By Dawn M.S. Miller, CFRE, Vice President—Annual Fund

​Ahhhh, the autumn season! The crisp fall air, pumpkin everything, and toasty sweaters that have been hidden for months in the closet. Those are a few of my favorite October things. Ask my kids and they’ll say fire pits and s’mores – with a heavy accent on the s’mores.
 
I often wonder why we wait to pull out the s’mores until the fall season begins. Doesn’t everyone love a melted chocolate bar and burnt marshmallow smashed between graham crackers? So why wait until the cool air arrives to enjoy this tasty goodness?
 
Just like a s’more…why wait to enjoy all the goodness that life has to offer? There is no season we can’t love with all our hearts, live with all our being, and share all our joy with everyone we meet. And at Let’s Build Hope, we can’t wait to build s’more hope throughout our community!
 
We invite you to join us for a S’More Hope Happy Hour on Thursday, October 29 from 4:30-6:30pm at Shaw Park (Enterprise Pavilion). Gather for some delicious hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and great conversation with the Let’s Build Hope community. Colleagues from nonprofits, big and small, can network, learn from one another, and offer community support. We hope you’ll join us for s’mores and schmoozing. Please wear a mask and practice safe social distancing. Together, Let’s Build S’More Hope…while enjoying a s’more!
 
To RSVP to the S’More Hope Happy Hour, please contact us: (314) 716-2496 or LetsBuildHope@lbh-stl.com.
 
#LBH #LetsBuildHope #LetsBuildSmoreHope #HappyHour #PumpkinEverything #DontWaitToEnjoyGoodness

By Beth Krumm, MEd, Senior Consultant
 
Imagine you’re welcoming a new member to your family. You want them to feel at home right from the start, to come to family events, and maybe even bring their famous key lime pie to a party.
 
New donors to your organization are a new family member. You want them to know how thrilled you are to welcome them to your organizational family. What opportunities there are to get more involved? How they can utilize their skills to help further the mission?
 
A new donor welcome packet, if done well, is a great first step. It provides the building blocks to deepen the relationship between the organization and the donor.
 
So what makes a good welcome packet?
 
It’s Personal. Just as you wouldn’t want to address a family member as simply “Sister-In-Law” or “Uncle,” you don’t want to use the generic “Dear Friend” as the opening to the welcome letter from your Executive Director. Make sure you use the donor’s preferred salutation. Use pronouns like “you” and write in a conversational tone.
 
It’s Brief. Remember, this is just the beginning of the relationship. Remind them what impact your organization is having, and if you can show that through a story, all the better. Focus on the positive, but try not to overwhelm the donor with all the facts and figures you have about your organization.
 
It Provides Options. The more you can engage a donor at every level of your organization, the more likely they are to remain with you. Your welcome packet should include different ways that they can get involved with you – volunteer opportunities, upcoming events, giving clubs, and tours are just a few examples.
 
It Encourages Feedback. As you begin this relationship with your donor, you want to engage them in conversation. Ask them to share why they chose to invest in your organization, offer to talk with them about a program area they are interested in, or invite them to follow you on social media. And of course, make it easy for them to get in touch with you by providing your contact information.
 
Use your welcome packet to remind donors that they made the right choice when they chose to give to your nonprofit. Who knows, maybe your donor will bring a key lime pie to your next meeting!
 
Need more guidance on what to include in your new donor welcome packet? Let’s Build Hope is here to help. Contact us today: (314) 716-2496 or LetsBuildHope@lbh-stl.com.
 
#LBH #LetsBuildHope #WelcomePackets #WelcomeToTheFamily