When it comes to raising funds, many organizations are hard-pressed to find the time needed to build their endowments because they are working to support their operating fund. And given the choice, many donors prefer to support current operations so they can see the immediate impact of their gift. What they may not realize though, is that with a little visual help from you, they can see an even greater impact through their support of your endowment.
But how can you know which donors might be interested in supporting your endowment?
Look to your endowment’s giving history.
You can find past endowment donors on your
DonorCentral
account and annual reports from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. Do you see names you don’t recognize? What a great opportunity for a conversation! Find out why they gave in the past, what their motivation was and what might encourage them to give again.
Tip: Share stories of how your endowment supports current and future programs to encourage donations from these proven investors.
Look to your longtime operational donors.
This is another great opening for a meaningful conversation! Find out what has inspired them to support your organization through the years or if they have any ideas about leaving a lasting legacy.
Tip: Give donors the opportunity to consider how they want to be remembered and what their gift could mean to the future of your cause.
Help donors visualize the impact of their gift with an easy to digest scenario.
Here’s a great example from one of our pet rescue organizations:
A $20,000 gift to our endowment would generate an immediate $1,000 annual distribution - which is enough to fund our Pet ID program for a full year. Because your gift is invested and continues to grow every year, it is perpetual, meaning your gift will fund the Pet ID program every year for the next 50 years and beyond.
For more endowment growth ideas, please join us for our charitable organization training sessions that will start again in January!
