Which city in America gives the most money per capita than in any other major metropolis?

Which city in America gives the most money per capita than in any other
major metropolis? Be one of the first ten people to respond with the
correct answer to be entered in this month’s drawing for the Holiday
Joy Gift Box.

Do You Know the answer?

MSAA Conference Call

Via a conference call, Doug Franklin, President/CEO of MSAA, spoke to the business and residential teams calling on their behalf. Doug spoke about important information and also answered the representative’s questions. The updates were very much appreciated by the representatives and are being shared with donors since getting back on the phones. One of the supervisor’s exact words was “it was awesome!” Thank you MSAA for reinforcing to the representatives that the whole MSAA team is part of the Heritage team!

Editor's Note: The conference call was so successful that we will now schedule additional calls with our other clients.

Operation Comfort Warriors

The American Legion family is renewing its Operation Comfort Warriors fundraising efforts during the holiday season to purchase comfort items for troops recovering in U.S. military hospitals and warrior transition units around the world. Operation comfort Warriors provides items such as sweat suits, iPods, DVDs, calling card and other comfort items. More than $215,000 has been raised for Operation Comfort Warriors since the program began last December. The American Legion pays administrative and promotional costs, meaning that 100 percent of donations are spent directly on the troops.

National WWII Museum Opens New Attractions

The National World War II Museum opened three new attractions in New Orleans during a celebration that included Hollywood actor Tom Hanks, Mickey Rooney, former Sen. George McGovern, and hundreds of World War II veterans and their families.

The latest phase in the museum’s ongoing $300-million expansion, the Solomon Victory Theater complex, is the exclusive home of “Beyond All Boundaries,” a multi-sensory, 4-D cinematic experience that immerses viewers in the story of World War II.

The Stage Door Canteen offers a taste of 1940s culture and music with another original show, “Let Freedom Swing!” At The American Sector restaurant, visitors can enjoy a menu inspired by the era’s cuisine. The venues are the biggest cultural addition to New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city in 2005.

USPS Says No to 2010 Rate Hikes

The USPS has announced that it will not increase rates on “market dominant products” for the 2010 calendar year. This includes First Class Mail, Standard Mail, periodicals, and single-piece Parcel Post. Nonprofit mail is also included because it falls under a subset of both Standard Mail and periodical mail. The USPS wants mailers to continue to invest in mail to grow their business, communicate with valued customers, and maintain a strong presence in the marketplace. The USPS projects a net loss of more than $7 billion at fiscal year-end..

Strategy that Works!

Prerecorded messages are a key strategy in Heritage’s partnership with the St. Labre Indian School located in Ashland, MT. As part of St. Labre’s campaign strategy, the messages go out at 6:00 p.m. on each Monday evening with a second effort going out at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday’s. The messages are scheduled to continue every week until February 2010. After St. Labre receives a first-time direct mail acquisition donor, they send out a thank-you letter followed by the message, and then their “new donor package” follows. Although it is too soon to tell what sort of lift St. Labre is receiving with the prerecorded message, they plan to continue with the plan well into 2010.

The Fine Art of Thank You

Now more than ever, we all know that saying “thank you” is essential for any successful program. Not all thank you’s are created equally. Here are some fresh ideas:

1. Send pictures to your major donors
2. Send thank you notes from the people you serve.
3. Send thank you notes from your board members.
4. Send offline thank you notes for online gifts.
5. Call instead of sending a thank you note.
6. Send thank you notes to your staff.

Not only is saying thank you vital to fundraising success, but it is also critical to acknowledge your donors’ investments in your organization. There are many ways to say thanks. It’s the right thing to do and it will pay off.

(Credit: Fundraising Success, Jocelyn Harmon, November 2009)

Precorded Messages

Let Heritage contact your donors via a prerecorded message! The President/CEO, Chairman of the Board or someone who has benefited from the Organization can record a brief message to say thank-you, invite your donors to an upcoming event, or educate them about the mission of your organization. Please talk to your Account Executive to see how this strategy can work for your campaign.

The Top 10 Charitable Cities

Thanks to Hurricane Katrina, 2005 was the year of giving large with Americans donating $273 billion to charity, 10 percent more than in 2004. People in Atlanta give more per capita than in any other major metropolis. They see their money used wisely, at least on the local level: the city's charities are first in fund-raising efficiency, spending just 6½ cents to raise a dollar.

In addition to IRS data on individual donations (adjusted for cost of living), the number of corporate charitable foundations and their per capita contributions were looked at, according to the Foundation Center. The number of people who volunteer with AmeriCorps, an organization that mentors underprivileged youth and builds affordable housing was also considered. Armed with these numbers, plus the Urban Institute's state rankings of donations per capita, the top 10 cities are listed below. The good news is that we all open our wallets – some just a little wider.

Credit: Men's Health, Matt Bean, November 2009.

Tidbits

Effective January 1, 2010, the filing fee for tax-exempt status will increase to $850 for organizations with gross receipts that exceed $10,000 annually over a four-year period.

The Redesign Project Manager for the IRS Form 990 has admitted that the amount of time tax-exempt organizations have to take in preparing and completing the redesigned form is longer than it took to complete the old version. He insists the time required will be reduced as organizations become more familiar with the form.

The Minnesota Charities Council has announced revisions in its standards. Previously, the standards required that seventy percent of a nonprofit’s expenses must be spent on programs. Under the new standards, the figure is reduced to sixty percent if the nonprofit can include a justifiable explanation. The new standards also include tighter travel and reimbursement policies, and absolutely prohibit loans to board members.

In New Mexico, the state has started rejecting signed contracts with fundraisers, citing a requirement in the statute which mandates that “intended contracts’ be reviewed and approved by the state prior to execution.

The state of Oregon has begun to enforce its “do-not-call” law. The law applies to calls made by telefundraisers. The state uses the National Do Not Call Registry, but the problem is the National Registry does not apply to calls made by or on behalf of nonprofits, meaning that Oregon’s rules are especially stringent.

'Tis the Season!

The Holiday Season is upon us. From our family to yours, we wish you a joyous and wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year! ’Tis the season to be merry with family and friends and reflect upon our blessings. We look forward to serving you in 2010.

The Heritage Company
2402 Wildwood Ave.
Sherwood, AR 72120

The Heritage Advantage Requests

www.theheritagecompany.com

Contact Heritage by Email

By Phone:
Marilyn Michie
1.800.643.8822 ext.1148