to make it grow, plant the seed… toolkit (feb 2020).pdf · fundraising event to your endowment....

To make it grow, plant the seed… and nurture it along the way.

Congratulations! You have an endowment fund with the Community Foundation of North Florida. Now what?

It is important to (1) regularly raise awareness that you have an endowment and (2) ask your donors to support it (either now or with a gift in their will or other estate/tax planning documents).

Building an endowment requires patience and persistence over a long period of time. True—you will accept endowment gifts of any size, but ultimately you are looking for large estate and tax planning gifts. Those kinds of gifts take time to cultivate.

The following materials provide you with several tools for promoting your endowment—helping you patiently and persistently plant seeds and capture gifts to secure the future of your organization:

Roadmap to Success .................................................................................... 2-3 Marketing Tools for Your Endowment (sample materials provided)

a. Board Information Sheet .................................................... 4-5

b. Endowment Flyer ........................................................................ 6

c. Website ....................................................................................... 7

d. Social Media ................................................................................... 8

e. Newsletters/Enews ................................................................ 9-10

f. Solicitation Messages .......................................................... 11-12

g. Simple Messages ......................................................................... 13

h. Community Foundation of North Florida Talking Points ........... 14

i. Promotional Advertisements ..................................................... 15 Sample Bequest Language ............................................................................... 16 Creating a Recognition Society ........................................................................ 17

The Community Foundation also offers various events (webinars, speakers, etc.) to learn and share best practices and challenges as your organization builds its endowment. For more information on upcoming events, please visit www.cfnf.org.

http://www.cfnf.org/

Not sure how to get started? We’ve broken the steps of promoting your endowment into three levels for you:

1. Getting Started (I have little time to implement a plan to promote my endowment.)

2. Moving Right Along (I want to dedicate time and energy to build our endowment.)

3. Diving In (We’re all in! Let’s do an endowment campaign!)

No matter where you are on the Roadmap there are three elements that you will want

to focus on first:

1. Educate your Board (See sample Board Information Sheet, page 4).

2. Engage your Board - Obtain buy-in from your Board members to ensure they play a leadership role in supporting your endowment through allocation of resources.

3. Raise awareness about the fact that you have an endowment.

Ready, Set, Go! Begin with Level 1 and progress through Level 3 as you are ready.

Level 1—Getting Started

Fulfill these 4 simple steps to begin to develop your endowment:

Create space on your website to tell donors about your endowment (see sample website content, page 7).

Promote your endowment in your organization’s newsletters at least once each year (sample articles provided, page 9-10).

Promote your endowment through your organization’s Social Media channels twice a year (see sample Facebook posts and Tweets, page 8).

Add a one-liner about your endowment on your email signature (see Simple Messages, page 13).

2 Endowment Fund Toolkit

ROADMAP TO SUCCESS

Level 2—Moving Right Along

Complete Level 1 and then add the following steps to continue your path to growth:

Create an endowment marketing piece (see sample flyer that can be personalized,

page 6).

Add a one-line statement about your endowment at the bottom of your letterhead (see Simple Messages, page 13).

Include a promotional ad about your endowment in every issue of your print newsletter (see Promotional Advertisements, page 15).

Promote your endowment in your organization’s newsletters at least twice each year (see Newsletters/Enews, page 9-10).

Promote your endowment through your organization’s Social Media channels on a regular basis (monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, etc.) each year (see sample Facebook posts and Tweets, page 8).

Create a Recognition Society (see Creating a Recognition Society, page 17) and

promote membership at least annually through your newsletter and/or solicitation letters.

Develop a plan for how the earnings from your endowment will be used to further your mission.

Level 3—DIVING IN

If you have completed Levels 1 and 2 and are ready to Dive into a more serious endowment building effort, consider incorporating the following into your endowment program.

Designate a percentage of all annual fund contributions or funds raised from your annual fundraising event to your endowment.

Host an annual fundraiser dedicated to benefiting your endowment.

Set a dollar goal for your endowment and create a plan to achieve it. Endowment campaigns are often carried out during significant moments in your organization’s history – an anniversary year, in memory of a dedicated Board or Staff member, etc. – and offer the opportunity to gather broad support for your organization’s endowment and long-term efforts.

