5-Year Major Gifts Guide

Friend Raising

COUNCIL MAJOR GIFTS FRIEND RAISING

Scope:The challenge or opportunity for every council is the cultivation of your annual contributors and building a friendship, a relationship that is rich and fulfilling for your donors and your council. When you raise friends rather than just funds, you build relationships that recognize the needs you are meeting in your community and the success you realize in changing lives and molding the future for individuals, families, communities and even the nation. The opportunity is to cultivate and motivate your donors to move to a higher level of confidence in your council and to move their financial support to a greater level along with their confidence.

Major gifts – oftenin Scouting referred to as planned or deferred gifts, or (somewhat mistakenly) as endowment gifts – are vital to the financial future of Scouting. The distinction: major gifts are large, significant gifts of any type. Planned/deferred gifts are gifts of almost everything but outright gifts. Endowment gifts are gifts for the long-term financial support of the council. In many cases, a gift can be all three, so don’t worry about what the gift is called. Just focus on showing your donors how their gifts will be used and how this fits into to their priorities. Major gifts can be used to build and increase a council's endowment fund (improve your score in the Journey to Excellence Objective #3), provide immediate, operating fund support, generate funds gifts during a capital campaign, building facilities to support Scouting programs – and everything in between.

In other words, major gifts can and should be used to support all three sides of the council’s “funding pillars.” Councils that don’t promote and secure major gifts lose significant financial support. It’s like trying to win every baseball game with nothing but singles and walks. Those are important, but home runs always make the job easier.

It is the responsibility of each local council executive board and its key council officers to make major gifts an integral part of a council's long-range and annual programs. The council president, Scout executive, vice-president for fund development, major gifts campaign or planned giving committee chairman, and the council vice president of finance with his fiscal management team all have a responsibility and role in developing the components and conducting your council’s major gifts program. In particular, the Scout Executive must give active leadership to this, especially in identifying and cultivating donors and being part of the team making the ask.

A planned gifts program is part of a council major gifts committee – usually a subcommittee of the council fund development committee. Its responsibilities cover all areas of planned giving: endowment and trust funds, promoting and securing outright gifts, bequests, lifetime income gifts of all kinds, donor recognition, etc. Progress, results, and decisions are reviewed and appraised by the council fund development committee, then submitted to the council executive board. The committee's responsibilities and schedule for activities should be coordinated with those, as well as the agreed-upon council major gifts plan.

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5-Year Major Gifts Guide

Friend Raising

Donor cultivation or development cannot succeed unless a council first sets their strategic plan to address the needs that they will address and how they will address them. Friend Raising needs to be an integral part of this plan. Case statements must be developed specific to the funding priorities of the council. Donors must be cultivated and educated to increase their level of support. A council must prove they are trustworthy by maintaining the appropriate governance policies related to their funding and adhering to them. As donors progress, the council needs to provide the appropriate recognition for each donor. Local council staff members and volunteers need to be trained on a regular basis on the best methods and technicalities of major gifts friend raising.

The Hierarchy of Giving

The Boy Scouts of America is positioned to help local council staff members and volunteers in their readiness for donor development. Training and resource materials and programs are available online, at National Development & Fiscal Management Symposiums, and through Area-centric Friend Raising programs from the Council Fund Development Team of the Finance Impact Department in the Council Operations Group of the BSA.

Symposiums and seminars will be offered 4-6 times each year with consideration for geographic diversity. Resource materials are available for local council use in marketing their efforts to financially sustain their operation, equipping them to deliver exciting Scouting programs to youth and families in their council, including brochures, the Donor Development Guide, eNewsletter, resource materials, and links for local council donor cultivation web-based support.

The BSA National Donor Development Task Force consists of a National Chairman and four Regional Chairmen, who serve as the conduit for the flow of information on local council priorities and helping to respond to those priorities. Their objective is to support local council readiness to development their donor relations, moving donors up the hierarchy of giving levels reflected here.

The National Major Gifts Award program provides a framework for local council major gift committees to develop their strategy and workplan for donor development. The National Major Gifts Award recognizes local councils that adopt and implement the steps in this process.

The BSA National Foundation Trustees and Major Gift Directors are additional resources that a local council can engage with the solicitation of major gift donors. These resources are most effectively engaged when aligned with donors capable of gifts of $100,000 or more.

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5-Year Major Gifts Guide

Friend Raising

JOB DESCRIPTIONS:

COUNCIL MAJOR GIFTS COMMITTEE – COUNCIL MAJOR GIFTS CHAIRPERSON

Role:To establish and maintain contact with council Major Gifts Committee members to assure the understanding of Major Gift planning to meet council fundraising priorities for growth in each of the financial Pillars of Scouting areas: Endowment, Capital & Operating. With support from the Area and Regional organizations develop a plan to meet the priorities of council and the best methods of fulfilling those priorities.

