Talking Back

Does your organization have a successful relationship with a
corporate partner? How did it come about?
— FS Advisor, May 23, 2006

The ALS Association Greater Philadelphia Chapter and Corporate Synergies began a relationship over a year ago that started as a sponsorship of several chapter events. Corporate Synergies decided we wanted to make a greater contribution and developed a partnership with the chapter by
creating the SaVes4ALS program.

Since ALS is better known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, the program was designed using baseball’s “save of the game” statistic. Beginning with the 2006 regular baseball season, each save recorded by the Philadelphia Phillies pitching staff earns donations from sponsors according to various pledge levels: “The Closer” at $100 a save, “The Set Up” at $75 a save and “The Starter” at $50 a save.

The program’s goal is to raise $100,000 from local companies using our local baseball team to support the needs of local patients.

Even the program’s name — “SaVes4ALS” — incorporates the cause for marketing purposes, since saves in baseball are recorded as “SV” and No. 4 was Lou Gehrig’s retired jersey number.

When a company decides to partner with an organization, it’s not implying that it doesn’t see other causes as equally important. Rather, it’s saying that its leadership feels it can make the most meaningful impact through a partnership with a particular organization. To create a working partnership, the fit must be right. Points to consider:

1) Partner with a charity that your company’s service or product is of value to. As healthcare consultants, we assist patients and their families in navigating through the healthcare insurance system, and the ALS Association provides much-needed resources that otherwise would not be available. Together, our organizations have a tremendous impact on helping local patients and their families ease the financial burden in finding and
supporting services such as equipment costs, in-home caregiver visits and various programs not covered by insurance.

2) Get to know the organization up close and personal. It’s said that an organization is only as good as the people working there. To establish a long-term, meaningful relationship, it’s important to get to know the individuals of the organization. Take some time to learn about the people running it. Ask how they became involved and how long they’ve worked there and why they felt this organization was the right choice — these answers will help determine the compatibility of your organizations.

— Ellen Brosso and Suzanne Bruce,
vice presidents,
Corporate Synergies Group Inc.,
Mt. Laurel, N.J.

What’s the most significant step you can take to ensure a clean list when you start a fundraising campaign?
— FS Advisor, June 6, 2006

The most important thing you can do to ensure that you start a campaign with a clean file is to scrub your list of internal duplications. While leaving out possible good leads is an important aspect of list management, sending the same prospective (or worse, proven) donor the same phone call, mail piece or e-mail is a sure way to turn him or her off from giving to your organization. National Change of Address and other tools are readily available to assist with this process. A clean list is one without duplicate records.

— Stephen Dawson,
director of communication
and strategic planning,
The Heritage Co.,
Sherwood, Ark.

Look for Sound Off questions Tuesdays in the FS Advisor, the e-strategy guide brought to you by the editors of FundRaising Success.