How wonderful! You’ve been given a gift in support of your Jewish Camp. Now you must thank the donor in the most heartfelt and personal way possible.
Here are some simple rules for every gift:
1. Thank correctly: Enter the gift into your donor database. Get the name correct. You MUST get this right. Print the letter and mail it. Or send an email. Just be sure it is done correctly.
2. Thank within two business days: Thank your donor BEFORE you deposit the donation. Do this within 2 business days. No excuses, no interruptions.
3. Thank personally: Donors who are personally thanked by a board member or key volunteer are 40% more likely to give again. Donor retention is vital to your efforts. Phone call, email, or hand written note – it doesn’t matter the method, just the personal effort involved.
4. Report: At some point you must get back in touch with your donor and report on how the gift was put to use. We all crave knowing that our money (which we love) did something very good in the world. If you don’t show me how my money made a difference, I will assume it just went into a black hole and did nothing special.
Here is more information about the research on this topic and specific tips on
setting up personal donor thank you calls with your Board members:
Bottom Line: Master thanking.
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Written by Julia Riseman. Julia is a Mentor with JCamp 180. Julia leads Data2Donors, a program to advance Alumni Outreach, improve camp databases, and raise more major gifts, and Fundraising Fundamentals. Julia has also sparked the creation of many JCamp 180 programs and offerings, including this blog.
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Who we are: JCamp 180 is a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF). Our goal is to significantly enhance the long-term effectiveness of nonprofit Jewish camps in North America. To meet this goal, we provide affiliated Jewish camps with consulting services, annual conferences, shared resources, professional development, and matching grant opportunities. Find more at www.jcamp180.org.