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  • 1.  In Memoriam Donations

    Posted 03-25-2024 08:12 AM

    Hi All,

    We are the recipient of donations being made in memory of one of our alums. we acknowledge the donors, but am wondering how you notify the family that donations have been made in their family member's memory. Do you acknowledge as the donations come in or do you send one letter with all the donations listed? I don't believe we'll be getting many (we have 3-4 so far), but am wondering what best practice is.

    Thanks for any guidance!



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    Donna Stoetzner
    Indian Mountain School
    donna_stoetzner@indianmountain.org
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  • 2.  RE: In Memoriam Donations

    Posted 03-25-2024 08:20 AM
    The answer is that it depends.

    If you do not anticipate many memorial gifts, I would notify the family as they come in.

    However, if there is an expectation of large volumes - with the family considering the creation of a named fund - I'd probably go to a weekly or monthly list and frequent conversations with the family regarding plans to establish a formal memorial fund.

    John

    John H. Taylor, Principal
    John H. Taylor Consulting, LLC
    2604 Sevier Street
    Durham, NC     27705

    919.816.5903 (cell/text)

    Serving the Advancement Community Since 1987




    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: In Memoriam Donations

    Posted 03-25-2024 08:27 AM

    Thank you!!



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    Donna Stoetzner
    Indian Mountain School
    donna_stoetzner@indianmountain.org
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: In Memoriam Donations

    Posted 03-26-2024 08:31 AM

    We provide a list of donors and their addresses to the family. We do NOT include any information about the amounts of the gifts. A $5 gift is treated the same as a $50k gift. If there are a large number of contributions or if the family has also reached out to us, a development officer will work with them and may "hand deliver" the donor lists.



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    Lianna Bodzin
    Colorado School of Mines
    lbodzin@mines.edu
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: In Memoriam Donations

    Posted 03-26-2024 09:14 AM
    We do the same: We provide a list of donors and their addresses to the family. We do NOT include any information about the amounts of the gifts. 

    I have sometimes wondered, though, if sharing the addresses with the family is okay for everyone. We've never heard any concern from donors at this practice, but it has made me wonder.

    Gwen




    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: In Memoriam Donations

    Posted 03-27-2024 07:47 AM

    While I would love to send acknowledgements within 48 hours of receiving a gift, that has not been the practice for this office. (I'm working on it.) We send acknowledgements once a week, including tributes. If there is more than one gift IMO/IHO someone (and the person to receive the notification for the gifts is the same) we send one letter with an enclosed list.

    At previous organizations, where we processed acknowledgements daily, if we were expecting multiple gifts in tribute of someone, we would run them weekly with a list. Otherwise, tributes were sent as gifts were received. Generally speaking, if we were mentioned in the obit, we planned on sending weekly tribute notifications.



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    Michelle Lancto
    Elms College
    lanctom@elms.edu
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    Original Message


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