Major Gifts

• Major Gift initiatives are a critical part of any healthy fundraising program. The Burtin Group counsels clients and develops cultivation and solicitation strategies that lead to transformational gifts and cultural shift. From the identification of potential donors to cultivation to the solicitation of the major gift, The Burtin Group consultants work intimately with our clients, coaching, through every stage of the major gift process.

Annual Giving

• A strong and comprehensive annual fund program is the foundation of any successful fundraising program. The Burtin Group has a proven track record of designing and implementing annual giving programs that help to expand our clients’ donor base through measured metrics, donor segmented messaging, and a focused communication plan. Each project begins with an analysis of an organization’s annual activities including prospect segmentation, donor base management, communication and solicitation strategies, Philanthropy, and stewardship. Specifically, we provide counsel to set goals, design and implement strategy, engage volunteer leadership, and develop capacity for internal and external prospects.

Planned Giving

• We work with organizations to help them realize what a tremendous opportunity they have to leverage the power of the planned gift. Opportunities such as life income gifts, charitable lead trusts, remainder trusts, life estates, and bequests can open new avenues of support and attract larger, long-term and sustained gifts for your organization. Creating a strategy for planned giving support often takes time, significant insight and a seasoned professional. However, the reward to the organization and the legacy left by the individual are life changing. The Burtin Group offers counsel in this area and looks to guide and coach your team to identify, cultivate and steward these types of opportunities through each state of the planned gift.

Feasibility/Campaign Planning Studies

• Engages a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders through a combination of an Oversight Committee, interviews, group discussions and/or surveys to determine the specific campaign dollar goal, review internal readiness to move into the campaign, identify potential donors and campaign leadership, and frame key messages and communication strategies; includes analysis of your organization’s image, the appeal of the campaign components, gift potential, volunteer leadership, climate and timing of the campaign, and the organization’s internal readiness; results in either a Feasibility Study Report or a Campaign Plan.

Experience
Consultants bring a depth and breadth of expertise and experience in campaign management. Having served as fundraising professionals in a variety not-for-profit organizations, they understand both the needs of the campaign and the development staff. Organizations who hire consultants can save time and money by reducing the need to reinvent the wheel, and by relying on someone knowledgeable to help navigate the inevitable pitfalls of a campaign. Consultants help an institution get it right the first time. It is very difficult to recover from a false start in a campaign. Without strong, knowledgeable guidance, a campaign can drag on or sputter out.

Objectivity
Consultants bring perspective, objectivity, and independent thinking that complement the insight and history of those affiliated with the organization. Additionally, counsel can see the situation through fresh eyes. This third party approach allows consultants to view challenges and opportunities in broad, strategic ways.

Creativity
Consultants can offer new and creative approaches. They ask the right questions to engage the organization in evaluation and inquiry, leading to creative problem solving and capitalizing on opportunities.

Discipline
Consultants provide the structure and discipline needed among staff, volunteers, and key leaders to keep the campaign moving forward. When other day-to-day priorities compete for time and resources, consultants help staff focus on the campaign. During campaigns, staff has many other responsibilities and demands on their time; consultants have one – the campaign.

Credibility
Consultants add credibility to the campaign, inspiring confidence in staff, volunteers, and donors. They can often communicate and suggest strategies in ways that staff cannot because of actual or perceived power issues, hierarchical context, political challenges, or other internal situations.

Capacity Building
Consultants introduce approaches and strategies that build the institution’s long-term capacity, broaden its volunteer base and deepen its annual programs as the campaign is implemented. They can also help organizations strengthen the infrastructure and systems needed to continue and enhance the success of ongoing philanthropic efforts after the campaign is completed.

Vision
A campaign is a major and lengthy undertaking in the life of any not-for-profit. It takes hard work day-in and day-out along with the ability to see the big picture over the multi-year span of time a campaign will require. Consultants keep the long term view of the campaign in mind.

Technical Skills
Consultants bring very specific skills and knowledge to campaigns, including campaign design and management, staff and volunteer training, prospect research, case development, grant writing, and knowledge management, among others. Consulting from experienced professionals can also add value to other operational areas such as financial management; marketing and public relations, program planning, and evaluation. The Burtin Group recognizes that special initiatives demand special focused attention for success.

Campaign Strategies
Consultants have the experience, savvy, and confidence to lead an institution to campaign success. They will tailor a campaign plan and design the tools to meet the specific needs of the campaign and the institution. They will provide training and coaching that will motivate staff and volunteers to reach beyond their comfort zone and achieve more than they thought possible.

Investment
Investing in campaign staffing, infrastructure and counsel represent a long-term investment in the future of the institution. While it takes money to raise money, conducting a campaign is one of the most cost-effective fundraising strategies available to not-for-profit organizations. If well-managed, campaign expenses, including campaign counsel, generally run between 5% and 15% of the total campaign goal, resulting in a return on investment of between 85% to 95%.

If you are considering launching a Capital Campaign, can you answer the following 10 key questions? A Feasibility Study by The Burtin Group will help you answer these questions and address issues that are basic to conducting an effective fundraising campaign. Answered positively, they can indicate your organization’s capacity to raise funds and achieve financial stability.

1. Are short- and long-term goals defined?
Having programmatic goals that clearly reflect a well-defined mission is critical and will give drive to the entire organization. People want to fund where an organization is going, not where it has been.

2. Why is your organization the best one for the task?
We live in a world of specialization. Can potential supporters clearly perceive what sets you apart from others and why your impact is unique?

3. How is your organization viewed by the community?
Institutions can learn what their community expects of them and whether they are meeting its needs by assessing their community/constituency impact. This information can be used to develop a strong public relations strategy.

4. Does your organization have a 3-5 year plan?
Policy determination, a clear Board responsibility, is reflected in a commitment to program direction and financial goals. This is basic to the success of any organization.

5. Is your Board of Directors committed to the programmatic and campaign goals?
Service models, budget projections, staff needs, and income strategies should be clearly defined in order to help people understand how your organization will meet community needs. People who have emotional reasons to support you will look for rational reasons as well.

6. Are there 6 prospects with significant capacity, of which 1-3 will contribute approximately 20% of the campaign goal?
It is common in fundraising campaigns for the top 100 gifts to equal 90% of the goal, the top 10 gifts to account for 30% of the goal and the top gift to comprise 10% of the goal.

7. Is there a sustaining campaign plan?
The ability to develop future funding strategies and to ensure future funding stability is basic to gaining support today, especially in cases where donors contribute to help start or expand a program or institution.

8. Are your Board members willing to become involved in leadership recruitment and solicitation of potential donors?
Boards of Directors play a vital and very effective role in creating the future of an organization by sanctioning the organization’s activities, representing those whom the organization serves, and generally communicating their belief in the organization.

9. Are your Board members peers of potential donors?
It is helpful to have representatives of your financial support on your Board of Directors, or if not, within the campaign planning structure. Peers are best able to influence each other when it comes to developing and executing fundraising strategies.

10. Are your staff resources available to help execute the campaign or are funds available to hire appropriate professionals?
Clearly defined support systems are vital for staff members, who typically become the primary coordinators of all the campaign resources. The breadth of their planning will be reflected in overall campaign effectiveness.