October 10, 2007

Consider This...

Frequently, when nonprofits think of donor recognition, images of donor walls, elaborate receptions, brass plaques and fancy awards fill their imaginations. Our culture tells us to give gifts to recognize those important to us. Yet often nonprofits are so overwhelmed with budget constraints and the desire to be good stewards of the gifts received that they find themselves in a quandary and either spend lots of money telling their donors "thank you," or worse, do nothing at all - except send an IRS-required tax donation letter.

A handwritten thank-you note - especially in a world dominated by electronic communication - can be particularly powerful to donors making gifts of all sizes. It can express your thanks, offer a kind sentiment about the donor, tell the donor what he or she helped provide - safety for two battered women and their children, special education for a low-income, special needs child, healthcare for a litter of abandoned puppies - and how they contributed to your mission. If possible, have those who directly benefited from donors' gifts write letters, create art or in some other way offer personalized acknowledgement, along with you. This can be even more meaningful to donors.

The note should be sent immediately after receiving a gift, and then again during the year - letting donors know they are still on your mind and that their gift really made a difference. Sending notes to your large gift donors, as well as new and consistent donors, keeps them close to you, and can help in retaining their support.

I challenge you to start writing your donors handwritten thank-you notes, today. Within a month, I guarantee you will hear from several of them expressing appreciation - and possibly sending another gift - for your heartfelt words.

- Bridgette O'Connor, MSW, Senior Consultant (Kansas City) boconnor@hartsookcompanies.com

Client Victories

In this issue: More than $4.1 million in new or recent gifts, including one of $1 million or greater.

• Homecare & Hospice Foundation (Manhattan, Kan.) has secured $1.9 million towards its campaign to build the community's first-ever hospice house. The campaign seeks to raise $3.9 million to construct the facility and add assets to its endowment. Campaign Co-chairs, Dean Thibault of Landmark Bank, and civic volunteer Rita Keating lead a 16-member campaign leadership committee. The 29-year-old organization has served more than 4,500 clients since its founding. - Robert G. Swanson, President (Wichita)

• Purdue University (West Lafayette, Ind.) has completed its seven-year "The Campaign for Purdue" fundraising initiative. Many milestones were reached during the campaign, including: surpassing the $1.5 billion goal by more than $200 million, receiving gifts from nearly 30 percent of Purdue's total alumni population, and the receipt of more than 200 gifts of $1 million or larger. - Murray Blackwelder, Purdue University Senior Vice President for Advancement and Hartsook Companies, Inc. Vice Chairman (West Lafayette, Ind.)

• St. Paul's Episcopal Day School's (Kansas City, Mo.) campaign for a new early childhood center continues to progress. The campaign boasts total gifts and commitments of $5.95 million toward its $10.25 million goal. Congratulations to Campaign Co-Chairs Jill and Tom McGee, Head of School Liz Barnes and Director of Development John Winnett. - Matthew J. Beem, MPA, CFRE, President (Kansas City)

• Fort Scott Community College (Fort Scott, Kan.) has increased their fundraising total to $6.3 million on an initial campaign goal of $5 million. President Clayton Tatro, accompanied by Director of Development Daryl Roller and Gordon Parks Center Executive Director Jill Warford, have been well received during first-time visits with several major Kansas City foundations. Congratulations to a great team and the energetic leadership of their new president. - Terry Snapp, Executive Vice President (Kansas City)

• The Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana's (Anderson, Ind.) $4 million "On the Move" campaign is well on its way. Recent gifts include: $100,000 from the George and Frances Ball Foundation (Muncie, Ind.); and two $10,000 gifts, one from the Community Foundation of Wabash County (North Manchester, Ind.) for Tailgate Distributions; and another from the Community Foundation of Grant County (Marion, Ind.) for the Freezer Project. These gifts, along with other gifts and pledges, bring the total raised to more than $1.1 million. Congratulations to Executive Director Lois Rockhill and Campaign Co-Chairs Jeanne Lee and Brad Condon. - Susan Schneweis, Executive Vice President (Kansas City)

• Mid-America Arts Alliance (Kansas City, Mo.) recently received a $400,000 gift from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (Washington, D.C.) in support of its governance training program for small museums. Congratulations to Executive Director Mary Kennedy McCabe, Director of Professional Development Edana McSweeney, and Grants Manager Wayne Courtois. - Norma Murphy, Executive Vice President (Kansas City) and Matt Beem

