Sursum Scribe
Sursum Scribe September 2024
Happy September friends!
We’ve all been there when it comes to year-end planning: I’ve got time. It’s only September. I’ll start thinking about year-end once I get through the Fall.
All of a sudden, it’s mid-November. The upcoming weeks are packed with activity and things feel rushed: We haven’t finished our year-end appeal. What did we decide about Christmas cards? Are we doing anything for Giving Tuesday?
A simple planning process now will pay enormous dividends for your peace of mind and for your fundraising results come December 31st. Did you know that 31% of all annual charitable giving in the U.S. takes place in the month of December? The right combination of awareness, acknowledgment and appeal will maximize generosity to your mission during this “season of giving”.
Here are three simple questions to add to your next team meeting agenda and jump start your year-end planning now:
What did we do last year? Describing what was done last year will lead to an impromptu “SWOT” analysis and give you a baseline for determining what is doable this year. How did we create awareness to reach new donors? How did we thank our donors? How did we directly appeal to donors to make a year-end gift? Which leads to the second question…
What does 10% better look like? Everyone wants a robust and comprehensive year-end strategy, but focusing on what “just a little bit better” looks like from what was previously done, forces your hand into deciding what is most important given limited time and resources.
Who is responsible for next steps? Don’t let this important initial discussion be tabled for weeks without action. Who is taking final ownership of next steps? Specify tasks and deadlines before concluding your conversation.
As I said, these questions are simply to get you started. A more detailed planning process will have you specifying goals around awareness, acknowledgment and appeal; identifying the outreach channels available to your organization to attain those goals; and setting parameters around budgets, calendars and persons responsible for execution.
If you take these small steps this Fall, come the holidays, it will take far less energy to execute on what was previously planned than to “figure things out” on the fly. Donors already want to be generous at year-end. Have them be (re)inspired by your mission with proper planning now!
Reach out to learn more! EMAIL BUTTON (link to [email protected])
God bless, Sharon
What I Am Reading
In a remarkable achievement, Catholic media company Ascension has made history as the first Catholic organization to be named to the prestigious Fortune Best Small Workplaces List for Of note is an exceptional work environment, as evidenced by an impressive 99% of employees reporting it as a “great place to work.” Ascension is setting a new standard for Catholic organizations and small businesses alike!
Skilling Up
I agree with my friend and colleague Maddie Nance at www.kindwordreview.com who argues that AI cannot replace the authenticity and nuance that a human writer brings. She identifies the telltale signs of AI-generated content and demonstrates how AI can be a useful tool for tasks like brainstorming. As always, great advice for all non profits to prioritize quality over cost, as the genuine connection provided by human writers is crucial for relationship building.
What We’re Reading This Month
Interesting report, released by GivingTuesday’s Generosity A.I. Working Group, that paints a nuanced picture of a sector grappling with A.I. adoption. The study surveyed 930 nonprofits in the hashtag-driven movement’s network across the globe, but primarily in North America and Asia, from March to July 2024. Identifies key barriers to adoption, particularly for smaller nonprofits, and reveals significant gaps in policies and collaborative data agreements.
Sursum Scribe August 2024
Hello friends!
Hope you are enjoying your summer months.
We are excited to welcome Dave Cook to the Sursum Consulting team. With 20 years of experience in fundraising and nonprofit leadership, Dave brings a heart for the Church and a wealth of expertise to our firm…
Trends
Putting this article under trends because I am super hopeful as we transition to a missionary year after the Eucharist Revival. As the article notes, “surveys show that on any given Sunday, five of six Catholics in the United States are prioritizing something other than the Eucharistic Lord on the Lord’s Day.” Father Roger Landry, author, writes that we are all being called to “walk with one” person who is presently not journeying with the Eucharistic Lord and his Church to Mass and in daily life.