The first step to getting next year’s gift is to thank your donors for this year’s gift.  Donors need to know that their gift was valued and that it made a difference. We recommend a 1:7 ratio: for every one gift you get, commit to seven meaningful ways to say thank you and show the impact of the donor’s gift.

To help you, we’ve created several tools to help you stay in touch and say thanks!

Thank You Videos (for YMCAs)

We’ve created two short “thank you” videos from YMCA kids and participants. View both videos and see which one will work best for you.

Video 1
Use this free streaming version of the video to tell your donors that they’ve made a difference in the lives of the kids and families in your community. To distribute it, download the video by right-clicking on it and selecting “save as” and posting it on your own site.

Video 2
Use this alternate free streaming version of the video to tell your donors that they’ve made a difference in the lives of the kids and families in your community. To distribute it, download the video by right-clicking on it and selecting “save as” and posting it on your own site.

These videos are our gift to you, free of charge. If you’d like a DVD copy, or customized version of either of these videos (with your YMCA’s name and web address at the end), please contact us.

Donor Recognition Banners

Customized donor recognition banners are a great way to thank donors and stimulate interest in your annual campaign – all year long! Use your banners to:

• Recognize your higher-level donors. For many organizations, that means donors $1000 or above to annual or other campaigns.

• Recognize your donor (or your donor’s company) as they would like to be recognized. (some companies will give a larger donation in order to be at banner level, since they can consider part of their donation as an “advertising expense.”)

• Let your members and the community know about the support you receive from the community.

• Help staff and volunteers explain the campaign and the mission of your organization.

For more information, including pricing, contact Dani Mann. Ordering donor recognition banner replacement date bars for 2010? This guide can help you order the proper size and color.

Valentines Day/Holiday/Thanks-for-giving Cards

These cards are branded with the Y logo and fit neatly into your #10 letterhead envelopes. They are a great way to start the holiday season off right and offer a special thank to your donors and volunteers. To order, please contact Lora Dow.

Other Items

Part of the challenge in fund development is staying top-of-mind with donors. While no one ever gave a donation because of a giveaway, sometimes that little something that you give away can make your organization just a little bit more memorable. And that’s worth a lot.

Strong Kids Store (branded merchandise)

The January 2009 Edition of our Toolbox newsletter is full of more free and inexpensive ideas for recognizing donors and supporters of your organization.