Q: How do you count divorced families? As one household or two? Meaning, if one gave and the other did not, do you have a 50% parent participation or 100%?
A: Participation should be tied to the students, not to the parents. So, in the case of divorced families, if either parent gives, the student is credited with participation in the annual fund. The donor parent will often tell you how to approach the other parent (ex-spouse): (a) soft-credit the ex-spouse for end-of-year reporting purposes; (b) send a separate solicitation to the ex-spouse; (c) do not solicit the ex-spouse. This third option is critical, as there are often legal reasons for not soliciting both parents in a divorced family situation (orders of protection, for example). Emotions can run high in these situations, so err on the side of caution. It is critical to stewarding your donors.
Having said this, a divorced family in which both parents give will affect your annual fund goal-setting for the year.
Q: Do you credit donors as participating in the annual fund if they have given to other funds during the fiscal year, but not to the annual fund specifically?
A: Only gifts made to the annual fund should be counted toward participation in the annual fund. The annual fund is the cornerstone of all giving at the school, and serves as the foundation and pipeline for major donor programs and capital campaigns. Still, it is important to create a profile on each donor at your school. Donors will choose to support some of your programs more generously than others (annual fund, annual benefit, scholarship and financial aid, athletics, theater arts, etc.), so it is critical to your annual giving program to have an overall picture of each donor's capacity for giving.
From time to time, one of ISM’s Development experts will tackle a question of interest to most development officers. This month, L.J. Mitchell, ISM Adjunct Development Consultant and Development Director of Mary McDowell Friends School (NY), answers some technical questions about the annual fund.
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