So what can you expect when you arrive at The Vassar Alumnae House?  Well for starters we’ve got a hot list of appraisers — Nancy Freese, Estate Sales Service – Annex Antique Center, Red Hook, Jay Grutman, Rhinebeck Antique Emporium and Charles Glasner of Hudson River Antiques, Highland, NY to name a few.

And our appraisers are all thinking with anticipation, “what will the big ticket item be this year”, as they go through the process of examining our heirlooms, ready to give their verbal appraisal.  There is no messing around here.

One of the drivers to this event is the “what’s it worth” factor, mixed with sentimentality – and there is no shortage of that.   But let’s not overlook the real reason why you are attending the Antique Appraisal event.   It is all about our commitment to a cause we care deeply about, Astor Services for Children and Families.  By joining us next Sunday afternoon, you are partnering with Astor in support of their mission that– every child deserves a childhood!  

Gather up your treasures, buy your tickets ($50 per person, $75 a couple) and come on over from 1-4pm. Have a drink and a bite to eat at the reception.  Join in on the buzz about who has what, from where and how much it’s worth.  It’s fun – and your treasures take over the day!

To purchase tickets and for more information, please click this link

A very special event the other evening at Astor Services – The Sugar Plum Preview of its annual St. Nick’s Craft Fair.  An intimate affair, replete with hand made gift items, Astor-made sweets and an incredibly warm, inviting atmosphere.  The crafts are one of a kind; items purchased for others and myself over the years have received rave reviews! But the real meaning of this invitation-only Thank You event is the joining of a local community based nonprofit (with a big reach in Dutchess and Ulster counties and the Bronx), its donors and community partners for one of the true spirits of the season – the children.  For years I, like many others, drove by Astor Services on Route 9 in Rhinebeck unaware of this organization’s commitment to improving the lives of children and their families.  The craft fair sneak peek gives us all a view beyond the house and the holiday season…

Not for a moment do you forget why you are here.  Entering the stately mansion, where the children live, also called the residence, invited into their living room,  you are entertained by the children themselves.  When the performance is over they disappear to their quarters, but you continue to feel their presence, you know why you are here –as do all the attendees - because every child deserves a childhood.  During the cocktail party and subsequent shopping the Astor story is the starter and closer of the conversation.  Buying holiday gifts for friends and loved ones, will directly benefit recreation and family-strengthening activities for Astor clients. In addition, a portion will go to support victims of Hurricane Sandy in New York City.

At Astor, this giving spirit is not only felt during the holiday season. The craft fair is, as I say, a 365-day event. It was started by The Daughters of Charity back in the 70′s, who worked tirelessly for twelve months creating the crafts for the fair – all with the children in mind. When they left, Astor staff and volunteers jumped in to keep this important event and its spirit going. Without their hard work, endless time and donations, this holiday experience would not be possible. They, like the nuns, begin preparing for the next year’s event immediately after the fair ends.  The knitters, for example, begin their knitting in January! And each year a staff member spends countless hours creating a beautiful toy chest to showcase everything.  A virtuous circle of giving – all members of the “big heart’ club.

OK –maybe a 364 day event – with a day off to celebrate these folks tremendous contributions to Astor!

The actual reality of my most recent event eclipsed what I thought was occurring at the time. Someone said to me just prior to the event, “think about the Oscars! And when Lincoln is celebrated, from screenwriting to acting to producing, remember Tony Kushner was here – in conversation discussing all of that!”  But it was only after I saw Kushner’s latest masterpiece the other night that I was FINALLY able to separate myself from the event and clearly see just how incredible it actually was.

As I took in the movie I noticed that while it is filled with carefully researched facts, the language, which is at the heart of the movie, belonged to Tony Kushner. And we had that amazing playwright, turned screenwriter, in front of us for an intimate evening.  At the time I was keeping track of every last detail of the event that the bigger picture eluded me. Even at the elegant reception with a small group of invited guests, my eye was on what was to come next.  But I did catch, Tony’s oral treatise on his pen – the inner workings included. Did you know he does all his writing with a fountain pen?  And of course immediately after I was dealing with the surveys and business end review of the event! I was too caught up in the event itself to notice how surreal it all really was.

