Peer to Peer Fundraising Advice from the Land Conservation Community

Since 2009, Christina Soto, Saving Land magazine editor, has been collecting advice from experts on fundraising in the land trust community, including consultants, development staff and leaders of land trusts. Here is a collection of good advice during a difficult time for nonprofit fundraisers.

Marc Smiley, with the Solid Ground Consulting Group (www.solidgroundconsulting.com) in Oregon, discusses the qualities of land trusts that have weathered the bad economy.

“Land trusts that have built fundraising programs based on relationships (individual giving, focus on cultivation, heavy emphasis on ‘friend-raising’) have been least impacted by the economy. Conversely, those relying on events and grants have been hit hard. This reinforces the importance of focusing organizational resources on fundraising from individuals, with a longterm orientation and not a quick-fix mentality.”

Marc, a former accreditation commissioner and current Saving Land editorial board member, explains that “organizations that have done a good job of building long-term relationships not only have more stable annual income in tough times, they are also getting bequests. Bequests are a very practical answer to how land trusts can fund their long-term stewardship obligations.”

Board fundraising remains crucial to land trusts, says Marc. “On a very practical note, almost every land trust continues to struggle to figure out how to get their board to be effective in fundraising. This struggle happens because 1) groups don’t define the job in specific and diverse ways such that board members can identify and engage in those activities, and 2) expectations about fundraising are unclear, unrealistic and unsupported, so most board members avoid and ignore what they all know is a critical role for them to play.”

Illene Roggensack, of Third Sector Innovations, Inc. (thirdsectoronline.com), says what really strikes her is that “most institutional giving these days is based on which organizations best ‘have their act together.’” Illene, also on the Saving Land editorial board, says that mission and need seem secondary to organizational excellence. “On that note, I continue to believe that a solid strategic vision and plan — coupled with credible leadership — make the best fundraising calling card for a land trust. Thus, I advocate that running a quality organization, and having the ‘deliverables’ that show this strength, provide a solid basis for effective fundraising.”

At the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy in Michigan, Executive Director Glen Chown speaks directly to Illene’s point:

“Fortunately, we started an organizational restructuring process before the economic meltdown [in 2009] with an outside consultant who, in working with board and management team staff, identified improving our efficiency as a key goal. We refined and streamlined our work processes and then communicated that fact to our donors and the broader community. Sophisticated donors love to hear that you are improving efficiency and that more money is going to land preservation. In these times, this message of improving one’s efficiency/belt tightening is even more important.”

Glen also voices a connection to the theme of this Saving Land’s main article: “Stay relevant. Know your audience. We live in Michigan, with one of the worst unemployment rates in the country. Are we talking about saving the rare salamander out in the middle of nowhere right now? No, we are framing our work in terms of ‘protecting Michigan’s land-based economy’ and saving strategic, placed-based assets that are crucial for our long-term prosperity. We are also talking about enhancing ‘access to nearby nature’ and that ‘land conservation is a powerful medicine’ for what ails our nation, as it was for lifting our nation out of the Great Depression in the Civilian Conservation Corps era of the 1930s.”

For cultivating donors, Glen has this advice: “Be honest and upfront about the economic challenges people are facing. We are explicitly recognizing that people are hurting and re-prioritizing these days in some of our solicitation letters, and not only did those letters generate a very high return rate, but people took the time to call or give us written comments about how much they appreciated our honesty and the relevancy of our message.”

“In these difficult times, our work speaks volumes about hope, optimism and the long-term,” says Glen. “Call or send your donors a personal note with good news about a project they care about. Your donors and the broader community need to hear these messages now more than ever.”

With more than 30 years in fundraising, Donna Fletcher of Mission Driven in California (www.missiondriven.com) outlines steps that land trusts can take to boost their support.

“Review and update your case for giving: Are the essential arguments that summarize the reasons why a donor should give to your organization still relevant, urgent and compelling? For example, if in the past your organization has used ‘rampant and accelerating development’ as one of the reasons for its land protection work but now, in your area, the real estate market has tanked, will donors still perceive that this argument has relevance and urgency? Without a strong and current case for giving, your land trust will not keep donors interested and giving.”

In the world of appeals, timing is essential, says Donna. “Ensure that your appeals are timed for maximum success: Statistics are maintained regarding optimum times for mailing new donor appeals and in-house appeals. The best time to seek new donors is January/February and late August/ September. Donors typically feel expansive and eager to try new things during these periods. The best time for in-house appeals is November, when you capture your donors’ year-end giving.”

As far as what goes into an appeal, Donna says to provide donors with concrete information on what your plans and needs are for today and in the future. “I am continually surprised when I read land trust fund appeals that are filled with past accomplishments and generalities rather than information regarding present needs and information on what donor support can accomplish. Donors give to what will get done, not what has been done.”

And then there is this all-important step: recognition. “Ramp up donor stewardship efforts to ensure that donors feel thanked, engaged and recognized. This is the time to ensure that your donor stewardship systems are top drawer. Are you promptly thanking donors for their gifts, regardless of gift size? Are board members sending additional thank-you notes or calling donors? Do you send a thank-you note when you notice that a donor has contributed five years or longer? By enhancing your donor stewardship efforts you will build stronger relationships, resulting in renewed and increased giving.”

Kristin Harkey, director of development at the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy in North Carolina, says it’s time to realize that “development work is about much more than raising money — it is about stewarding confronted hard questions about resource efficiency. “We ask ourselves constantly, ‘What is the return on investment?’”

“Strengthen partnerships and add more volunteers,” says Kristin. “Fewer dollars from traditional sources such as public grants doesn’t mean that our effort suffers. We have to pivot and look for more private funds.” pivot and look for more private funds.”

There are no pity parties in Kristin’s way of thinking. “We see the silver lining...a downward economy sharpens us. It opens our senses. Our board chair wrote a very inspiring letter to the editor of our local paper that contained a message of courage and confidence, noting that the decline in land being bought up for rapid development is actually a window of opportunity for land trusts. Every single donated dollar increases our capacity to save more with less.” A message that any donor would be glad to hear.