Fund for Animals Plans for Risk and Wins

Mailings targeted two different groups, including age- and loyalty-appropriate donors, e.g., donors 65 and older who had contributed multiple gifts to FFA and self-identified donors who had checked off a box on the renewal program’s reply slips requesting additional information on planned giving.

Implementation: The latest iteration of FFA’s bequest mailing included the following components:

• Executive-sized, closed-faced carrier with corner-card logo/address;

• Offset letter signed by Probst, evoking the memory of FFA’s founder, Cleveland Amory, and stating the value of including the organization in one’s will;

• Brochure branded with FFA’s “look,” including more detailed benefits of leaving a bequest, as well as contact information;

• 8-inch-by-11-inch reply slip, capturing name and address, phone number, best time to contact the donor, additional information about the donor, and confirmation that the donor has already made a provision for a bequest in his or her estate plan; and

• Reply envelope addressed to Probst’s attention.

The gift annuity has similar components. It should be noted that, in 2004, the bequest and gift annuity offers were separate campaigns rather than a bundling of all the options in the campaign. This was to better distinguish the difference between offers and benefits.