But looking back now, the true magic of the night was amazing!  Tony’s conversation with Rinne Groff – playwright to playwright – with a special reading of A Prayer for New York, written in 2004, before a packed house, was an unexpected Jewish gem that brought him back, for the night, to his synagogue roots.  This great pop culture event – a mix of an iconic playwright, screenwriter, author and social activist – was a 360-degree adventure.  And the timing!  I have to admit, when we booked Tony we had no idea it would be the weekend following the general release of Lincoln, but boy did it contemporize him for those not familiar with his other work.  Hitting the media circuit for the past few weeks, he saved some Lincoln unheard nuggets for our audience. It was an overwhelming success and it excites me to know that no-one in the Hudson Valley had to travel to NYC for it – it happened in our own backyard!

In politics timing is everything. And so it goes for Speakers – Tony Kushner in conversation with Rinne Groff.

A Little Background

With a colleague, we identified a need, nurtured an idea and developed an independent program- Speakers at Temple Emanuel. This is not a fundraiser, but rather a bigger idea designed to fill a niche while at the same time positioning Temple Emanuel in Kingston as the source for culture and thought in the Hudson River Valley. I hail from NYC where at any given time I can catapult myself to the 92^nd Street Y to hear speakers who are interesting, provocative, and challenge your thinking with a conversation.  So I thought why not model that program and environment with Speakers at the Temple, exposing and engaging the Hudson River Valley community at large and the Temple Congregation to issues that are currently occupying – but not necessarily confined to – the larger Jewish community.

Does God Give You More Than You Can Handle? 

We are thinking hard on this one!  From the very beginning, this branding strategy and the program itself has seen a few obstacles.  The opening night of Speakers we welcomed renowned Israeli writer, novelist and journalist Amos Oz – and an unprecedented October snowstorm!  Our second speaker, controversial author Peter Beinart polarized the Jewish community with tremendous push back and boycotts! And now our third speaker Pulitzer Prize winner and screenwriter for Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln Tony Kushner – scheduled for this Sunday November 18^th – is being seen by some for his political views rather than his brilliant body of work.  Not only have we been dealing with Mother Nature, but with human nature as well.

Looking back, I now see how daring our concept is.  After all, just this week the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta cancelled an event by Beinart at its popular book festival in response to boycott threats.  Although the two-week festival explores cultural and religious ideas, some members complained Beinart’s book The Crisis of Zionism was not appropriate.  Rabbis criticized the decision claiming it supported censorship and embarrassed a fellow Jew, saying now they would boycott the festival.  What the Center had tried to stop, had a counterintuitive effect as it opened up a deeper discussion.  I am elated our program stayed the course and welcomed Beinart despite deep opposition!

Our model was built – with due diligence – on the support from the Federations and Jewish communities in and around Ulster County. Yes, we push the limits on bringing in speakers who are not in line with the accepted Jewish position, but that is the whole point. Without the careful curating of high-profile, controversial speakers we would be just another mediocre program. So in an attempt to assuage the push back and prevent the Temple from being seen as supporting one view over another, we created an independent program, with an advisory board and one trustee as the liaison between the Temple and the program.

And the branding and my belief in Speakers continues.

Why?  We have many people talking – and that is off facebook.  Not forgetting our branding strategy – we have hit on something. Despite some pretty strong opposition, others also see its positive impact.  Speakers at Temple Emanuel has garnered the attention of the New York Times and our local media. As one early naysayer said “Thanks for your daring and illuminating speakers project – even when I don’t agree with them – I mean, this is America – agreeing and disagreeing is part of our culture – both Jewish and American – indeed your program has enticed me out of my own corner of dearly held ideas.”  And that is what this is all about!

Our Kingston Crisis of Zionism came before the insanity of Atlanta, but what we have wanted to achieve through this branding mission is poignantly said by Peter Beinart himself in response to the folly, “I think the mistake is to think that trying to avoid discussion produces unity. It produces a false sense of unity.”  We may have to refine and re-shape our branding strategy and model, but we will know, somewhere in that Jewish kuptah that our audience is there.

Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together.  This NBC telethon – hosted on the station, its cable stations and on a live web feed – was just about a perfect fundraising event.  It said it all in an hour!  Musicians from hard hit storm areas – Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi, Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera, together with Sting and members of Aerosmith, sang songs that offered sympathy and encouragement on a simple, dark stage.  Between the performances, New Jersey natives comedian John Stewart and NBC news anchor Brian Williams, along with host Jimmy Fallon and Danny Devito shared stories that tied themselves to New Jersey and New York and called for donations, while news clips showed the devastation and the unthinkable reality of the situation.  These celebrities made an appearance for a cause and caused many to give because they had a narrative, personal involvement with the places affected.  All the while, information on how to give was displayed on the screen.  The personal faces, stories and calls to action were moving and poignant.  They made giving a privilege, raising $55 million.

Occupy Sandy Relief NYC.  What is phenomenal about this effort is it is not just about giving monetarily; it is also about getting involved and doing.  Their Facebook page keeps you updated on the latest information and stories from those affected by the storm, how you can help, and where volunteers are currently needed.  This page combines personal faces that evoke emotion with an immediate call to action – and people are responding.

AskingMatters.com.  This site is always a favorite of mine.  It is a wonderful resource on how you can improve your fundraising skills.  They are now also raising funds for Hurricane Sandy victims.  When you register for their November 8^th webinar Ask Without Fear, ALL proceeds will be donated to Occupy Sandy Relief NYC.  There is still time to register and learn how to conquer your fear of asking for money AND give money to those who fear how they will get through the next day.  The call to action is simple – just click!

These amazing fundraisers are bringing people together.  They are putting politics aside for a gut wrenching relief effort that is crossing rivers, politics and rhetoric.  If that isn’t an effective fundraiser I don’t know what is.

These internal celebrations can spark creative, out of the box ideas that positively shape the future of your nonprofit. During these celebrations board members can conceive – or be inspired to conceive – new fundraising concepts that capture the spirit of giving – not only from donors, but also from the board members themselves. I know how important it is to strengthen board giving through emotional tie-ins and group effort.  Not sure how to do that?  Here is a wonderful example.

Donation of Personal Proceeds

I had the privilege of working with a local nonprofit who recently used Board Time philanthropically to thank and celebrate – all at once – a board member who had conceived the most creative way to assist the organization. Rather than a typical monetary donation, this board member reverted the proceeds from a user-friendly tool being used in conjunction with his personal work to the organization on an ongoing basis.  Not only was this a wonderful way to obtain passive income without incurring any donor acquisition costs, it involved that personal touch which so inspires others to give.  The door is open for board members to collaborate with the development office to identify and create their own, unique form of giving.

Stories on why and how your board members, volunteers, found donors or lapsed donors give – shared publicly and with celebrations – reminded me of Hank Rosso’s profound quote:

“Fundraising is the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving.“

Isn’t that what it is all about?

Businesses Use ROR All of the Time

ROR is not a novel concept.  The for-profit world consistently follows ROR, referring to it as the Lifetime Value of a Customer (LTV).  Starbucks strongly believes in this relationship building philosophy.  Their customer acquisition and maintenance structure is routinely copied.  Why? Because they have a 75% customer retention rate.  The takeaway? ROR increases ROI.

The cost of acquiring a new donor might exceed the initial donation, but future returns on your donor investments can be incredible – provided you cultivate the relationship.  Keep your donors informed of the important programs their donations have enabled you to do.  Genuinely thank them – in a thoughtful and timely manner.  Just as the most effective way to boost LTV is to increase customer satisfaction, the best way to increase donations is to build real relationships and emotional connections with donors, what I like to call the UN-Ask.

It is something how a simple, heartfelt thank you can be the beginning of a beautiful relationship. As Ted Rubin, the author of Return on Relationship, so accurately points out, “relationships ARE the new currency – honor them, invest in them, and start measuring your ROR.”

Your organization’s culture has a lot to do with the way your current – and potential – members feel about your board of directors. When the board is engaged, members are engaged.  As Judy Levine so succinctly states, “We all want to avoid the ‘nod-and-avoid’ syndrome – where you have board members who genially agree with whatever’s on the table . . . and simultaneously check out.”  Personally, I have experienced both the nodders and the involveds at board meetings.  The nodders’ disconnect can be quite disconcerting and deflating, bringing down any positive vibes in the room.  On the other hand, in board meetings where there is a high level of engagement, with ideas flowing back and forth, the energy is contagious.  To create that level of engagement, board members need to make time to connect outside of the boardroom.  This outside socializing will help create a comfort level at meetings where the playing field has been leveled.  Walls will come down.  Interest will peak.  Communication will improve.  Nods will be replaced with the sharing of information and ideas. This will enable your stories to be more robust, helping you build better, stronger external relationships.

