Interview With Kenneth Grunke, Director of Individual and Major Giving, Pillars

FS: How do you reach out to supporters and potential supporters in ways other than purely fundraising?
KG: “We actually have started an annual Thank-A-Thon, which, so far, has proven to be very successful. If anyone hasn’t considered this yet, my suggestion would be to somehow work it into your annual plan. This activity is a great opportunity to not only show how much the donors’ support matters, but also gives them an opportunity to provide any feedback about your annual strategies, update their records or provide some great historical information that could strengthen the organization’s relationship with them. You can also add a short survey component to the call and start working on your performance outcomes measurements. This is also a great way to get your board and other volunteers involved, since it doesn’t require asking for money. Most importantly, the goal of this activity is not to thank as many donors as you can, but to pay attention to the quality of the phone call — that’s what really makes the difference.”