This toolkit is not designed to serve as a roadmap for a full endowment campaign. Should

you be interested in exploring this option, please feel free to contact the Community Foundation for further guidance and assistance.

ROADMAP TO SUCCESS

Endowment Fund Toolkit 3

4

MARKETING TOOLS FOR YOUR ENDOWMENT BOARD INFORMATION SHEET

[ORGANIZATION]’S ENDOWMENT - BOARD INFORMATION SHEET

The Board of Directors has a fiduciary responsibility to ensure the fiscal soundness of [ORGANIZATION]. Our endowment is like a savings account for our organization. It provides a consistent and ongoing source of revenue to supplement annual fundraising efforts and ensures the future of our Mission. The Board’s leadership in understanding and supporting [ORGANIZATION]’s endowment is critical to a successful endowment effort.

What is Our Endowment?

[ORGANIZATION]’s endowment is a pool of money that is invested to produce a stream of income for our organization. We have partnered with the Community Foundation of North Florida to professionally invest and administer our endowment. All contributions to the endowment are tax-deductible. The current value of our endowment is $[AMOUNT] and we receive a 4% distribution each year (or we may choose to forgo the distribution in any year to allow the endowment to grow).

Should We Consider Our Endowment to be a

Reserve Fund?

No. A reserve fund consists of dollars, all of which are available to spend to cover emergency situations or budget shortfalls. Endowment dollars are invested to produce a stream of income to assist us in providing our services to the

community forever.

What is the Board’s Role? Regard to

[ORGANIZATION]’s Endowment?

Commitment: Understand what our

endowment is and its value to our organization

Support: Provide essential

leadership and direction both in terms of allocation of time and resources for our endowment effort.

Engage: Work with our staff to set

goals and timelines for building our endowment and regularly review

periodic reports about its progress and performance.

Market: Be ambassadors for our

endowment – donors can only contribute to the endowment if they know it exists.

Patience: Building an endowment

is a long-term process. Our role is to plant the seed and nurture the relationship. Large gifts to endowments take a long time to cultivate.

Why Do We Partner with the Community Foundation of North

Florida to Administer Our Endowment?

The Community Foundation of North Florida (CFNF) gives donors confidence to know that their gift to [ORGANIZATION]’s endowment will be well managed and protected in perpetuity for our mission.

.

The Community Foundation offers [ORGANIZATION]:

1. A partnership with a communityorganization whose mission is toinvest and grow endowments,allowing our board and staff tofocus on our mission.

2. Access to professionalendowment investment expertise.

3. Access to endowment buildingresources, including marketingsupport and educationalopportunities.

4. Access to CFNF’s planned givingknowledge and resources.

5. Access to CFNF’s ability to acceptmany types of gifts, includingstock, real estate, life insurance orretirement benefits, bequests, etc.

6. Lower costs due to economies ofscale.

7. Investment and protection of ourdonor contributions to support[ORGANIZATION] for generationsto come.

Endowment Tool Kit

Want Information About Our Endowment?

Please contact [STAFF PERSON] at [staff email] or [staff phone number] for more information.

BOARD INFORMATION SHEET

MARKETING TOOLS FOR YOUR ENDOWMENT

The chart below illustrates what a $50,000 endowment fund at the Community Foundation of North Florida could do for our organization.

Year

Deposits

Annual Amount

Available for

[ORGANIZATION]

Year End

Fund

Balance

Cumulative

Amounts

Supporting

[ORGANIZATION]