Nonprofit relationship building starts with the board of directors, then moves on down the line.  So get out and socialize – whether it is with donors or among yourselves, at salon events or an organizational retreat.  Be authentic, be engaged, so you can do your best work!

Each year the cycle repeats.  This “habit” is not necessarily a bad one that needs to be broken; rather, nonprofits need to add more routines to optimize fundraising opportunities and efforts.

Creating New Routine Habits to Boost Fundraising

I completely understand the importance of seeking grants from foundations.  Unfortunately, when this is the main focus of a nonprofit’s fundraising efforts, a very large piece of the potential funding pie is untouched. According to the Giving Institute, foundation grants represent only 14% of a nonprofit’s donations.  The bulk of donations, 83%, come from private donors.  This statistic on its own should be enlightening.  What makes the case for creating some new fundraising routines more compelling, is the fact that dollars from foundations are typically much more difficult to acquire and take much longer to get than cultivating donor relationships.  As the Stanford Social Innovation Review and The Bridgespan Group have pointed out, nonprofits “spend countless hours catering to funders – tracking information funders want, developing dashboards and reports that satisfy funder requirements, or inputting reams of data into government systems.” Is the return on the investment for grants worth the time put in? Is it “time” to look for more effective ways to raise funds?  Nonprofits should not be fearful of creating new fundraising habits.  They are, in actuality, very simple to start.

Some New Routines To Try

Starting a new fundraising routine should not be daunting.  You can start simple. Attend a new networking event armed with your organization’s story and share it. Try new tools, such as the asking style quiz on Asking Matters.com, to help you improve your capabilities.  Take stock of what is and isn’t working for your organization and throw out the trash.  Create a Donor Love Event to highlight your good works and truly thank your donors for allowing you to accomplish them.

As Duhigg point out, “social psychologists have shown that an effective way of changing many habitual behaviors is to change people’s perceptions of the norms that govern them . . . .”  What norms are governing your organization’s fundraising efforts? Change your perception of where your funding needs to come from to match reality, i.e., statistics.  Create new habits.  Carpe diem!

Prong 1 – Increasing Its Audience

In this challenging economic climate, the organization listened to its internal affinity group Astor Angel‘s idea for greater visibility.  It created a beautiful, insightful magazine – that will be delivered free throughout Dutchess County – which enables the organization to increase outreach, enhance sponsor exposure, and provide valuable information for families they can use in their day-to-day lives.  The magazine’s stories focus on topics of interest to the community and highlight the difference Astor’s programs are making in the lives of children and families, thanks to its community and local sponsors, and to Kohls, which has been a huge supporter.  Astor Family Magazine is the first of its kind for a nonprofit in the Hudson Valley.  This touch of corporate social responsibility truly brings everything full circle – organization, corporate sponsor, community recipients, and local consumers – to inspire action from all stakeholders.

Prong 2 – Showing The Love

The second prong of this strategy is a Donor Love Event.  As you know, I strongly believe these events are so important.  They not only allow you to thank your donors for enabling you to accomplish all that you have, but sharing examples of the wonderful work you were able to do inspires others to take action and help as well.  Astor designed a fabulous cocktail reception to thank Astor’s Angel’s (those who donate annually) for making it possible to give children a childhood.  The organization also encourages Astor Angels to bring a friend or two to the event – great strategy to reach more donors.  The recent reception was warm and elegant.  In addition to the organization speaking, the event’s host brought attendees into her living room for a more intimate gathering, creating a shared affinity for each other and the organization.  This extra touch inspired us to think what a privilege it is to give.

Both of these cross currents are creating the connections for sponsorship and building/securing relationships.  Although leadership is definitely doing the right things to move Astor forward, the plan cannot be a success without the brilliant execution of management and staff.  As a result, this “organizational charis-magic” is inspiring action, enabling the organization to help those in need.