Addition through Subtraction

 

Donors. You want them…and you want more of them. Private support has become a key component for any advancement office, whether it is higher education, fraternal organizations, private schools/academies or any other non-profit organization.

Throughout the year, current and future donors will receive several direct (and indirect) solicitations asking for support through mail, email, student calling and social media hoping your message resonates in such a way as where your constituents feel inspired to make a gift.

While it’s important to create as many touches as possible out there to see what is going to land, there are times when NOT sending a solicitation is in the best interest of your institution. Nobody wants to be the office that drives donors away and angers a constituent enough that they request to be removed from any form of contact. Most advancement offices have procedures for donor exclusions or suppressions that are utilized to make sure direct solicitations aren’t received at bad times or in poor taste.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the different ways donors can be excluded or suppressed. We reached out to a handful of advancement offices within our network to ask about their policies. There is no right or wrong answer, but maybe an opportunity to review your practices and adjust where needed.

 

The “Do Not ______” List

 

Advancement offices typically maintain five primary “Do Not” lists:

• Do Not Email/Unsubscribe
• Do Not Call
• Do Not Mail
• Do Not Solicit (permitting contact for special events or non-solicitations)
• Do Not Contact (indicating a desire for complete end of communication)

And you can get super specific with each of these – by college, programs, or even an unrestricted fund.

The tricky part with any of these exclusions is the intent of the constituent. Determining the underlying intent behind these exclusions can be challenging, as they are primarily self-reported.

Are they tired of getting a high volume of phone calls or emails? Are they only interested in being contacted in a certain way? Are they in a place in life where personal philanthropy isn’t a possibility? Did you just catch them at a REALLY bad time?

Successful donor stewardship often needs a little give and take. Sometimes, giving them space is the best move. They might come back when they’re ready. Other times, it’s engaging in tactful outreach once things have cooled off to ask if the result of their request was the desired outcome.

 

The Suppression List

 

When developing a donor list, it’s standard practice to remove certain individuals from the initial data pull. The first group will be anyone on a “Do Not” list referenced above. Once those names are cleared, two additional categories of donors may be considered.

• Anyone with a recent gift or open pledge.

Advancement offices that produce multiple solicitations may remove anyone who has made a recent gift or has an open pledge that has yet to fulfilled (assuming they are using a different method to secure that gift).

There is a common practice that once a gift or pledge is made, that donor is suppressed from directed solicitations for around three months. This would usually allow a donor to be reactivated for solicitations for the next campaign cycle but keep them from getting repeated asks during the same semester. (As an example: a fall gift made in September would exclude them from directed ask the rest of the year but would resume as normal in the spring.)

The length of time can vary and is often dictated by the size of your mailing list and the aggressiveness of your fundraising initiatives to reach your desired goal.

• Major Gift Officer (MGO) Assigned Donors

Donors with the capacity to give a major gift – or even a transformative gift – can be considered for removal from a mailing list. This is usually handled by collaborating with the donor’s assigned major gift officer (MGO).

Oftentimes, the suppression is contingent on the donor’s relationship with the institution and how close the MGO is to making their proposal.

There is a balance of wanting to keep the donor aware of what is going on while also being respectful of the commitment they are about to make. There is also reasoning that if a donor can afford a major gift (usually restricted), they may also be capable of a smaller unrestricted gift.

Any decisions here will likely be influenced by advancement leadership. Prioritizing stewardship and avoiding interference with MGO relationships is crucial to achieving overall fundraising objectives.

 

Exclusions for Natural Disasters

 

The last exclusion to be mindful of are donors living in areas where a catastrophic disaster takes place. We’ve all seen the destruction that took place with the wildfires in southern California, but it’s not just there.

It’s the hurricanes that devastate our southern and eastern coastlines and can also do equal damage further inland. Or tornadoes that can tear apart a Midwestern town. It could be a drought or a deep freeze in the south. Although maybe not a natural disaster, how many advancement offices cancelled solicitation plans because of the COVID pandemic?

Creating a suppression list can require a bit of work to determine zip codes affected within the region. Once that information is confirmed, it is easy to adjust queries or sort spreadsheets to exclude anyone living in those areas. When to turn those exclusions off is not as simple.

Understanding the recovery time from a disaster is not a known science. Institutions that are within the same state or region will likely have a pulse on recovery efforts. Areas that are more susceptible to natural disasters have plans in place to mitigate damage and quickly get life back to normal.

But not every disaster is predictable.

Going back twenty years, there are still communities in New Orleans affected by Hurricane Katrina. No one could have prepared for the recent wildfires in California and it could be years until that region gets back to a place of normalcy. When would someone from across the country know when it is safe to send mail to the area again?

Two thoughts:

• Do you have a trusted donor or alumnus/ae that live close to the region that could provide updates to your office?
• Perhaps after a six-month hold, sending a postcard checking in on your constituents would offer an opportunity to engage and support them without asking.

While having a plan in place can help provide guidance, in many instances staying current with local and national news can keep you “in the present” to make the best and informed decisions.

 

Remembering the Golden Rule

 

The most important thing through any of these scenarios is to avoid being insensitive or appear as if you are not listening. Basically, how would you like to be treated if you were in their shoes? The well-being of donors should be first and foremost on your minds. A little subtraction now can lead to a lot of addition later.

If you need guidance on exclusion or suppressions lists, try reaching out to an institution that matches your profile. You are also welcome to reach out to JHL for added insight.