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  • 1.  Using an offsite address for gifts?

    Posted 04-06-2023 04:30 PM

    Hi all,

     

    Does anyone use a PO Box or offsite address as their main address for receiving checks? We're a statewide org in California and currently direct gifts to each of our regions e.g. if you're in San Diego then you'll get the San Diego address on your return envelope in our mailing. We're looking at moving towards using a single address and a service that scans all mail, to avoid each region needing to mail gifts that they receive to headquarters where gifts are processed.

     

    Using the scanning service will allow us to process and acknowledge gifts faster, but I'm wondering if it will turn off donors to mail to an address in a different city when their aim is to support their local community. (Their gifts would still be designated towards their respective region regardless.)

     

    Anyone have any data points related to this, or having any opinions or advice?

     

    Thank you,

    Kayhan

     

    KAYHAN AZADI (he/him)
    Director of Philanthropy and Community Affairs
    (323) 640-1124
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    www.epath.org
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    HELP SOMEONE MAKE IT HOME TODAY! 

     



  • 2.  RE: Using an offsite address for gifts?

    Posted 04-07-2023 08:27 AM

    We moved to a bank lockbox address several years ago that was a PO BOX in a different city than our school.  When we made the change, we added verbiage to all of our solicitations explaining the change of address- faster gift processing, etc.  We left the language on there for about the first year I think.  We had very minimal issues/push back and our alums can be finicky.



    ------------------------------
    Jennifer Kenzor
    Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
    seddelme@rose-hulman.edu
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: Using an offsite address for gifts?

    Posted 04-07-2023 09:00 AM
    Jennifer explains the ideal process. Donors are accustomed to mailing to out-of-state PO Boxes. But in the interest of donor relations, it's best to let them know why you are doing something - for a while.

    It's the same with changing to a processed date on a receipt. When I've facilitated that change, we've included a short explanation on receipts during the first month of the year - and rarely hear a peep.

    It's all about communication!

    John

    John H. Taylor
    Principal
    John H. Taylor Consulting, LLC
    2604 Sevier St.
    Durham, NC   27705
    919.816.5903 (cell/text)

    Serving the Advancement Community Since 1987





    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Using an offsite address for gifts?

    Posted 04-14-2023 10:04 AM
    I worked for a regional foodbank and we got a lot of feedback for having an out-of-service area po box for our direct mail returns, so I moved the po box locally (direct mail returns were usps premium forwarded to the lockbox) and that cut down on the comments/concerns about their money helping the area we served.

    A colleague of mine who was at a foodbank that served a much larger geographic area had to have two po boxes for their direct mail replies because folks in a certain area of the state were very opposed to their donations going "outside" of the area for support (even though all areas were supported equally and direct mail donations were unrestricted). 

    It all depends on your donor base. If you do mention the regional change in the mailing address and donors are fine with it, it sounds like your organization should be ok. 

    Tara Zoltek
    Director of Advancement Services
    Direct 484-417-2728
    The Haverford School
    450 Lancaster Avenue
    Haverford, PA 19041






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