Hi all,

When you enter a new Constituent Record for a person that is getting a tribute set up in their name, what Constituent Code do you use?

We are running into a few folks who have no connection to our organization other than someone wants to set up an award in their name. Peter Gulka
Database Administrator
NAIT Development Office
Edmonton AB Canada
email: [Email Removed]
www.nait.ca/buildingondemand

Hi Peter, We get a lot of gifts from tributes. I use a constituent code of Tribute. This way we know why the person came to our database and what type of appeal they may respond to. We also realize that this may be the only gift from them. I might mark them inactive sooner than another type of donor. We plan to incorporate an interactive tribute related giving site. Knowing that people came to our database connected with someone else allows us to offer other ways for them to pay tribute to the people who are important to them. Sorry - long story for a short answer. Nora Isaac Manager, Information Technology The ALS Association, Greater Phila. Chapter [Email Removed]

We have recently chenged our constituent code list to be just a very short list and so they would just be individual. However, we would be very careful about what solicit codes to give them to be sure they only get appropriate mailings, if any.

We actually have a solicit code of tribute donor which goes on records for single gift tribute donors so we can easily exclude them from all inappropriate mailings. Melissa S. Graves
Manager, Development Database & Direct Mail
Planned Parenthood of Connecticut
[Email Removed]
203-752-2804

I use the consituency code of individual and attributes to describe characteristics about them.

Melissa, I love the idea of using a solicit/attribute code to identify one-time tribute donors. Do you find that you run into any that give again that you'd have to "remember" to remove that code for? I'm always nervous about adding a code like that based on giving, but it would make my mailing queries a LOT easier! Right now I have a query set up for those donors and have to either use the Segment Tab or merge the queries to remove them from mailings. I guess my question is...have you run into any pitfalls using the solicit code? THANKS! Jodi Rostek Director of Donor Records Administration Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey [Email Removed] [i]--- Edited at 4/19/2006 8:52:34 AM by Jodi Rostek[/i]

Because we only send them our 3 x a year newsletter which does have a reply device someone could mase a second gift. (which is good). If we remember we do remove the tribute donor code but if not then they at least continue to get the same newsletter. I occasionally (2-3 times a year) query on this situation and remove them and put them on direct solicitations if they make a secondary gift. I think that it could cause probelms depending on what mailings you decide to send people with the attribute. You may want to consider this carefully before you use this. Melissa S. Graves Manager, Development Database & Direct Mail Planned Parenthood of Connecticut [Email Removed] 203-752-2804

We have our tributes setup with the Constitutent ID beginning with TRIB followed by a number. I am glad this topic was raised because I started looking at my tributes and found out that out of 1200 tributes only 49 have an address. I will have to check these people to see if they are a memorial or a honor. We also code some of these tributes with a Solicit code of Deceased or Bad Address. By using the TRIB in the ID field, I can query on this and exclude the tributes. I now see that I have some clean up work to do in my database, Thank you. Don Sabo Forum Health Youngstown, Ohio 330-884-4814 [Email Removed]

Don, When someone makes a tribute gift (as opposed to receives a tribute) do they also get this TRIB ID? What do you do if they make secondary non Trib gifts - do they keep the TRIB and consitnue to get excluded or do you remove the TRIB? *** my spelling is fine, it's my typing that stinks. Where is spell check? Melissa S. Graves Manager, Development Database & Direct Mail Planned Parenthood of Connecticut [Email Removed] 203-752-2804

We only use the TRIB for constituents for whom the gift is given. Joe Shblonick died and people want to give money in his name. So when Melissa gives $1,000,000 to his memory, we add Joe to our database and his ID would be TRIB501. When we add Melissa to our database her record and gift would be added like any other new constitutent. We code the appeal as Tribute for this gift. We also have Bequest as another appeal. Don Sabo Forum Health Youngstown, Ohio 330-884-4814 [Email Removed]