Many nonprofit leaders want to begin an endowment development program, but are unsure of where to start. They don’t know who might be a good prospect in their community or among their past donors. How can you tell if someone has the resources and the desire to leave a legacy gift to your organization?
One of the simplest and most effective tools to boost an endowment program is a search letter. Like a message in a bottle, you’re sending out a note with very open-ended expectations. Unlike a bottle set adrift on the sea, however, this message will land in the hands of people who have shown their support for you in the past, and are more likely to respond to an invitation for a deeper connection to your organization.
Your search letter should target previous donors (including past and current donors) of empty-nester age and above. Depending on the size of your donor base and your mailing budget, you can tweak the ages and previous levels of giving to get to a manageable mailing size.
What should the letter say?
It’s that simple, but the results can be amazing. Many is the nonprofit executive director who have been stunned by a donor handing them a check or opening the mail to an unexpected windfall. Wouldn’t you like to join their ranks?
Consider sending your own “message in a bottle” out soon. It’s a simple effort that can yield generational impact.
(Would you like a search letter template? Contact us.)
*You HAVE made your own gift, haven’t you?