List Management

To identify the lists that work, a fundraiser has to first know his or her organization. The donor profile of your database is the best place to start when considering an outside-list acquisition program. External list donors who already have the same demographic and psychographic profile as your housefile donors are more likely to give to your organization over another one. Your donor profile might look something like this: * Female * Age 55+ * Income $50,000+ * Lives in Georgia * Likes to knit and enjoys walking Identifying common characteristics within your donor base can help you look for lists that meet a

Following is a sampling of new-to-the-market and newly managed lists.

Following is a sampling of lists available to reach donors who support education causes.

Following is a sampling of lists available to reach military personnel as potential donors.

A sampling of lists available to reach sports fans as potential donors.

Following is a sampling of lists available to reach parents as potential donors.

Community-based organizations come in many flavors: small, large, health-centered, arts-centered, etc. They’re as varied in scope and size as the communities they represent. But they do have one thing in common: They are distinctly qualified to directly impact their surrounding cultures.

“Community-based programs are unique to fundraising efforts because of the potential impact they have on emerging and existing issues within their specific community — and also because of the organizations’ vast knowledge and connection to their community,” says Monique Hanson, chief development officer of the YMCA of the United States.

Following is a sampling of lists available to reach potential donors to international relief efforts.

For its own protection and the protection of its constituents, it’s important for an organization to have a list policy if it is selling or exchanging its member or donor list. A list policy, says Virginia Dambach, director of marketing communications for DEI, an umbrella organization that serves the development and marketing needs of public radio stations nationwide, should outline mutual expectations between the organization and those with which it rents or exchanges its lists. An organization should create a list policy that it feels comfortable sharing with anyone, whether it be other organizations or its own constituents. DEI recommends the following tips

The Human Rights Campaign, a civil rights membership organization that works for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality, doesn’t take list rental and exchange lightly. Dane Grams, HRC’s online strategy director, took some time recently to speak with FS about HRC’s policies regarding list rental and exchange, sharing some practices that you might find helpful at your organization. According to Grams, HRC rents and exchanges its list with fair-minded organizations and companies that are GLBT supportive. All requests for clearance of its list go through its list broker and are pre-screened. Requests that make it past the broker are put through a rigorous approval