Our Services

Campaign Services

Marketing, planning and feasibility studies

The traditional feasibility study is no more. While we provide honest, forthright observations and findings, Donovan Slone staff always serves as our client’s advocate in positioning the organization in the best possible light while speaking with study participants. Our studies are most often performed in preparation for a campaign, however we also conduct studies for strategic philanthropy planning and development assessments.

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Capital Campaign Management/Consultation

Our hallmark- we've counseled hundreds of organizations with their capital, programmatic and endowment campaigns from Alaska to Florida and everywhere in between. Donovan Slone provides expert resident or periodic counsel along with detailed campaign plans, timelines, innovative communications, cultivation and solicitation strategies, and effective volunteer structure, recruitment and training techniques. The benefits of a campaign are far greater than just reaching a goal and we work to ensure that your development program can leverage long-term relationships with donors for years to come.

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Pre-Feasibility Study Assistance

Ensuring that your development program is ready for a major fundraising initiative is an important step in the planning process. Pre-feasibility study assistance is an increasingly utilized strategy, usually based on strong feelings by leadership that a study might be more productive if it followed a period of philanthropy planning, case refinement, constituent relationship building and fundraising infrastructure development. In such cases, we recommend a process that integrates the best elements of strategic planning for philanthropy, development of a case for support, a plan for expanding and strengthening constituent relations, and a modified philanthropy market survey limited to key informants.

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Post-Campaign Counsel

If you are nearing or have recently completed a capital campaign, you are facing a variety of transitional issues including revising your philanthropy strategic plan, reinvigorating your annual giving program, launching your planned giving program or planning for the next campaign effort. Donovan Slone can provide you with the necessary expertise and perspective to keep the momentum going well beyond the campaign celebration event.

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Program Services

Philanthropy Strategic Planning

Building a solid philanthropic platform that defines your vision and values, incorporates long and short term strategies and identifies critical processes, customer needs and strengths /weaknesses is critical to a successful fundraising program. We use a Hoshin-based approach (a derivative of Total Quality Management) that assures you will maximize philanthropic opportunities and the likelihood for success by aligning volunteers and staff leaders around a common vision, plan and goals.

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Development Program Assessments/Audits

Many well-established programs are reviewing their efficiency in the wake of competition in the philanthropic market and with the ever-increasing demands from internal constituencies for greater return on the fundraising investment. Donovan Slone assessments include a thorough review of program operations and specific functional area performance, benchmarking for best practices, key constituent interviews and sound recommendations ready for implementation based on our findings.

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Annual Program Development and Support

The strength and longevity of a successful development program is built on a constantly growing base of annual support. Great attention must be given to monitoring potential and updating performance objectives in this area. Donovan Slone offers a unique approach, the Donor Dynamics Plan, that looks at your total giving and maps goals, timelines, and strategies for donor acquisition, renewal, upgrade and lapsed donor recapture.

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Major Gift Program Implementation and Training

Increasingly with philanthropy, a greater percentage of dollars raised are coming from a smaller percentage of the donor base - already 90% of our charitable donations are coming from 10% of our donors. This trend mandates that every high performing development enterprise have a well-organized and effective major gifts program. Donovan Slone is noted for our expertise in major gift development and we help organizations with implementation.

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Planned Giving Program Start Up and Planning

Planned giving is the greatest untapped source of funds for many organizations, but unfortunately one of the least developed. Most development efforts should have a structured planned giving program with at least an organized bequest program. We offer tailored services ranging from establishing a simple bequest program to implementing a comprehensive program. We will also serve as your representative in meeting with prospective donors and/or their financial and legal advisors.

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Developing a Culture of Philanthropy

The essence of a successful fundraising program rests within an organizational culture that embraces philanthropy as an essential element of its mission, vision and community relationships. How to go about instilling a philanthropic culture can often seem illusive and difficult to actualize. We have worked with many organizations wrestling with this very issue and can provide you with a detailed plan that provides specific strategies to initiate or further enhance the philanthropic culture at your organization on an ongoing basis.