• Chadron State College Foundation (Chadron, Neb.) has launched its first-ever integrated campaign to secure capital, endowment and annual fund support for this 96-year-old Nebraska institution. In addition to attracting new financial resources, President Dr. Janie Park says the $15 million campaign is increasing the profile of the college and engaging new supporters in the life of the institution. "Vision 2011: A Comprehensive Campaign for Chadron State's Second Century of Service" is scheduled to conclude in 2011 in conjunction with the college's 100th anniversary celebration. - Robert G. Swanson

• reStart, Inc. (Kansas City, Mo.) received a $5,000 commitment from Larry Johnson Growth and Legacy Youth Foundation, Honorary Chair of the "revUp for reStart" endeavor to help homeless in the Kansas City urban core. The organization held an Open House to celebrate campaign milestones. Congratulations to Executive Director Evie Craig. - Jennifer L. Curzon, Vice President (Kansas City)

• The Garvey Texas Foundation (Fort Worth, Texas) created the first endowment to qualify Colby Community College (Colby, Kan.) for a state match for endowment earnings through the Kansas Partnership for Faculty of Distinction. The $125,000 endowment will have the financial impact of a $250,000 endowment because of the state match. The James S. and Shirley F. Garvey Nursing Professorship will support a Nursing Program faculty member chosen by the college. - Jerry D. Clevenger, Vice President (Bradenton, Fla.)

• Wilderness Retreat and Development Center's (Lawson, Mo.) campaign for a new swimming pool is progressing strongly. Total gifts and pledges stand at more than $272,000 toward the campaign's $390,000 goal and include the following: $15,000 from Janice Beadleston; $5,000 from the Woods Chapel United Methodist Congregation (Lee's Summit, Mo.); $8,000 from Lorie Weber; and many heartfelt gifts of $10, $25 and $100 from generous individuals. Congratulations to Missouri United Methodist Camping and Retreat Ministries Board Chair Jerry Aiken and Wilderness Retreat and Development Center Site Director Dennis Hisek on the campaign's continued success. - Matt Beem

• Kansas State University Foundation's (Manhattan) "Changing Lives" $500 million comprehensive campaign will infuse funds into virtually every dimension of the university. As of June 30, 2007, commitments to the campaign stand at more than $485 million. Recent commitments include: $506,000 from Barbara Weigand (Oneonta, N.Y.) to establish the Barbara Weigand Professorship in Apparel and Textiles; a $300,000 bequest from James S. Jordan and Cheryl L. Wilch Jordan (Corvallis, Ore.) to establish the Dr. James S. Jordan and Dr. Cheryl L. Wilch Jordan Graduate Fellowship; $250,000 from Douglas and Cynthia Smith (Niwot, Colo.) to establish the Douglas G. and Cynthia S. Smith Civil Engineering Faculty Fellowship; a $250,000 bequest from Margaret Beryl Guy (Dallas, Texas) to establish the Guy Family Extension Excellence Fund; $120,000 from Fort Dodge Animal Health (Overland Park, Kan.), a division of Wyeth, to establish the Fort Dodge Animal Health ProMeris and Research Fellowship Fund; and $51,000 from Ernestine Sanders (Westwood, Kan.) to establish the Diane Sanders Memorial Scholarship. - Bob Hartsook, JD, EdD, Chairman and CEO (Wrightsville Beach, N.C.)

• Ozarks Food Harvest (Springfield, Mo.), a member of America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network, is more than one year and less than $1 million away from concluding its $4.1 million "Compassion in Action" capital campaign to fund the construction of a new warehouse and distribution center. With the successful conclusion of the campaign, Ozarks Food Harvest will secure a $500,000 Kresge Foundation (Troy, Mich.) challenge grant toward the organization's first-ever multimillion dollar effort. Congratulations to Honorary Chairs the Charles O'Reilly Family and Co-Chairs Jim Lewis and Mike Matson. - Robert Swanson

• Youth Volunteer Corps of America (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) received a $125,000 gift from Adele Hall (Mission Hills, Kan.) in support of its 20th anniversary campaign "Making Today's Youth Tomorrow's Leaders." Congratulations to Founder and CEO David Battey. - Jennifer L. Curzon and Matt Beem