YEAR 1 $50,000.00 $2,000.00 $50,727.50 $2,000.00

YEAR 2 $0.00 $2,029.10 $51,465.59 $4,029.10

YEAR 3 $0.00 $2,058.62 $52,974.13 $6,087.72

YEAR 4 $0.00 $2,088.58 $52,974.13 $8,176.30

YEAR 5 $0.00 $2,118.97 $53,744.90 $10,295.26

YEAR 6 $0.00 $2,149.80 $54,526.89 $12,445.06

YEAR 7 $0.00 $2,181.08 $55,320.26 $14,626.14

YEAR 8 $0.00 $2,212.81 $56,125.17 $16,838.95

YEAR 9 $0.00 $2,245.01 $56,941.79 $19,083.95

YEAR 10 $0.00 $2,277.67 $57,770.29 $21,361.63

YEAR 11 $0.00 $2,310.81

$58,610.85 $23,672.44

YEAR 12 $0.00 $2,344.43 $59,463.64 $26,016.87

YEAR 13 $0.00 $2,378.55 $60,328.83 $28,395.42

YEAR 14 $0.00 $2,413.15 $61,206.62 $30,808.57

YEAR 15 $0.00 $2,448.26 $62,097.17 $33,256.83

YEAR 16 $0.00 $2,483.89 $63,000.69 $35,740.72

YEAR 17 $0.00 $2,520.03 $63,917.35 $38,260.75

YEAR 18 $0.00 $2,556.69 $64,847.34 $40,817.44

YEAR 19 $0.00 $2,593.89 $65,790.87 $43,411.34

YEAR 20 $0.00 $2,631.63 $66,748.13 $46,042.97

TOTALS $50,000.00 $46,042.97 $66,748.13

After 20 years, our endowment fund could return our initial investment of $50,000 to us and have twice the initial investment still working for us.

This chart is for demonstration and informational purposes only and assumes a 4% annual payout and 7% rate of return.


What is the Potential of Our Endowments?

HOW DOES [ORGANIZATION]’S ENDOWMENT WORK?

IT STARTS WITH YOU... IT TAKES YOUR PASSION... IT USES YOUR GIFTS...

...to create a sustainable future for

[ORGANIZATION]. Your gift is invested in our endowment and [ORGANIZATION] receives income annually to support our work. Your investment and our endowment provide a stable and permanent source of funding. It is a gift that keeps giving for generations.

We’ve partnered with the Community Foundation of North Florida to administer our endowment. Their investment expertise, administrative support and planned giving knowledge provide you with confidence to know that your gift is being managed wisely.

Help us build a solid foundation today so that

we can continue to provide our services for

the generations of tomorrow.

Ways To Give

• Cash or Check

• Credit Card

• Gift of Appreciated Stock

• Gift from an IRA

• Bequest by Will

• Charitable Lead Trust

• Charitable Remainder Trust

• Gift of Life Insurance

• Gift of Real Estate

MARKETING TOOLS FOR YOUR ENDOWMENT ENDOWMENT FLYER

Together we form a valuable partnership securing the future of [ORGANIZATION]!

For more information about our endowment and how you can contribute, please visit

[www.ORGANIZATION. com/ENDOWMENT] or contact our staff at (850) 222-2899.


WEBSITE MARKETING TOOLS FOR YOUR ENDOWMENT

www.organization.org/endowment

[ORGANIZATION]’s Endowment Providing Long-Term, Lasting Support for Our Mission

How Does [ORGANIZATION]’s Endowment Work?

It starts with YOU… It takes YOUR passion… It uses YOUR gifts… To create a sustainable future

for [ORGANIZATION].

Your gift is invested in our endowment and [ORGANIZATION] receives income annually to support our work. Your investment and [ORGANIZATION]’s endowment provides a stable and permanent source of funding allowing more resources to be focused on our mission and programs.

We have partnered with the Community Foundation of North Florida to administer our endowment. Their investment expertise, administrative support and oversight provide us with the resources and access we need to succeed.

Support our endowment today for a better tomorrow.

An endowment gift of any size benefits [ORGANIZATION] now and in the future. [ORGANIZATION]’s endowment presents an excellent option for donors who want to invest in our organization today or through their will or estate plan.

• Cash or Check

• Credit Card



• Bequest by Will





Additional Options

• Highlight your recognition society and the associated membership benefits.

• Feature a member from your recognition society and focus on why they give to your organization’s endowment and clearly tell their story of wanting to leave a legacy.

• Share a success story and highlight how funds from your endowment made an impact in the community through your programs.

