Talking Back

As a thank you to the children, we invited them to an award
ceremony where the amount was unveiled to the women’s club (whose members still cannot fathom how this occurred). A local church provided a handmade quilt to each child who participated.

The children continue to make fabric dolls and teddy bears for the children who await future surgery. Amazing when you consider how disadvantaged and needy this population is … yet they feel they are blessed and lucky in comparison to the children on whose behalf they volunteered. Cost of fundraisers: minimal. Rewards reaped by children here and overseas: priceless!

— Patricia S. Hurst,
assistant director of development,
Devereux Florida
Orlando, Fla.

SoundOff Question:

Does your organization use the phone as a fundraising tool? What are the important lessons you’ve learned as a result? — (FS Advisor, Jan. 17)

Using the telephone to raise money is a very effective, cost-efficient tool. I’ve found the most success when using volunteers and having them telephone lapsed donors to ask for their renewed support. As a rule of thumb, one-third of lapsed members will contribute again if called. Another one-third will say “no,” and another one-third will consider a gift. Sending out a pledge reminder immediately after the telethon is essential. Having a training session and using a script helps make volunteers more comfortable when making the calls. If you do not have a bank of phones in which to make the calls, consider asking a local corporation if you could hold the telethon at their location.

— John Carno, CFRE,
vice president for development,
New Jersey Audubon Society, Bernardsville, NJ