Grant Funding For GiftWorks --- And Infrastructure Improvements
Consultant Margaret King, President of InfoRich Group, shares how she used grant funding to help a client build fundraising capacity

Finding the dollars to pay for a new donor management system is often difficult, especially in today's budget-cutting climate. I was faced with this challenge recently.

One of my clients was entering into a capital campaign and needed to increase the efficiency of their staff and be positioned to provide frequent fundraising updates to their campaign committee.

But in order to do this, my client needed to build its internal capabilities in the areas of donor record management and gift acceptance policies. Specifically, the client wanted to be able to generate accurate, professional, and timely donation reports so that the board, executive director, and campaign committee could provide better accountability and management of the fundraising process. That meant the purchase of software, but I knew that it would be hard to find an individual donor to fund software.

Knowing that building fundraising capacity cannot happen without solid infrastructure (and knowing that grantors would recognize the value of this), I searched the Foundation Directory for giving preferences using a few key phrases:

• Organizational effectiveness
• Strategic management
• Organizational development
• Infrastructure
• Stewardship

You'll notice that the terms software and donor management were not part of the list of key phrases. Grantors are often interested in funding projects rather than purchases. So I took a strategic approach--building a case for a project to cover the entire donor management process from software to gift acceptance to gift entry to stewardship.

"Grantors are often interested in funding projects rather than purchases."

My search produced a list of potential funders in my client's region and I settled on the most likely prospect. After carefully reviewing the foundation's guidelines, we positioned our request so that the proposal met the "organizational development" criteria outlined in the guidelines. The project was funded. I believe that the reason for our success was that we took the holistic approach to donor management; the proposal included funding for:

• Purchasing the software
• Reviewing and updating gift processing and acceptance policies
• Reviewing and updating the stewardship policy

So we succeeded not only in funding the purchase of donor database software (GiftWorks), but also in expanding my client's fundraising capacity while receiving the full benefit of a successful implementation of GiftWorks and comprehensive stewardship policy, which will serve them for years.

This granting process was a win-win situation: the foundation funded a significant step in the development of the organization's fundraising capacity, and the nonprofit covered the costs of software and implementation processes. More important, though, was that the campaign committee was able to receive accurate and timely updates which were made possible as a result of the GiftWorks implementation.

"So we succeeded not only in funding the purchase of donor database software (GiftWorks), but also in expanding my client's fundraising capacity."

Having worked with nonprofit organizations from all sectors, I have learned that whenever you are seeking funding, whether it is for software or programs or capital, thinking strategically will almost always produce favorable results.

Consultant Margaret King, President of InfoRich Group, Inc., brings extensive nonprofit and business experience in providing the research crucial for creating successful results-oriented campaigns, building a productive board, and targeting potential major donors.

Join Margaret King For A Seminar In Albuquerque, NM On March 25, 2009 "Prospect Research on a Dime; Donor Research; Giving Capacity" Learn more and sign up.

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GiftWorks: Getting Better All the Time!
Free GiftWorks Product Update Available to All GiftWorks™ 2008 Customers in Late March

On March 27, all GiftWorks™ 2008 Standard and Premium users will receive a free update full of enhancements to GiftWorks. We do these updates periodically based on your requests and feedback - when we say we listen to our customers, we mean it!

We typically provide free updates about two times per year. If you have an enhancement you would like to be considered for an upcoming update, please use the "Send Us Feedback" button in the upper right corner of your GiftWorks screen. Check the list below first, though, maybe we've already added it!

How do you get the update? The update will come via the Internet, and you will be notified when you sign into GiftWorks. You simply accept the update and proceed. We will send all GiftWorks™ 2008 users an email reminding you of the process during the week of March 20.

Visit the GiftWorks website to see the complete list of enhancements. Here are some highlights of what we have added to GiftWorks™ 2008:

• The ability to copy addresses, phones and email when adding household members and the ability to copy these fields from any donor when editing a donor.
• Duplicate donation checking
• Additional mailing sort options
• Additional receipting sort options
• Increased flexibility when working with Mailings Recipients list - customize columns, add additional related donors, additional options to check and uncheck recipients
• Enhanced honorarium table letter template
• Increased flexibility to easily remove related donors when printing labels or envelopes
• New criteria for donor SmartList period definition to allow more flexibility, for example, total donation amount in a time period for a specific fund
• More date options when posting to QuickBooks

Please let us know if you have any questions about this new update. Drop us a line at info@MissionResearch.com.

