Comments on: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do…No, Not Really!

By: Kashmir

Kashmir — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 14:07:14 +0000

Jim - I do understand your point of view, however, acknowledgements cost money and the non-profit work is just that NON-PROFIT. If you want to give to an organization that uses its money wisely - then look for one that provides its constituents with a periodic News Letter on its actions and provides up to date information of its efforts on a web-site.

I have worked for multiple non-profit orgs and the standard acknowledgement gift amount is common – WHY? Because mailing cost a lot of money. So why not use e-mail to send thanks, like you said they have RE? Do you know that most users of RE do not even come close to tapping into the abilities that RE has to offer – most non-profits function with a skeleton crew that are there because they believe enough in the cause to provide their time to do something about it AND they do not have high-end computer skills. RE is not an easy product to learn much less use to your average non-profit employee.

Just because a donation is not acknowledged does not mean it is not appreciated – looking for praise however is self-seeking and that is not a big part of the non-profit world.

By: Jo Ward

Jo Ward — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 15:56:41 +0000

I have to agree with all who have stood on your soapbox with you, Jim. I am certainly not wealthy, but I intend to leave at least a small bequest to some non-profit organization. Much of the decision-making process as to which one revolves around how these organizations have responded to my $25 - $100 gifts. A few stand out, because they have made me feel that this gift was as important to them as if it had been $1,000+. So far, I’ve not encountered an organization that did not thank me, but if I ever do, they will certainly fall off the list of possible recipients!
It was with great delight that I included the name of a $5 donor, whom I know works as a cleaning lady and struggles to make ends meet, in our list of donors in the annual report, and our list of recipients for that report.

By: L. Bersch

L. Bersch — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 15:04:31 +0000

I used to work for an organization that had a similar policy. They would acknowledge first gifts, with the explanation that as a “good steward” they would not acknowledge monthly gifts until the end of the year. After being with the group for a few years, I convinced them that it would be prudent for all gifts to be acknowledged every month. Did it make a difference? I’m not sure….those who had been giving for years were puzzled. Some liked it, most were quiet.
I still believe that there are basic principles involved, and you are right. RE makes it easy to acknowledge all gifts, no matter what the size of the gift. But in the long run, I’m not sure it made a huge difference. I’d still do it again, however. It seems only right to thank someone when they give you a gift.

By: C. Herrera

C. Herrera — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 21:56:54 +0000

In response to Cain Farmer.

The money is already being spent on that salary - we know this because the organizations are RE clients. Therefore, there is absolutely no excuse for not thanking someone for their gift. In our organization every dollar we receive is a gift, not a donation. As such, every gift deserves a thank you. We also have had several “small” donors who have remembered us in their estate. I believe it is because we remembered to thank them over the years for their kindness. And yes, we do have a donor who sends us a check for $1 every year. We thank him and send him our annual newsletter every year.

By: Kevin McCullough

Kevin McCullough — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 21:34:22 +0000

Jim stay on your soapbox.

For the organization that only acknowledges over $250, here’s what happened to me during the last 3 weeks. I received notification of a bequest three weeks ago and followed-up with the requested paperwork. Unfortunately, the paperwork is floating around in a postal processing center somewhere so the executor called my boss today asking about it. During the phone call, my boss inquires about the deceased (she had never donated to us before). The executor said that he was a donor (I looked him up; he is an occasional…not even annual…$100 donor). He told her about my organization - as well as many other organizations - for consideration in her estate plans. Why? Because we thanked him each time and told him in the thank you letter how his donation impacted the people we serve.

Beyond this story (or the hundreds of similar stories we could all tell), it is simply good manners to thank everyone for his/her donation. The crumpled one dollar bill or random coins taped to a piece of paper I receive in the mail from the donor with shaky handwriting is probably more important to that donor than a $1000 check that Joe Bigbucks slides across the table after a dinner at his favorite fine-dining restaurant.

It takes a lot of 40 cent letters to make up for the $300,000+ we’re receiving from the estate.

By: Martha Grady

Martha Grady — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 21:23:30 +0000

I have worked in the non-profit sector for over 25 years and have heard it all. Donors want to be thanked and I can assure you that the most successful orginizations I have worked for and with thank everyone! Many of them have Executives who arrive early and write the notes personally. I can’t tell you how much of an impact and hand written note makes on a donor!

By: Diane Maidl

Diane Maidl — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 21:04:04 +0000

What a great test of gratuity! I feel that every donation, be it hard goods or money, should be acknowledge no matter what or how much it is. As others have said, you never know if this gift will turn into something major.

I have learned over the past years just how powerful the two words “thank you” can be. Have you ever notice how you feel when your employer, just out of the blue, says to you, “thank you for all you do for our company!”? It adds a positive step in your day. This is important for each and every person, no matter if they are a millionaire or someone trying to make ends meet on a small monthly income. For a non-profit not to use these words with ALL their donors, I believe they are really cutting themselves short.

Again Jim, great test! You do wonderful work for Blackbaud!

By: Cain Farmer

Cain Farmer — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 20:47:09 +0000

I’ve worked for nonprofits for over a decade. While I understand your point, I think that there are a few problems, both with donors and with the agencies being donated to. Giving, true giving, should require nothing in return [with the exception of whatever the IRS requires more than a cancelled check or credit-card statement]. Thanking, true thanking, should be nothing more than a few lines expressing gratitude [as opposed to a marketing piece intended solely to make smaller donors into much bigger donors, and to keep all donors giving]. We wax philosophically about being mis-treated by the places we’re giving to, and we forget entirely why we’re giving to those places [to help them achieve their missions, not to help them achieve the mission of Miss Manners!]. I, too, appreciate being thanked, and formally. But I’ve worked first-hand with nonprofits, smaller to mid-sized ones, and I’d be the first to say: save the $45k salary you spend in thanking me and managing your database and put it to use by spending it on programs [and $45k is a conservative estimate of the personnel costs involved in a "simple" thank you].

By: Tracie Cassidy

Tracie Cassidy — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 22:53:05 +0000

I was recently told this by a nonprofit regarding a personal MEMORIAL gift I made in memory of my grandmother. At first I was shocked but figured - oh well, they won’t be getting anymore of my money in the future. Not only did they not acknowledge the gift, they told me it was their policy not to receipt gifts and that I could use my cancelled check. My bank hasn’t given me a cancelled check for 10 years!? I was relieved to hear others’ comments & discover these types of “policies” are not standard!

By: Jim Bush

Jim Bush — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 03:51:38 +0000

Elaine, thanks for stepping up on your soapbox! Yea, I am still amazed. And, the fact that they all ARE Raiser’s Edge clients is what surprises me the most. How easy is it to create a receipt, or an acknowledgement, right?

This is a soapbox off of which I cannot seem to step down.