A kinder, back-to-basics approach to donor relations amounted to a 30 percent increase in contributions for D.C.’s Heritage Foundation.

By Margaret Battistelli Gardner

Heritage.org is fairly unique in its upfront approach. There are real snail-mail addresses and telephone numbers to be found, in addition to the e-mail addresses. Walter says the goal is for every person who contacts the foundation to get a response.

That amounts to about 350 postcards going out each week to acknowledge changes of address, mailing duplications and other details, according to Associate Director of Membership Programs Jessica Reinecker, who handles non-solicitation communications and Web efforts.