Thank you for what you do.
If you’re reading this blog, I’m going to make the educated assumption that you’re probably involved (directly or indirectly) with non-profit fundraising. Regardless of the particular role you have, you make a difference in the lives of your non-profit’s beneficiaries whether they are called clients, members, students, citizens, or are non-human (water, animals, plants, trees, etc.).
My favorite quote about fundraising is by Mother Teresa, who always recognized the value and importance of fundraising in relationship to all the other components of her work: “It takes oil to keep the lamps burning.”
We are now at the mid-point of the 2013 CFC campaign solicitation period, and this is when the CFC donors are pledging their gifts for so that their favorite charities can “keep the lamps burning.” I thought it would be valuable for you to get a glimpse into what a typical CFC donor experiences during the course of a CFC campaign.
During the summer, each Federal agency recruited its CFC team, and the various campaign roles were staffed (campaign manager, communications chair, logistics chair, team captains, and key-workers – the Federal employees who directly solicit their coworkers).
In the early fall, each Federal agency conducts their Campaign kickoff, where the agency head and a few selected charities are invited to share their stories, and all employees are invited to attend. The program will include the video message from the President of the United States, (the videos started with President Carter and have been made by all Presidents since). Here’s the link to the President Obama’s CFC message (it’s short – 2:07).
If you watch it, you will see the consistent themes of thanking the Federal work force for all that they do, thanking them and encouraging them to participate in the CFC because of the difference it does make, and emphasizing that there is a list of thousands of charities from which they can choose.
While giving and participation is always encourage, there is never pressure to support any particular charity and indeed that is against multiple CFC regulations.
The CFC is always evolving and, where there is a printed “Catalog of Caring,” for many regions that is now available online — it lists national and international charities, and has the local list that is unique to that particular regional CFC.
Each federal employee will also be given a pledge card, or the link to its electronic version; and, regardless of the manner of the actual pledge, it always contains examples of what a donation at a particular level can mean to the recipients of the CFC charities’ efforts.
Your gift does make a difference–whether it’s $5 or $100 per pay period, see how your gift can impact the local and global community:
Per 26 Pay Periods:
$5 Allows 20 kids to attend a nature-oriented, guided education program.
$10 Provides 15 cases of nutritional supplements for HIV and AIDS patients.
$20 Provides 52 mosquito nets in Africa for the protection against mosquitoes
that transmit malaria.
$25 Provides medical professionals with 20 first-aid kits, 156 blankets, and
65 surgical scissors to use in some of the hardest-hit regions of the globe.
$30 Provides a half day of chemotherapy for a child cancer patient.
$40 Patches two leaky roofs for a senior or disabled homeowner.
$50 Vaccinates, feeds, and cares for a 13 shelter dogs and/or cats for a week.
$100 Feeds and cares for approximately1,600 disaster victims for a week.
In the pledge form itself, there are blanks for the non-profit CFC 5 digit code, plus the annual amount that the federal donor is pledging to that CFC charity, as well as the personal information about the CFC donor, (name, address, e-mail, etc.).
In addition, there is an “Information Release” option about whether or not he or she wants their personal information released to the CFC charity, because a CFC donor can choose to remain completely anonymous. Between 60-90% of the Federal donors choose to remain anonymous, so you need to plan for this in your communications and thank you responses.
You may have noticed that I started this post with an example of how you can thank someone anonymously, and I thank you again for your attention and comments. In the next post I’ll talk about additional techniques to use during the solicitation period.
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During his 25-year career in the Federal sector, Bill Huddleston, The CFC Coach,
served in many CFC roles. If you want to participate in the Combined Federal
Campaign, maximize your nonprofit’s CFC revenues, or just ask a few questions,
contact Bill Huddleston
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Hank Lewis with Development Consultant Associates has over thirty years as a fundraising consultant and is a specialist in Board and Leadership Development, Capital Campaign, Bequest Program and Major Gifts.