Hi- I'm new to this organization and there are no formal standards or processes in place in regard to gift receipt and acknowledgement. I understand the basics of what needs to get done but need some help around best practices. I've checked the policies and procedures manuals on this site and none have the info Im looking for. If you're able to fill me in with who in your organization is responsible for each component (title or level) along with your timeframe standards, I would be so appreciative. Feel free to respond on the forum or, if you think it would be easier to have a phone conversation, I'm happy to call you if you provide your #. Thanks so much in advance.
Fran Kantor
Director of Annual Giving
The Rashi School
Brookline MA
[Email Removed]

Most of these answers will depend on the size and type of your organization. We are a "Small" fund-raising foundation with about 6,000 constituents, hold about 5 fundraisers a year. We have a stand-alone version of RE and I do everything, record keeping, gift entry, event management, bookkeeping .........etc. Can you give a little more info on the size and responsibilitites of your dept and how many users, how many gifts and so on. Charmaine Desmeules Stand Among Friends Neurological Disabilities Boca Raton Florida [Email Removed]

We're pretty small too - we process around 650 or so gifts each year. We have an Advancement/Development Ass't who is reponsible for the gift entry into RE but it doesn't necessarily make sense to me that the decision as to Campaign, fund, appeal, etc. be left to her (we periodically have multiple initiatives occurring simultaneously). In addition, it is difficult for her to meet the timeframes for entering gifts and sending out acknowledgement letters that I feel are necessary. So, I'm trying to get a sense of how other organizations handle this process to put an appropriate and doable one in place for us. Thanks. Fran Kantor Director of Annual Giving The Rashi School Brookline MA [Email Removed]

We get about 10,000 gifts per year. We have a full-time Donor Relations Coordinator who does all data entry, runs all reports, and does all the pulls for the mailings. We use volunteers to mail out the letters & receipts. Our standard is that gifts are entered within 24 hours and letters/receipts go out within 48 hours. At a pinch, this can be extended to 72 hours, but that's about it. Trish Morgan Associate Director Pathways Hospice Foundation [Email Removed]

I process and enter about 800-1000 gift a year, as well as getting involved in many other areas of fund raising. When it comes to gift entry, I have 2 types. For all non-specified gifts I process them with TY letters as soon as they are received. If the gifts are attached to a particular event, I enter via batch, and then send TY letters about 2-3 weeks after the event. Does your assistant use Batch entry? Charmaine Desmeules Stand Among Friends Neurological Disabilities Boca Raton Florida [Email Removed]

Thanks to both of you. One more question -- who determines the campaign, fund and appeal that each gift to which each gift is credited? Fran Kantor Director of Annual Giving The Rashi School Brookline MA [Email Removed]

Example: The "Campaign" is WHY you are collecting money (A Building perhaps) The "Fund" is precisely WHAT you will buy with that money, (maybe furniture). The "Appeal" is HOW you intend to ask for the money, i.e., a mailing, an event. Charmaine Desmeules Stand Among Friends Neurological Disabilities Boca Raton Florida [Email Removed]

Charmaine- Sorry for not being clearer. I understand the definition of campaign, fund and appeal. What I am interested in knowing is who within your organization determines, for each gift received, the specific c, f and a to credit. Thanks so much. -Fran Fran Kantor Director of Annual Giving The Rashi School Brookline MA [Email Removed]

The gift entry person here in our organization does it. She looks at the reply device and it is coded with the appeal. That usually tells you also which fund and campaign it goes into. If it comes in a blank envelope the gift entry person looks into the record to see if a recent appeal was sent out or if a pledge payment is expected and makes her best detemination. If none can be made she will ask me or one of the Development Associates. If you set up a system here one or more persons must review all gifts before data entry you are likely going to make the process much longer and drawn out than it needs to be. The DE person can produce a data entry validation report after data entering and have someone review it and errors can be fixed but I'd just let one person determine this and enter the gift at the same time so acknowledgements can be produced in a timely manner. *** I can spell, I just can't type. Where is spell check? Melissa S. Graves Manager, Development Database & Direct Mail Planned Parenthood of Connecticut [Email Removed] 203-752-2804

Thanks very much Melissa - that's exactly the info I was looking for. Fran Kantor Director of Annual Giving The Rashi School Brookline MA [Email Removed]

We use accounting standards for handling the money and the gift entry person does not open the envelopes. Usually the Annual Campaign Director (or the Director of Development when needed) opens the mail and makes any notations on the gifts. In some cases it's the fund or purpose and in other cases it's a comment they want added to the acknowledgement letter. If the envelop contains cash, the person who opens the envelop writes the amount of cash on the envelop. Since we have 3 directors here, the envelopes are sent to each for review prior to going the data entry person. That way, if someone has a conflict with where the money goes, they can discuss before it's entered. This all occurs within about 20-30 minutes. This process is to protect the data entry person. Linda Gartrell Colorado Academy

We do similar to Melissa and code the remittance envelopes when used in conjunction with a mailing, or if the money is in response to an event then it speaks for itself. IF the money just shows up, I review their gift record to gauge how they have given in the past. If I cannot decide, then I'll make a coutesey call to them, if that fails, then it goes into the 'general' fund. Charmaine Desmeules Stand Among Friends Neurological Disabilities Boca Raton Florida [Email Removed]

We don't have a single Development Director, so my immediate supervisor, the Director of Annual Giving looks over the incoming gifts and makes notes on any that didn't come in with a response vehicle to say where they need to go. She usually has them to me within a half hour of when the mail comes in. Occasionally I'll find out after the fact that one of the other directors thought the money should go to a different fund. It wouldn't be feasable to have all three of them look over the gifts, though, as that would cause a huge delay in the processing. Data/Informations Systems Coordinator Columbus College of Art & Design

Thank you all for your very helpful responses. Fran Kantor Director of Annual Giving The Rashi School Brookline MA [Email Removed]