  1. Committed to Scouting through his direct involvement, his previous experience, or his belief in the values of Scouting for future generations.
  2. Successful in his/her personal and business life.
  3. Ability to work with meeting schedule and time commitment for related activities.
  4. Can relate to all areas of leadership including council presidents, district chairmen, Scout executives, and key Area and Regional volunteers.
  5. Has an understanding of how a council functions, as well as its need for a total financial development program, particularly endowment and the JTE Objective #3.
  6. Ability to lead a group to the creation of a vision and case statement(s) as the foundation for all major gifts activities.
  7. Is familiar or willing to become familiar with the tools available to support major gifts fundraising, such as donor seminars, professional seminars, home & hearth events, wills seminars, planned giving options and programs, and donor-centered fundraising.
  8. Understand the methods of donor cultivation–working with donors and prospects for greater levels of support.
  9. Will demonstrate through his/her personal example, the commitment to make, or making a major gift in support of the council.

DISTRICT MAJOR GIFTS CHAIRPERSON – TASK FORCE MEMBERS

Role: Coordinate major gifts support efforts with local council major gifts chairperson, gathering information on needs and best methods, developing strategies to support council major gifts fundraising, plus promoting efforts to develop major gift fundraising skills in volunteers and staff members.

  1. An influential member of a district organization.
  2. Has an interest in Scouting that has been identified.
  3. Is willing to make a personal commitment to the program.
  4. Believes the major gifts program can and will make a significant contribution to the future of the Scouting in local councils.
  5. Is familiar or willing to become familiar with the tools available to support major gifts fundraising, such as donor seminars, professional seminars, home & hearth events, wills seminars, planned giving options and programs, and donor-centered fundraising.
  6. Understand the methods of donor cultivation–working with donors and prospects for greater levels of support.
  7. Willingness to attend regular meetings of the committee.

Update Database Contacts Every Month & Put a Face on Scouting - Throughout the Year

January: Summary report on giving and operations for previous year, thank and acknowledge gifts received. Must be mailed and postmarked by January 31. Include photos.

Get a list of all key donors with a multi-year (5+) giving history of $50/100+. Review the names with committee and expand the database records.

February: Host a BSA Anniversary gathering with a special BSA Anniversary announcement/invitation. Invite key donors and/or prospects to attend the Major Gifts Fellowship Event/. Publicize the BSA Foundation website for planned giving technical information. Send a Valentine’s Day card. Attend Major Gifts seminar this year.

March: Provide a local donor seminar on estate planning. Share copy of the Council Annual Report with donors and prospects. Mail postcards with Scout message & photos.

April: Have committee share new key donor data for database. Visit key donors and prospects. Provide a local wills seminar for council families.

May: Visit key donors and prospects. Host a professional seminar for CPA’s, attorneys, and/or financial planners.

June – August: Invite donors, families and prospects to summer camp for a Friday in the Forest type event allowing them to see Scouting at its best. If Boy Scout resident camp is too far for easy visits, invite them to a local Cub Scout camp or outdoor program event.

September: Place year-end giving article in newsletter. Have committee meet to update key donor database. Visit with key donors and prospects. Call key donors and thank them for their annual gift. Enlist members of the executive board to help call donors.

October: Provide a professional seminar for CPA’s, attorneys, and/or financial planners on planned giving topic. Put a year-end giving article in the Council newsletter and on the council website. Invite donors to visit for more technical guidance.

November: Early in the month send a Thanksgiving message/card with a Scouting photo to all donors and prospects. Include information relative to year-end gifts. Visit with key donors and prospects.

December: Send a holiday greeting to donors, families, and prospects – use Scouting images. Visit with key donors and prospects.

Refer donors and prospects interested in planned giving to:

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5-Year Major Gifts Guide

Friend Raising

Major Gifts Marketing TasksTO DO DATE

Mail or email 1st Quarter “Be Prepared” newsletter

Topic:

Mail or email 2nd Quarter “Be Prepared” newsletter

Topic:

Mail or email 3rd Quarter “Be Prepared” newsletter

Topic:

Mail or email 4th Quarter “Be Prepared” newsletter

Topic:

Include a Drop-In article in the council newsletter (1st Quarter)

Topic:

Include a Drop-In article in the council newsletter (2nd Quarter)

Topic:

Include a Drop-In article in the council newsletter (3rd Quarter)

Topic:

Include a Drop-In article in the council newsletter (4th Quarter)

Topic:

Put "Will Sez" cartoons in your council newsletter.

Regularly check web site – – for updates and new tools.

Donors & prospects subscribe to GiftLegacy eNewsletter, via

Send Wills Survey to council Executive Board and mailing list.

Collect Wills Survey results and enter into BSA donor profiles.

Send thank you letter to those who indicated on their Wills Survey they had made a council gift.

Send more information to those who indicated on the Wills Survey an interest in making a gift.

Invite selected donors/prospects to the council Scout show.