• Emporia State University (Emporia, Kan.) recently received a $1.9 million gift from Martha Kruse Furbur (Santa Anna, Calif.) a 1938 Library Science graduate. This is the largest gift in the institution's history and will endow a scholarship fund for the university's School of Library and Information Management. In August, Emporia State announced the successful conclusion of its $15 million "Building Blocks for Success" campaign. The five-year endowment campaign reached $15.8 million for academic and athletic scholarships. The campaign closed out with a $500,000 gift from Paula Sauder, an alumna who created a fund to help single-parent mothers attend ESU. Congratulations to ESU President Dr. Michael R. Lane. - Robert G. Swanson

Kudos

• Recognized for the tremendous contributions they've made to their clients and Hartsook Companies, Inc., the following consultants recently received promotions: Emily Aldrich Barbour (Raleigh) - to Executive Vice President from Senior Vice President; Duane L. Dyer (San Francisco) - to Executive Vice President from Senior Vice President; Norma R. Murphy (Wichita) - to Executive Vice President from Senior Vice President. Congratulations!

• On August 25th, Kauffman Scholars, Inc. (Kansas City, Mo.) welcomed its fourth and newest class of 326 seventh graders to its program, thereby topping the 1,000 mark of scholars inducted in to the program since 2003. Congratulations to President and CEO Dr. R. Stephen Green, Controller Terry Gibson and KSI staff.

• St. Paul's Episcopal Day School is pleased to announce the addition of John D. Winnett as the Director of Development and External Relations. Previously John was a Fundraising Marketing and Public Relations Consultant with Pennington and Company (Lawrence, Kan.) and also served as the past Executive Director/CEO of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity's International Endowment (Charlottesville, Va.).

• John F. Marshall, CFRE, has been named Executive Director of the Truman Medical Center Charitable Foundation (Kansas City). Prior to joining Truman, John served as Director of Development for The Salvation Army of Greater New York. Marshall's background also includes executive level positions with Fletcher Allen Health Care (Burlington, Vt.), Foundation for SSM Health (Oklahoma City) and Foundation for Integris Health (Oklahoma City).

• Emporia, Kan., as part of its 150th anniversary celebration, has named its 150 most notable people in the history of the city. Bob Hartsook, a native of Emporia, has been named as one of the 150 most notable Emporians.

• Betty M. Drees, M.D., F.A.C.P., Dean, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, has been appointed Interim Provost by Chancellor Guy H. Bailey. Dean Drees, with UMKC since 1998, has facilitated many changes in the past nine years. Her continued collaboration with partner hospitals - Children's Mercy, Saint Luke's, Truman Medical Center, Western Missouri Mental Health Center and the Veterans Administration Medical Center - has provided a critical and superior training ground for the doctors educated at the UMKC School of Medicine.

• The National Research Center for College and University Admissions (Lee's Summit, Mo.) (NRCCUA) will sponsor the "Excellence in Service Learning Award." This award honors an outstanding high school service learning program in the Kansas City area. The award will be presented during the 2008 American Humanics Management Institute in January in conjunction with a nonprofit career day - an effort to inform and educate local high school students about careers and opportunities in the nonprofit sector. NRCCUA President Don Munce, is a National Board Member of American Humanics.

• Douglas County Visiting Nurses, Rehabilitation and Hospice Care (Lawrence, Kan.) Executive Director Judy Bellome, was recently inducted into the Leadership Lawrence Class of 2008. Leadership Lawrence, a program of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, is a professional development program that provides participants first-hand exposure to the inner workings of Lawrence and Douglas County. Since its creation in 1982, the program has developed more than 450 leaders in the community.

Success Stories

"Campaign for a Brighter Tomorrow" is one in a series of success stories from the ASR Philanthropic Publishing Reference Collection. This four-page, full-color presentation highlights the successful completion of the $8.2 million capital campaign of Marillac Center for Children (Kansas City, Mo.). The story highlights how this organization's transparency and open-arms policy resulted in many new donors and volunteers into the life of the organization and incredible communitywide support from foundations, corporations and individuals - including two angel gifts.

If you would like a free copy (or a list of all Success Stories from the ASR Reference Collection), contact Laurie Walker, laurie@hartsookcompanies.com or follow this link http://www.ASRpublishing.com.

Hartsook Best Practices Collection^SM

"Packaging is important to help position your institution. At Purdue University we packaged $56 million in gift announcements, four dedications and three groundbreakings - all in all more than 30 different events that ended with Homecoming. This all happened within a 10-day period. The results were much higher news coverage and a great sense of momentum - two great outcomes! You can do it at your institution, too!" - Murray Blackwelder, MPA, Purdue University (West Lafayette, Ind.)