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Free Webinar- Back By Popular Demand!
"Building Profitable Relationships Using Donor Management Software"
March 25, 2:00 - 3:30 pm EST

Ruthellen S. Rubin, CFRE

"Friends don't let friends use excel to manage fundraising!" If you're already using GiftWorks, you can vouch for this. But if you are using Excel or Access to manage your fundraising, this webinar is for you. We are asking GiftWorks users to tell their colleagues who are not using GiftWorks to check out this webinar.

This webinar will teach you what you need to know to start managing your fundraising efforts more profitably. You'll learn:

• What a new database will do for you (that you're not already doing)
• How to choose the right donor management software
• Effective ways to manage donor relationships
• How to become a database super-user (even if you're a non-techie)

This webinar is presented by Ruthellen Rubin, CFRE. Mrs. Rubin is a successful nonprofit consultant and faculty member at New York University's Heyman Center of Philanthropy and Fundraising. www.RuthellenRubin.com. It is brought to you by Mission Research.

Register Today!
Visit www1.gotomeeting.com/register/495267206 to register.

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GiftWorks The Winner For Political Campaigns!

Imagine you are coordinating communications and fundraising for a candidate for the State Senate! Imagine you are doing it for 14 candidates! Simultaneously!

That's what Wendy Homeyer, Homeyer Strategy Group, does. So you can imagine how thankful she was to find GiftWorks in December. When she came to GiftWorks, Wendy had been struggling with a variety of Excel spreadsheets and expensive political software--which didn't offer the flexibility she needed. To Wendy, the beauty of GiftWorks is that "it's all in one place. It's completely flexible and reasonable, and I can customize it to do anything I want."

"It's completely flexible and reasonable, and I can customize it to do anything I want."

She manages constituent/donor lists for each of the 14 legislators, prioritizes by giving level or category or special interests, plans and manages events, mails invitations, reminders, thank yous, generates and distributes call lists, keeps her clients apprised of "her" event list, and maintains (and answers to) a very active to-do list.

Wendy Homeyer Homeyer Strategy Group

Although you and I are thinking we have just completed a long election season, for Wendy, the cycle has already begun again. With a Governor's race coming up in South Carolina, three Republicans and four Democrats are already lining up for the primary. Since she is friends with all three Republicans, she hasn't jumped in yet--choosing clients can't upset current clients.

Wendy prides herself on running very targeted campaigns. "We don't waste time or postage mailing to everyone on the list. We pull names that apply in a particular appeal, customize the message, and send those people a mail piece they can't ignore."

Having degrees in business and marketing, Wendy worked three years in Washington before returning to her home in South Carolina to tackle the politicos on the state level.

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Florida Association of Nonprofit Organizations - Newest Partner with GiftWorks!

GiftWorks becomes a "preferred partner" of The Florida Association of Nonprofit Organizations (FANO). FANO joins ten other state partner associations in selecting GiftWorks as the fundraising software of choice for their member organizations.

"Helping Florida nonprofits raise money is a great way for us to help them succeed." Marina Pavlov FANO President/CEO

Marina Pavlov, President/CEO of FANO says, "FANO is excited to present GiftWorks fundraising software to our members as our newest 'Preferred Partner.' Helping Florida nonprofits raise money is a great way for us to help them succeed. GiftWorks is easy to use, powerful and affordable."

In partnering with GiftWorks, FANO will offer GiftWorks fundraising software at a discounted price to member organizations.

Founded in 1989 to enhance the well-being of all people and the communities in Florida by building the capacity of the nonprofit sector, FANO assists 45,000 nonprofits to reach their missions by strengthening their leadership, management and financial/public policy capacity. To learn more, visit www.FANO.org.

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South Park Inn Wins $100 Donation In GiftWorks Survey Sweepstakes!

South Park Inn

We are happy to announce that South Park Inn is the winner of a $100 donation. This organization was picked in our drawing of GiftWorks customers who completed our recent product survey. South Park Inn works to "help homeless people help themselves." On average, South Park Inn serves 1,500 homeless people per year, 130 of which are children. Development Director, Stacie Nicholas, has been using GiftWorks for over four years. She says, "It's so comprehensive - it does all the stuff you need it to do without all the garbage." Stacie also works for another nonprofit and uses GiftWorks there, too.

Thanks go to all of our customers who filled out the survey - over 1,100. We look forward to connecting with you again soon!

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