Ways To Give

http://www.organization.org/endowment

Below are ideas of ways to promote your endowment on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram:

• Recognize your endowment donors (only with their permission).

• Highlight endowment success stories – use photos when possible.

• Share with your followers the benefits your endowment is providing for your organization.

• Feature the impact your organization has on our community based on endowment support.

• Post links to articles about the benefits of endowment funds in general and talk about how your endowment is pivotal to your organization’s success.

Possible language:

- Support the gift that keeps on giving. Donate to our endowment today.

- Together we are building a legacy for future generations!

- Look at what we achieved because of our endowment!

- Support [ORGANIZATION] today, tomorrow and forever.

- [ORGANIZATION]’s endowment sustains our mission forever.

Remember to be consistent with any current language that you are using across marketing platforms.

Please follow the Community Foundation of North Florida on Facebook and Twitter for links and information that you can repost. We will update these sites regularly to include helpful information for your organization as you grow your endowment, as well as inform you about events and items of interest to your organization.

8 Endowment Fund Toolkit

MARKETING TOOLS FOR YOUR ENDOWMENT SOCIAL MEDIA

We hope that you will promote your endowment in every marketing communication you send out, either with an online reference or a more detailed article. Below is text for a generic “about our endowment” and a “ways to give” article. Other ideas for articles include, but are not limited to:

• Highlight one of your endowment’s donors and why they have chosen to support your organization in this way,

• Share a success story - how funds from your endowment made an impact in the community through your programs,

• Feature a significant contribution to your endowment,

• Showcase your recognition society and the associated membership benefits (perhaps featuring a recognition event),

SAMPLE ARTICLE 1

• Publicize an endowment campaign kickoff,

• Promote how the organization recently benefited from your endowment (funds from the annual draw were used to purchase objects for your collection, pay the rent for X months, provide services to # of people),

• Report that your endowment had a stellar year in the market and grew X%, and

• Announce that you recently received a legacy gift to the endowment and feature the donor if they are willing, etc.

Supporting our Mission Today, Tomorrow and Forever

[ORGANIZATION]’s endowment provides stability and is a permanent source of funding for our organization. This ongoing support is invaluable as it provides more resources to be focused on our mission and programs.

This funding supplements our annual [OPERATING EXPENSES/PROGRAM OPERATIONS] allowing us to give more of our time and attention toward [ACCOMPLISHING OUR MISSION-FOCUSED

PROGRAMS OR ADD WHAT THE FUNDING SPECIFICALLY ALLOWS YOUR ORGANIZATION TO DO].

An endowment enables our organization to plan on the income from one year to the next. It also presents an excellent option for donors who want to invest in [ORGANIZATION] today or through their will or estate plan. An endowment gift of any size benefits [ORGANIZATION] now and in the future.

We have partnered with the Community Foundation of North Florida to administer our endowment. Their investment expertise, administrative support and oversight provide you with the confidence to know that your gift is being managed wisely.

For more information how you can contribute, please visit: [WWW.YOURWEBSITE.COM] or contact [STAFF CONTACT HERE].


NEWSLETTERS/ENEWS MARKETING TOOLS FOR YOUR ENDOWMENT

http://www.yourwebsite.com/


NEWSLETTERS/ENEWS

SAMPLE ARTICLE 2

Ways to Support Our Future—Starting Today

[ORGANIZATION]’s endowment provides stability and is a permanent source of funding for our organization. This ongoing support is invaluable as it allows us to focus our attention on our mission.

Our endowment presents an excellent option for donors who want to invest in [ORGANIZATION] today or through their will or estate plan. An endowment gift of any size benefits [ORGANIZATION] now and in the future. There are numerous ways to give to our endowment, including:

• Cash or Check

• Credit Card



• Bequest by Will





To learn more about these options and to determine which one would work best for you and your family, please call us or consult your professional financial advisor. [ORGANIZATION] has partnered with the Community Foundation of North Florida to administer our endowment. Their investment expertise, administrative support and oversight provide you with the confidence to know that your gift is being managed wisely. For more information on how you can contribute, please visit [WWW.YOURWEBSITE.COM] or contact [STAFF CONTACT HERE].

