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"How to Survive as a Small Shop: A Peer Learning Experience"

November 1, 2011 - Program Summary

WID was pleased to host a Brown Bag Lunch program at City Year with WID board member, Tina Cincotti, Founder and Owner of Funding Change, focusing specifically on small development shops. Participants included fundraising professionals from shops of one to three people, as well as consultants and board members of small organizations.

Tina led an interactive session covering specific concerns around board/volunteer management and expectations, juggling priorities, and communication strategies. Her most important tip? When someone gives, that's when your job starts. A timely thank-you note and call can go a long way to solidifying a relationship. It's easy to think of the gift as the endgame, particularly when you're working with limited staff resources, but it really is just the beginning. Utilizing board members and other staff members and volunteers to help build stewardship and engagement is another form of giving and support that goes beyond the checkbook.

Tina passed along a number of useful handouts including samples of thank you letters, a thank you call script, donor surveys, and a tip sheet of "No-Ask" fundraising strategies for your staff and board. Many of these handouts are available on Tina's website, www.fundingchangeconsulting.com.