Invite selected donors/prospects to the BSA National Annual Meeting

Invite donors/prospects to the Major Gifts Week at Philmont Training Center or Florida SeaBase

Invite selected donors/prospects to at least one of the council summer/day camps.

Conduct a service club presentation on Scouting and major giving.

Develop a list of charitable income trust prospects for the next quarter's emphasis.

Mail Thanksgiving and/or Christmas holiday cards to key donors and prospects.

Send birthday card to all major donors and prospects.

Make sure council’s Case Statement includes a case for endowment gifts.

Use Foundation Directory to create list of Top 10 prospects to fund Scouting in your area.

Use Wealth Engine to research your council’s Top 20 individual donors/prospects

Promote electronic eNewsletters for donors and professionals.

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5-Year Major Gifts Guide

Friend Raising

SAMPLE AGENDA

FINANCIALLY SMART COUNCIL, BSA

COUNCIL MAJOR GIFTS COMMITTEE MEETING – AGENDA

  • Opening, Pledge & Invocation
  • Scouting Mission Moment – Council Leader provides a short story/presentation on how Scouting is working in your community.
  • Status Reports:
  • Operating Report
  • Endowment Report
  • Capital Report (if applicable)
  • Personnel:
  • Committee members
  • Needs
  • Assignments
  • Prospect Relationship Management
  • Names review and progress on assigned prospects
  • New names and evaluation (use discretion with process)
  • Assignments & Strategies
  • Upcoming Scouting Events & Cultivation Opportunities
  • Scout Camps/Activities/Ceremonies for cultivation
  • Donor Seminars
  • Professional Seminars
  • Other business
  • Scout executive’s moment (or similar emotion/motivation message and thanks)
  • Next meeting

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5-Year Major Gifts Guide

Friend Raising

To: Area Director

Copy: BSA Council Operations Group – Council Fund Development Team

From: Council, council number #

Subject:National Major Gifts Award – 2011 (for presentation in 2012)

1. Through strategic planning with the council Major Gifts Committee, create a vision and case statement for the delivery of greater Scouting programs through strong council operations and effective program facilities. Yes

Major Gifts/Endowment Committee Meets at least quarterly.Yes

2. Have board and area-approved, annual growth goals for new James West and 2nd Century gifts to Endowment and Capital (if council is in a capital campaign mode). Note: Goals may be expressed in number of gifts, or value of gifts.

Endowment (must reflect new donations):

Goal / Result
James E. West

Operating, Capital, or Endowment:

Goal / Result
2nd Century Society

3. Conduct at least two out of these four: a) Donor Seminar; b) Professional Seminar; c) Wills seminar; d) “Home and Hearth” event.

Date / Attendance
Donor Seminar
Professional Seminar
Wills Seminar
Home and Hearth event

4. Hold at least one council Heritage Society/donor recognition event.

Description / Date / Attendance

5. Have each of these in writing, current and approved by the council Board, and on file at the Regional office: a) Investment policy; b) Spending policy; c) Gift acceptance procedures; d) Gift crediting guidelines; e) Major Gifts case for support.

Date Reviewed & Approved
Investment policy (within 18 months)
Spending policy (with 18 months)
Gift acceptance procedures (within 5 yrs)
Gift crediting guidelines (within 5 yrs)
Major Gift case statements (annual)
Annual Plan of Action (annual)

6. Be up to date inputting all contributions to the council with related donor information into the ScoutNet by December 31, 2011.

Yes

7. Have at least one current staff professional and/or active finance volunteer who has, within the last five years, attended a Fundamentals of Major Gifts Seminar conducted or approved by the BSA Finance Impact Dept.

Name / Course date

8. Show evidence of fiscal oversight, including construction plans, progress reports, investment performance reports, and fiscal management; and/or fiscal oversight of endowment fund performance and distributions. (Area director confirmation needed)

Yes

Council Name: Council #

Scout Executive, signatureCouncil President, signature

Area Director Approval, signatureDate

Date received CFDT

SUPPORT MATERIALS:

>Council Fund Development > Endowment & Major Gifts

Brochures

Living & Giving

Postcards

Images/Logos

Articles

eNewletters

Simple Estate Inventory Form

Website content

GIFT VEHICLES & TECHNICAL INFORMATION: refer to “Giving Questions/Scouting Answers”

Roles of BSA NATIONAL Engagement/SUPPORT:

Training and operational support for local council, area, region staff members and volunteers will be provided by the Council Fund Development Team. Guidance will be offered on securing gifts up to $100,000. Bob Myers, 972-580-2231 or

Support or guidance on securing gifts of $100,000 to $10 million will be provided by the BSA National Foundation major gift directors. Stacy Huff, 972-580-7812 or

Support and/or guidance on securing gifts of $10 million and up will be provided by the BSA Office of Philanthropy. Tammy Taylor, 972-580-2214 or