DO MAJOR DONORS DESERVE MORE MAJOR RECOGNITION?
For all of my fundraising career, there was one clear rule: Larger donors get more recognition. The bigger the gift, the more the donor got in return. For some organizations, mainly those in the presenting arts, those things included better seating, parking, special places to gather during intermission. For other organizations it could range from preferred parking to invitations to special events. In all cases, it mean more recognition.
Today there is a sort of backlash going on. Where it used to be that most organization published an honor roll, listing the names of those who gave at various levels, many organizations have given that up. The argument is that we don’t want to alienate or embarrass those who can’t give at the higher levels. And I do understand that. If I stretch to make a gift of say $100 is it any less than someone who easily can contribute $100,000?
Well, yes and no.
Yes because a gift of $100,000 will get my organization closer to its goal, allow us to do more, give us more of a cushion for the bad times than a gift of $100. No because truly every donor matters and every donor makes a difference. But still…
I think about grades in school. Does everyone deserve an “A” because, well, we don’t want to embarrass someone whose test scores would give them a D or less? And how would the student who worked hard to receive that exalted grade feel if just showing up got the same result?
Recently, a client asked just this question. The board (and senior staff) was arguing about naming opportunities for larger donations and plaques for smaller ones. Some members of the board thought it unseemly and felt it would make those who couldn’t afford large gifts feel bad. Others thought that if you don’t do something special for larger donors, well, you probably won’t have a lot of larger donors.
It seemed to me that the board may not be the best people to answer these questions. The donors would be a better bet.
It has always surprised me that while we all know that fundraising is about building relationships, we hesitate to build real rapport. We tend to talk at them, rather than talk with them; we tell them what is important to us instead of asking them what is important. Finding out just how important recognition is to your donors—and what type of recognition has meaning—is a decision you should not be making. It should be part of a discussion. But before you get into individual dreams, think about sending out a survey to your donors and find out what they care about.
Remind your donors that this survey is anonymous, so this is a very safe place to give honest answers. Start by asking their level of giving; then do ask what would be the largest gift they would or could give.
Drill down to how they want their generosity recognized. Do they want public appreciation or private gratitude? Is it important to them that their name is blazoned somewhere: On a wall, an individual plaque, naming a space? Do they want to be listed in an “honor roll” of donors? With or without levels of giving?
Do they want a concrete gift or would they prefer something more subtle? Access to your programs, your staff, your board? All these are the kinds of questions it would be helpful to get answers to. From this, you can begin to create stewardship programs that make sense to those who will be stewarded.
Above all, remember that in all things, one size does not fit all. Whatever you plan on doing, ensure that your donor is happy about the way they will be recognized. Understand, of course, that you will not be able to accommodate every whim. The $1,000 donor who wants their name emblazoned on a building will have to be disappointed. But overall, you’ll find that most donors understand that size does matter. And by and large, they will be fine as long as they feel that you are equitable in your recognition and honestly grateful for whatever your donor does.