A Realistic Look at Annual Funds

Direct mail expanded the reach of the annual fund beyond the local community. And it raised the stakes, and the take. “Participation” became an art and a very big concern. Annual fund goals — and numbers of donors — skyrocketed with direct mail. A new “science” of direct marketing for philanthropy was born — how to write a letter, better BREs, live stamps, graphics, personalization, segmentation, teasers on the envelope, etc. It all got more and more elaborate and sophisticated.