Beat the Heat, Conquer Congress
22/07/11 15:11
If you listen to the news for more than a few moments, there are only two big stories today. A nationwide heat wave is sending temperatures in the triple digits and Washington is an immense budget battle. Importantly, one of the things congress is discussing is eliminating or reducing the charitable income tax deduction.
While smart fundraisers know tax savings are rarely the incentive for giving, they are at least part of the equation and at worst, the lack of tax savings can be reason not to give. Yikes!
The broiling temperatures, however, have given all charities an opportunity to not only reach out to donors and build awareness, but to also show their relevancy to congress and the nation.
In your town RIGHT NOW news assignment editors are scrambling for stories to illustrate the heat. What will you give them? They need you. You need them. Don’t you? Call them and tell them what you are doing to help beat the heat.
Do anything, anything, cool and you will get free publicity. And your congressional representative will get a true and accurate taste of your relevancy and need for continued income tax deductions for your donors. You are only limited by your imagination. The media needs to tell your story TODAY. Will you let them? Think like a donor.
While smart fundraisers know tax savings are rarely the incentive for giving, they are at least part of the equation and at worst, the lack of tax savings can be reason not to give. Yikes!
The broiling temperatures, however, have given all charities an opportunity to not only reach out to donors and build awareness, but to also show their relevancy to congress and the nation.
In your town RIGHT NOW news assignment editors are scrambling for stories to illustrate the heat. What will you give them? They need you. You need them. Don’t you? Call them and tell them what you are doing to help beat the heat.
- If your organization has a parking lot off a major road, have you thought about giving bottled water to commuters this afternoon? Make a quick sign and buy a few bottles of water. Have a donation bucket at one end of the parking lot and cool drinks and a hose to cool off cars (not even washing them) to show you care.
- If you have a pool or just a large room (like a gym) with air conditioning, have you considered opening it to the public (or subset, like seniors or the poor) for the afternoon?
- Are you doing something fun, like having an ice cream social for your guests or residents? If you are a zoo are you giving your animals something special to cool off?
- If you are a gift officer, simply grab some water and take it to your donors. No one will turn away a cool drink today!
Do anything, anything, cool and you will get free publicity. And your congressional representative will get a true and accurate taste of your relevancy and need for continued income tax deductions for your donors. You are only limited by your imagination. The media needs to tell your story TODAY. Will you let them? Think like a donor.