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Donor Relations/Stewardship

We all know fundraising is about relationships. Yet many development programs lack a formal stewardship plan. Personalized and diligent donor stewardship will lead to long-term relationships between donors and your institution and will inspire ultimate major gifts not otherwise realized. Donovan Slone can provide a multi-faceted donor relations/stewardship plan for your organization that fits with your staffing demands and volunteer structure and that can be easily implemented as part of your annual fundraising plan.

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Prospect Research

The best type of campaign research remains field research; that is, information gathered from donors, volunteers, staff, affiliated professionals, etc. This research is typically provided as part of any capital or major gift consultation. We also offer technical prospect research, coordinated through our research partners.

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Grant Writing

For many organizations, foundation grant sources hold tremendous untapped potential for greater fundraising results. Donovan Slone can work with your organization to develop an approach that will incorporate creating a solid grant writing plan, inclusive of prospect identification, targeted research, monitoring progress and reporting results. We also provide actual grant writing services to help you maximize your potential.

Executive Search

Never before has finding capable development staff been so important or so challenging. Donovan Slone provides a search and placement service built on 20 years of networking with the best and brightest development professionals throughout North America. We know that finding a team player with the right combination of fundraising talent, strong communications skills and effective volunteer management experience takes the time and know-how available through Donovan Slone.

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New Foundation Formation

Formalizing a development program and creating a fundraising structure that will inspire a strong philanthropic culture, increase visibility, promote leadership recruitment and exemplary stewardship is an important step in the evolution of a high performing enterprise. Donovan Slone can assist you with tailoring a foundation structure that best meets your needs and will guide you through the necessary steps in finalizing formal status and implementing foundation operations.

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Interim Development Services

If your fundraising program is transitioning among staff changes, organizational restructuring, campaigns, new program development or other related issues, Donovan Slone can provide a range of interim development services that will keep your fundraising moving forward, providing meaningful results while transitional issues are resolved.

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Training

Board Development

Successful fundraising starts at the top. Well oriented boards that are provided ongoing training and educational opportunities around philanthropy are further engaged on a variety of levels and become strong advocates for the fundraising needs of the organization. Donovan Slone can design a board development program for your organization that will provide the ongoing orientation and education that your volunteers need to be well informed, motivated and personally engaged in fundraising process. We can also facilitate training and participate in educational sessions on a variety of different levels.

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Board Retreats

An engaged Board of Trustees is critical to high-performing philanthropic enterprises. Donovan Slone engages Trustees in a Philanthropy Summit that addresses the goals and objectives set for the day. Understanding the critical roles as a trustee, proper solicitation, aligning priorities around funding opportunities, and other outcomes are all part of Donovan Slone's Board Retreat services.

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Staff Training

Recruiting and retaining a highly skilled and motivated development staff is a challenge in today's competitive market. By providing ongoing opportunities for professional growth and continuing education, you are creating an environment for your staff to learn, grow as professionals and ultimately be a more productive and valuable member of your team. Donovan Slone can work with you to create a staff-training plan in areas ranging from major/planned gifts and moves management, to campaigning and volunteer management.

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Marketing/Communications

Comprehensive Communications Support/Collateral Material Development

There are well over 1 million not-for-profits in this country-one for every 280 people-with each seeking to gain "top of mind" awareness. We assist our clients in crafting comprehensive donor communications plans that incorporate successful strategies for targeted, ongoing, and meaningful communications with donors and prospective donors. In addition, we can provide expertise in creating a variety of fundraising collateral materials ranging from major donor brochures to case statements and campaign videos.

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Case Statement Development

Creating a compelling case for support is critically important to a successful campaign or annual giving effort. Clearly articulating the organizational need in a concise, comprehensive, passionate and personally meaningful way can make a profound difference in getting your message across to key constituents. Donovan Slone has written and tested hundreds of case statements and can provide you with a level of expertise and value added in this creative process.

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Our Services