If you are interested in Best Practices, check out these additional resources from Hartsook Companies:

• "Reality Fundraising: Proven, Practical Ideas for the Enlightened Fundraiser" by Bob Hartsook (2005, ASR Philanthropic Publishing)

• "Best Practices Coast to Coast^SM"

• "Hartsook Best Practices Collection^SM"

For a free copy of "Best Practices Coast to Coast^SM" or the "Hartsook Best Practices Collection^SM", please email Laurie Walker, laurie@hartsookcompanies.com, or visit our web site at http://www.hartsookcompanies.com/bestpractices2.shtml. We also invite you to contribute your own best practice by emailing Tami Druzba, tami@hartsookcompanies.com.

Book of the Month Hot Buy

Reality Fundraising: Proven, Practical Ideas for the Enlightened Fundraiser - features great ideas, insights and lessons learned through hundreds of best practices from nonprofit professionals nationwide.

To order follow this link: http://www.ASRpublishing.com.

Hot Off the Press

• Adrian Sargeant, PhD, Robert F. Hartsook Chair in Fundraising at The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University (Indianapolis), has recently coauthored a number of articles to include: "Corporate Giving in Australia: An Analysis of Motives and Barriers" in the Australian Journal of Social Issues; "Managing The Donation Service Experience," Nonprofit Management and Leadership; "Successful Bequest Fundraising: Lessons From Research," Journal of Gift Planning; and "Building Donor Loyalty: The Antecedents and Role of Commitment in the Context of Charity Giving," Journal of Nonprofit and Public Sector Marketing.

Welcome Aboard

Hartsook Companies is pleased to welcome:

• Davoren Tempel, Senior Vice President (Kansas City, Mo.). Davoren joins Hartsook Companies after serving 17 very successful years as Vice President of Resource Development at Children's Mercy Hospital (Kansas City, Mo.).

• Dr. Dennis F. Michaelis, Senior Vice President (Waco, Texas). Michaelis, currently the president of McClennon Community College (Waco), brings a level of expertise developed during his more than 30 years in higher education administration.

• Danny L. Kohrs, Vice President (Kansas City, Mo.). Danny joins Hartsook Companies after having served as Associate Director of Development for The Salvation Army of Kansas and Western Missouri Divisional Headquarters for the past seven years.

• Bridgette O'Connor, MSW, Senior Consultant (Kansas City, Mo.). Bridgette most recently was with Marillac Center for Children where she led a successful $8.2 million capital campaign.

• Brett Blackwelder, MHSA, Senior Consultant (Kansas City, Mo.). Brett rejoins Hartsook Companies after serving in a higher education advancement position. We are pleased to have him back on the Hartsook team.

From the Podium

Hartsook consultants are available to speak to your organization on a variety of topics. Visit the Speakers page of our web site at http://www.hartsookcompanies.com/speak.html to read more or email Tami Druzba at tami@hartsookcompanies.com.

• Jennifer L. Curzon will present "Foundations and Corporations are People Too" and "Winning Their Hearts and Wallets: The Case for the Case for Support" on Oct. 11 during the 2007 Annual InterHab Conference in Wichita.

• Susan Schneweis will present "A Board with a Mission - Part I: How to Have One" and "A Board with a Mission - Part II: Board Members Making the Ask" during the 2007 Annual InterHab Conference in Wichita on Oct. 12.

• Adrian Sargeant will present "Successful Bequest Fundraising: Lessons from Research," on Nov. 8 during the Planned Giving Group of Connecticut monthly meeting in North Haven, Conn. On Dec. 10, he will present "Building Lifetime Donor Relations: Lessons from Research" during the CASE District V 33rd Annual Conference in Chicago.

• Bob Hartsook will be the featured speaker at the Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina Board retreat on Nov. 2 in Raleigh. He will be the guest speaker during Adrian Sargeant's undergraduate and postgraduate classes at The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University (Indianapolis) on Nov. 12. On Nov. 20 he will be the featured speaker during the inaugural National Philanthropy Day celebration of the newly formed Wilmington (N.C.) Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).

• Matt Beem spoke during the Adult Development Center (Rogers, Ark.) annual Board retreat on Aug. 30. He presented "Balance Current Gifts and Planned Gifts" on Sept. 14 during the MidAmerica Planned Giving Council's monthly meeting in Kansas City. On Sept. 19 he presented "The Campaign's Over. Now What?" during the Northwest Arkansas Chapter of AFP's 2007 Conference on Philanthropy in Springdale. He presented "How to Get Million Dollar Gifts and Have Donors Thank You" on Oct. 5 in Omaha during the Planned Giving Council of Nebraska's monthly breakfast meeting.