As you are writing your message, please feel free to

contact the Community Foundation for technical

information or questions regarding the specific

financial details for your endowment.

http://www.yourwebsite.com/

Below is a sample solicitation letter for use for endowment fundraising purposes.

Today’s Date

Potential Donor’s Name Donor’s Street Address City, State and Zip Code

Dear [DONOR NAME]:

We are grateful for you—for your longstanding support and involvement with [ORGANIZATION].

Your investment of time and resources are appreciated.

Knowing your passion for our cause, we wanted to share information with you about our endowment and ask for your support. Our current goal is to raise $[AMOUNT] for our endowment. We are X% of the way there and hope you can help us achieve our total goal.

Your donation to our endowment would provide us with pivotal funding each year to support our work. The dollars are invested for the long-term and the earnings support our ongoing needs.


To support our long-term financial stability, please return the enclosed contribution form with your donation. You may also support the endowment with a gift of stock, real estate, and more. If you are interested in learning more about additional ways to contribute, please contact the Community Foundation of North Florida, at (850) 222-2899.

Sincerely, Name Title Organization

[ORGANIZATION]’s endowment supports and sustains our mission forever.


SOLICITATION MESSAGES MARKETING TOOLS FOR YOUR ENDOWMENT


SOLICITATION MESSAGES

Below is a sample email to request a personal meeting to discuss a major or planned gift to your endowment.

Dear [DONOR NAME]:

We are grateful for you—for your longstanding support and involvement with [ORGANIZATION]. Your investment of time and resources are appreciated.

Knowing your passion for our cause, I wanted to touch base to see if we could set up a time to talk about our endowment.

[ORGANIZATION]’s endowment provides us with pivotal support each year to [INSERT PROGRAM/OPERATING INFO HERE]. The dollars are invested for the long-term and the earnings are distributed to us annually to support our ongoing needs like [GIVE EXAMPLE].


Would it be possible to meet later this week or next? I’m available at your convenience and look forward to discussing the potential opportunities in more detail.

Sincerely,

Name Title Organization

[ORGANIZATION]’s endowment supports and sustains our mission forever.

2 12 Endowment Fund Toolkit

Sample One-Line Messages for Email Signatures or Publications.

Consider hyperlinking any of these phrases to the endowment information on your website for ease of reference.

SIMPLE MESSAGES MARKETING TOOLS FOR YOUR ENDOWMENT

Support our endowment to provide for future

generations that will be served by [ORGANIZATION].

Please remember [ORGANIZATION]’s endowment

when planning your estate.

Please consider including [ORGANIZATION]’s

endowment in your will.

Support our endowment and create a legacy.

Please consider a gift to our endowment and help

sustain our work forever.

Please consider a gift to our endowment to support

our work today, tomorrow and forever.

Support our endowment today for a better tomorrow.

You will likely be asked why your organization has an endowment with the Community Foundation of North Florida (CFNF). Below are some of the top reasons why an endowment fund with the Foundation is the best choice for your organization.

CFNF gives donors confidence to know that their gift to your endowment will be well managed and protected in perpetuity for your mission.

An endowment at CFNF provides you with:

1. A partnership with a community organization whose mission is to invest and grow endowments, allowing your board and staff to focus on your organization’s mission;

2. Access to professional endowment investment expertise;

3. Access to endowment building resources, including marketing support and educational opportunities;

4. Access to CFNF’s planned giving knowledge and resources;

5. Access to CFNF’s ability to accept many types of gifts, including stock, real estate, life insurance or retirement benefits, bequests, etc.

6. Lower costs due to economies of scale; and

7. Investment and protection of our donor contributions to support [ORGANIZATION] for generations to come.

Together we form a valuable community partnership—helping you sustain your work for generations!

MARKETING TOOLS FOR YOUR ENDOWMENT TALKING POINTS

PROMOTIONAL ADVERTISEMENTS MARKETING TOOLS FOR YOUR ENDOWMENT

REMEMBER

US

IN YOUR WILL.

Please consider [ORGANIZATION] when updating your will or your estate plans.

