently treats donors at every level with respect, consideration and gratitude will result in tremendous benefit for the fund development program.
The First Things First Thank You/Recognition program will include policies and procedures for acknowledgment of gifts and diverse methods of showing appreciation to
donors and encouraging deeper partnership with FTF.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GIFTS
Receipts and Thank you letters will be mailed out according to the following
guidelines:
$1.00 - $249.00 gifts Printed receipt with attached printed form letter,
personally signed with postscript.
$250.00 and above gifts Printed receipt with separate personal letter with postscript.
Acknowledgments should be mailed within three days of receipt of gift.
Acknowledgment Package Guidelines
1. The personally signed form letter with postscript for gifts under $250.00 should be signed by the Executive Director or Associate Director. The Directors or any staff person who is directly affected by the gift should add postscripts.
2. The separate personal letter for gifts above $250.00 should be creatively written by a number of people. Effort should be made to have any persons who will benefit from the gift write a letter of appreciation. The Executive Director should add his/her signature and a postscript to these letters.
3. The receipt for all gift levels should include: FTF name
FTF address
FTF phone number
Receipt number
Account number
Gift Appeal Type
Gift Application
4. A self-addressed envelope should be included for all gift levels to encourage further gifts. It should not be stamped.
5. When appropriate: An information piece to educate donors about FTF should be included in each gift acknowledgment package. The information piece will differ according to gift levels, but should be sent with all acknowledgments. Fact sheets, brochures and information on special projects are examples of acceptable material.
6. A newsletter should be sent to new donors not on the newsletter mailing list.
7. A basic information packet about FTF should be mailed under separate cover to new donors.
TELEPHONE ACKNOWLEDGMENT GUIDELINES
Follow-up phone calls by staff will be made one to two weeks after acknowledgment packages have been mailed out for gift levels above $250.00 ($1,000 and above or special donors for Executive Director). Levels will be re-evaluated as the donor base increases in size. These procedures will be followed:
1. Calls will be made on a weekly basis.
2. Development staff will distribute phone assignments each Monday.
3. All designated FTF staff should participate with assignments completed by the following Friday.
4. Assignment sheets should be signed and turned in on Fridays and call records entered into GIFTrak by each Friday.
5. Callers should inquire if donors received acknowledgment, thank donor sincerely, verify mailing or other pertinent information and give donor opportunity to ask questions or make comments.
PERSONAL VISIT ACKNOWLEDGMENT GUIDELINES
Personal visits will be made within a month after acknowledgment packages
have been mailed out for gift levels above $999.00. (Levels will be re-evaluated as the
donor base increases in size). These procedures will be followed:
1. Appointments for visits will be made at least one week prior to visit.
2. First Things First representatives should make personal visits. The preferred persons to make these visits are:
a. Executive Director and Board Member
b. Associate Director and Board Member
c. Executive Director and Associate Director
3. The representatives should inquire if the donor received the acknowledgment, verify mailing or other pertinent information, thank the donor sincerely, speak about the benefit of the donor’s gift to FTF and give opportunity for the donor to ask questions or make comments.
PROGRESS LETTER GUIDELINES
Progress letters or special insider newsletter should be sent quarterly after the acknowledgment has been mailed out for gift levels above $500.00. The purpose is to inform the donor of progress that has been made in the area their gift was applied or different FTF initiatives that will be taking place that will utilize their gift. The overall goal is to keep the donor informed and create deeper ownership and partnership. These letters should be written in consultations with the staff to determine content of such mailings.
ADDITIONAL POINTS OF CONTACT
First Things First will make a strong attempt to develop relationships with all FTF donors. Although there will be varied levels of contact with donors, all contact with donors will be made from the basis of respect and gratitude for their interest and involvement with First Things First. Initiatives will include, but are not limited to:
Appreciation Event – Annual “thank you” celebration held in honor of all FTF volunteers, in conjunction with FTF anniversary.
Birthday/Anniversary Cards – Cards for birthdays and/or anniversaries will be sent to
mid and upper level donors and board members. Other major significant events in donors’ lives will be acknowledged, if possible.
Thank You Cards – Liberal guidelines for handwritten thank you notes will be applied.
Thank you note should be sent within two weeks of whatever assistance was provided to
FTF by individuals or organizations. Handwritten notes should be mailed for all levels
of assistance.
FTF Mission – As new information, articles, etc. that furthers the FTF mission becomes
available, it should be sent to FTF donors who have concern or interest in that particular
area of FTF involvement.
Donor Files – Any information about individual donors that will help FTF partner more
effectively with them should be placed immediately in their GIFTrak file by the FTF
staff person who has knowledge of that information.
DEVELOPMENT NEEDS FOR 2001
Balance needed to be raised
Anticipated Revenues
Income carried over from 2000 224,515.99
Individual gifts/new donors 75,000.00
Sponsorships/Corporations 75,000.00
Foundation gifts
Maclellan 300,000.00
Individual Gifts Through Foundations 100,000.00
Grants 175,000.00
In Kind 200,000.00
Churches 13,500.00
Events 10,000.00
Other 3,000.00
Other grants and reimbursements 10,000.00
Total Anticipated Revenues 961,500.00 Total Revenue 1,186,015.90
STRATEGY
Outstanding pledges
Continue to send out monthly statements. Make calls in November to inquire about pledge status and tactfully encourage donors to fulfill pledge before the end of the year.
Additionally, previous donors who did not give for the 2000 calendar year should be contacted by appropriate persons determined by development staff and/or board. Assignments will be made in February or March, and visits and/or contact will be made by FTF board members/staff.
Along with this effort, additional major donor prospects need to be identified and contacted by FTF staff and board. Method of establishing contact will be decided on an individual basis. Current prospects will be determined by analyzing data from the previous year, and a plan of action will be formed after the board or executive committee has met in the first quarter.
Calls will also be made by board members to major donor prospects. Follow up with board members on this effort will be determined by the executive committee, and a report will be given by the executive director at the quarterly board meeting.
Gifts in kind
Donations from gifts-in-kind include food, meeting rooms, office equipment, services and media matches. These relationships are established and will continue. The revenue accrues on a monthly basis and will be entered into the FTF database.
Churches
Letters with support documentation will be hand delivered through FTF supporters to select churches requesting a donation for the current year and/or to be placed in their budget for the 2001 calendar year. If applicable, FTF will apply for funding from the church. Church members who are FTF supporters will personally follow-up the letters with phone calls or visits.
Corporate Sponsors
Corporate sponsors will be sought for all special events to be held this year, except in instances where foundations or other organizations have agreed to fund the event.
Designated FTF staff and board members will review major employers and other
corporations as prospective donors for the year. Appropriate persons will
solicit the corporations with support material provided by First Things First.
Direct Mail Appeals
A third quarter appeal will be mailed out at the end of August. This appeal will be sent to everyone in the FTF database. However, different appeals will be sent to the general constituency, those who have given more than $250.00 and those who have given more than $500.00. All of the appeals will be based on special projects or initiatives.
A fourth quarter appeal will consist of an end-of-the-year ask. This format will also vary between the different constituency groups. Planning for this appeal should be complete by September 30th, and mailed out mid-November.
ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES
Funding is being sought through grant proposals. The Development Coordinator will research grant availability and report the findings to the Associate Director and the Executive Director. Funds will be sought after appropriate consultation with FTF directors and staff members.
Hosts for donor events will be actively sought. Donor events should be scheduled at least one month in advance of the event.
The FTF Thank you and Recognition program will continue according to the fund development plan.