• Emily Aldrich Barbour led the Make-a-Wish Foundation Board in a training session in Raleigh, N.C. on Sept. 14.

Recent New Clients and Extensions

So far in 2007, Hartsook Companies is serving 141 contracts on behalf of clients in 81 cities in 24 states, Europe and Central America with Campaign Assessments, Development Operation Reviews and ongoing campaigns. Recent new clients and contract extensions are listed below representing 48 organizations in 36 cities in 16 states and the District of Columbia.

• A Park for All (Mission, Kan.)
• Arkansas Foodbank Network (Little Rock, Ark.)
• Arkansas Hospice Foundation (Little Rock, Ark.)
• Black Hills State University Foundation (Spearfish, S.D.)
• Blackhawk Area Council, Boy Scouts of America (Rockford, Ill.)
• Camp Fire USA Alaska Council (Anchorage, Alaska)
• Camp Fire USA Inland Northwest Council (Spokane, Wash.)
• Cape Fear Center for Inquiry (Wilmington, N.C.)
• Cedar Cove Feline Conservation Park, Inc. (Louisburg, Kan.)
• Child And Parent Services (Elkhart, Ind.)
• Christian Family Services of the Midwest, Inc. (Overland Park, Kan.)
• Claremont School of Theology (Claremont, Calif.)
• Command and General Staff College Foundation (Leavenworth, Kan.)
• Douglas County Visiting Nurses and Hospice Care (Lawrence, Kan.)
• Emporia Friends of the Zoo (Emporia, Kan.)
• Family Guidance Center for Behavioral Healthcare (St. Joseph, Mo.)
• FUNDSALVA Foundation (San Salvador, El Salvador)
• Girl Scouts Rock River Council (Rockford, Ill.)
• Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank (Baton Rouge, La.)
• Kansas Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics (Lenexa, Kan.)
• Kauffman Scholars, Inc. (Kansas City, Mo.)
• Labette Community College (Parsons, Kan.)
• Lawrence Memorial Hospital Endowment Association (Lawrence, Kan.)
• Mid-America Arts Alliance (Kansas City, Mo.)
• North Carolina State University American Home (Raleigh, N.C.)
• North Carolina State University Childcare Center (Raleigh, N.C.)
• Pratt Health Foundation (Pratt, Kan.)
• Pro Football Hall of Fame (Canton, Ohio)
• Providence House (Shreveport, La.)
• Shelter Living, Inc. (Topeka, Kan.)
• St. John's Northwestern Military Academy (Delafield, Wisc.)
• St. Paul's Episcopal Day School (Kansas City, Mo.)
• Swope Community Enterprises (Kansas City, Mo.)
• The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University (Indianapolis, Ind.)
• The Heritage Foundation (Washington, D.C.)
• The Salvation Army Monroe Corps (Monroe, Mich.)
• The Salvation Army Pontiac Corps (Pontiac, Mich.)
• The Salvation Army of Burlington Corps (Burlington, Vt.)
• The Salvation Army of Metropolitan Detroit (Detroit, Mich.)
• The Salvation Army of Washtenaw County (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
• Trails West Council, Boy Scouts of America (Wood River, Ill.)
• Truman Medical Center Charitable Foundation (Kansas City, Mo.)
• Truman Medical Center Lakewood (Lee's Summit, Mo.)
• University of Missouri-Kansas City (Kansas City, Mo.)
• University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine (Kansas City, Mo.)
• Vision Research Center, UMKC/Truman Medical Center (Kansas City, Mo.)
• Wentworth Military Academy (Lexington, Mo.)
• World Learning Forum (Volcano, Hawaii)

e-Hartsook on Philanthropy covers news of client successes and advancements in philanthropy, connecting with more than 10,000 persons monthly. We welcome your contributions. Please send brief news of success or good ideas you'd like to share to Tami Druzba, tami@hartsookcompanies.com, by the first of each month.

If you'd like a free subscription to e-Hartsook on Philanthropy - or its companion publication, the free, bi-weekly Strategies for Success - visit our web site at http://www.hartsookcompanies.com/subscribe.shtml or contact Laurie Walker, laurie@hartsookcompanies.com. You also can reach her at 316.630.9992.

Visit our web site: http://www.hartsookcompanies.com.