An endowment gift to

[ORGANIZATION] is a great way to

support our future needs and

memorialize your support in

perpetuity.

To learn more, visit

[YOURWEBSITE.ORG], call us

at [PHONE NUMBER], or email

[STAFF CONTACT].

[LOGO] [YOURWEBSITE.ORG]

Where there’s a

will there’s a

way... ...to support the long-term health & vitality of [ORGANIZATION].

Ensure that your bequest has a

bright financial future.

To learn more, visit

[YOURWEBSITE.ORG], call us

at [PHONE NUMBER], or email

[STAFF CONTACT].

[LOGO]

[YOURWEBSITE.ORG]

En • dow • ment

n. 1: a charitable savings

account 2: a lasting gift 3: a

permanent fund 4: a repository

for other current or deferred

gifts 5: a source of future

income 6: a memorial or legacy

7: a charity’s best friend.

[ORGANIZATION]’s endowment fund

will provide us with financial security

in the future.

To learn more, visit [YOURWEBSITE.

ORG], call us at [PHONE NUMBER],

or email [STAFF CONTACT].

[LOGO]

[YOURWEBSITE.ORG]

Help Support Our

The following sample language is provided to assist a donor’s attorney in drafting a

bequest to your endowment:

“I give and bequeath to the Community Foundation of North Florida, Inc., a

Florida nonprofit corporation and section 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization

(“Community Foundation”), the sum of $ [OR %

of my estate OR all the remainder of my estate] to be added to the

[Organization] Endowment Fund” subject to the terms of the Fund Agreement

governing the Fund and to the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the

Community Foundation, including the variance power reserved by the Board of

Directors to modify any restriction or condition on the distribution of funds for any

specified charitable purposes or to specified organizations, if in its sole judgment

such restriction or condition becomes, in effect, unnecessary, incapable of

fulfillment, or inconsistent with the charitable needs of the area served by the

Community Foundation.”

SAMPLE BEQUEST LANGUAGE

Recognition Societies provide a way for your organization to acknowledge and thank those very generous individuals who support your organization through donations. In recognizing donors who support your endowment, there are generally two types of recognition societies as shown below. You may name the societies as you wish. You may also choose to combine these groups or recognize them separately, whichever works best for your organization.

1. Endowment Society - recognizes those supporters who contribute to your endowment with a current gift.

2. Legacy Society - recognizes donors who support your endowment through a gift that is planned and takes effect at a later date. Legacy gifts include:

• Making a bequest to your endowment in their will or revocable trust, • Naming your endowment as a beneficiary of an IRA or other retirement plan, • Naming your endowment as a remainder beneficiary of a charitable remainder t r u s t ,

• Establishing a charitable lead trust designating the charitable distribution to your endowment, or

• Naming your endowment as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy.

Legacy Society members should be thought of as active donors, despite the delay in the receipt of their contribution.

NOTE: Remember to ask donors permission to list them publicly. It is important to respect any donor’s desire to remain anonymous.

Create a Recognition Plan

Develop and implement a plan to recognize your endowment donors (both current and legacy). Keep them informed, engaged and involved in your organization’s work.

Places to recognize donors who support your endowment:

• On your website,

• At an annual event (consider hosting an annual recognition event solely to show appreciation for your members or by adding a ribbon to their name tag when they attend events),

• In your newsletters and annual report, and

• On a commemorative plaque placed prominently in your office.

Ways to keep current endowment donors engaged and involved:

• Add them to your email/mailing list,

• Invite them to special events,

• Send them your annual report, and

• Have coffee or lunch with them when appropriate.

CREATING A RECOGNITION SOCIETY

cfnf.org • (850) 222-2899

FOUNDATIONS OF FLORIDA

The Community Foundation of North Florida serves Leon and nine neighboring counties of Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Jackson, Jefferson, Liberty, Madison,

Taylor and Wakulla. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800.435.7352) WITHIN THE STATE OR VIA THE INTERNET AT WWW.800HELPFLA.COM. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY

ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION. REGISTRATION #CH10676

February 2020

http://www.800helpfla.com/

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