Holt International
Two MGOs for 2,000 major donors wasn’t enough
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Problem / Challenge
With 2,000 major donors and only two MGOs, more than 30% of donors were leaving each year.
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Solution
Working with Veritus Group, the organization added staff in both major gifts and mid-level, allowing deeper relationships to be built.
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Results
After one year, donor attrition fell by 12%. And during a pandemic, revenue in caseloads went up $700,000!
“Veritus Group has been foundational to our work in building a structure, discipline and culture of philanthropy both within our staff and within our growing major and mid-level donor base. Our relationship with Veritus is one mirrored by how we also, now, regularly and consistently build relationship with our portfolio donors. While there is a system (“The Veritus Way”) it isn’t one that places itself before the donor, but instead is there to help us listen, respond, anticipate and appreciate them at every step.“
Inside a Turnaround
What the Organization Needed
Holt helps strengthen vulnerable families, care for orphans, and find adoptive families for kids. They have a large group of donors who give regularly, but not enough staff to develop relationships with them.
With only two MGOs, there were nearly 2,000 donors not in caseloads who were giving at a major gift level annually, and thousands more in the mid-level range. Without the proper attention, the value attrition was 30%-35% annually.
Our Recommendation
Veritus helped Holt to implement a stewardship protocol to ensure all donors – even Child Sponsors – who reached the major gift threshold were qualified to caseloads. We ensured MGOs were focused on regions with the greatest number of donors. After one year, there were still a large group of donors we wanted to try to connect with, leading Holt to hire a mid-level officer.
With Veritus’ guidance, MGOs learned to qualify caseload donors while also attempting to connect with and qualify other donors; to develop communication plans that focus on reporting impact to donors; and to ensure good communication between marketing, program and fundraising.
The Results
Heart
Program Support
Donors who had been giving only to child sponsorships became aware of Holt’s wider mission, and they began supporting those programs.
12%
Lower Value Attrition
After one year, donor value attrition decreased by 12%.
400%
Increased Giving
The average gift for assigned donors has increased 400%; they have exceeded the Veritus revenue projection by $500K.
More FEATURED CASE STUDIES
Salvation Army Intermountain
After huge staff turnover, the development staff needed training and a common language. Veritus stepped in to help.
DePelchin Children’s Center
A new Senior VP of Advancement needed help formalizing structure for major gifts. Veritus guided them to increased giving in a difficult year.
Children of the Nations
A child sponsorship organization needed to raise funds for programs and projects, too. Veritus trained them to ask for more.