Cover Story: Teach a Man to Fish ...

“We found that following Sept. 11, Americans as a whole turned their eye toward the international community a little bit more,” she explains. “They became more interested in what is happening around the world and began realizing that if people had hope and the opportunity to create better lives for themselves, then we would live in a much more peaceful world.”

How it will work
Like many organizations in the new millennium, Heifer is taking an integrated approach to fundraising for its Hope for the Future campaign, combining efforts from all of its development arms: major gifts, which works with individuals, corporations and some family foundations; foundation relations, which handles larger private foundations and public granting vehicles such as federal, state or local programs; and the community relations team, which works with grassroots organizations, congregations, schools and civic clubs, etc.

Capital campaigns come under the auspices of foundation relations and major gifts. The backbone of Heifer’s fundraising efforts, direct marketing (the catalog and Web site) sits within the communications and marketing department. Planned giving is handled by the legally separate Heifer Foundation.

For the new campaign, Heifer added some staff members and refocused the efforts of others. The major gifts arm now has a staff of 10, with six of them located in regional offices around the country.

Being a major gifts staffer means traveling a lot, Woodworth says, since they are responsible for meeting with potential major gifts donors in person and arranging special events to match their interests. And while plenty of organizations arrange such events when courting major-gifts donors, Heifer stands out in the sheer variety of its offerings.

A potential major-gifts donor could be invited to a wine-and-cheese reception at someone’s home; an educational session at one of the organization’s ranches; a holiday “live gift market,” where they can meet gift animals up close and personal; or an all-out study tour of Heifer’s ranches and partner communities around the world.