[MUSIC] Welcome back. The previous lesson focused on your objectives during an initial visit with a prospective donor. This lesson wraps up the section by helping you understand the donor's interest and strategies to build involvement. At the end of this lesson, you will be able to develop a strategy to build relationship and involvement with your donor. Explain key components of a cultivation plan, and define the goals of a donor cultivation plan. Design gift plans to move relationships with donor prospects forward. And finally, document cultivation plans to be transparent to others in your organization. Let's get started. Following the qualification visit, and again, assuming there is interest, the development officer creates a plan for the cultivation of the prospect. A cultivation plan involves a series of steps or purposeful moves designed to engage the prospect more deeply with the institution. Educate them upon our priorities, and provide more opportunity for dialog to learn about their interests and values. Remember that inviting prospects to an endless series of hospitality functions such as launches or social receptions is not a cultivation plan. Cultivation planning is where the art form of development comes into play and the development officer needs to think creatively about how to create the best strategy for the prospect. Regular meaningful touch points are essential. Moving a prospect from qualification stage to a first major gift is a process that can often take 18 to 24 months. A key aspect is bringing philanthropy into the conversation early on. Highlights for an educational institution are key steps might include the following, interaction with faculty and students such as opportunities to speak in a classroom. Campus tours to showcase targeted areas of interest and provide unique insider perspective. Substantive meetings with deans and other administrators to learn about their vision, and invitations to serve on volunteer leadership councils and boards. Priority areas early on were private support can helped the program. Personal touches are key component to any cultivation plan. They include event invitations, handwritten notes, birthday, holiday or universally cards. Recreational activities, the occasional goal founding and social opportunity with like-minded others. During cultivation, you want to give your prospect a sense of what it's like to be a donor to your organization. They're wondering would I feel proud to give here? Do I like these people? And what social circles will I enter? As you're building your relationship with your donor make every visit count. Establish a development goal for each encounter. Goals can include building a feeling of good will, incrementally increasing the donor's exposure to the institution. Bringing philanthropy into the conversation early on. Ultimately, what we want to do is to help them to learn, trust, and engage with our organization. If our goal is to help them learn, this one is the most straightforward. What does your prospect still need to know about your organization, and how will you educate them? Here are some ideas. Site visits or tours, meeting to review your strategic plan and offer feedback, meeting with the programs staffs, opportunities to interact with your organization clients. Updates on specific areas of interest to that donor, and sending them articles and other relevant information on a regular basis. Helping our donors learn to trust, this one is a little harder to pin down. Although there is a lot of all around between building trust and learning it's not as linear. Ultimately, you want your prospects to trust you in two fronts. First, that your organisation can do the job and secondly you treat your donors well. Helping prospects trust that you can do the job. Or meet the need would involve meetings or small group events with your top executive. Exposure to other leaders, press clippings or external validations of your work, impact stories and internal publications or shared in person. Treat your donors well. Go back to those personal touches. Let's not forget the simple importance of time in building trust. I'm talking about consistent, positive interactions with the organization over a period of months or even years. Helping your donors engage brings hands on volunteer opportunities that will be some of your most high impact cultivation tools. They build connection and reinforce learning and trust here's some ideas, provide them with mentorship opportunities or speaking engagements. Hands-on volunteering opportunities within your organization. Allow them to provide administrative support or committee work in an advisory capacity or event planning. Encourage smaller and regular giving to your organization. Invite them on trips and travel opportunities. And finally the ultimate cultivation opportunity, service as a trustee or board leader of your organization.
