See You at the 2007 PledgeMaker Users' Group Conference
The annual Users' Group Conference is just around the corner, and as always we're planning a great time. We have a fantastic line-up of informative Conference sessions - including a sneak peek at Project Phoenix - and some exciting evening excursions. Not to mention this year's Caribbean-themed welcome dinner which should not be missed.
For the latest information about Conference sessions, activities, and registration, visit www.pledgemaker.com/conference07.asp.
We look forward to seeing all of our PledgeMaker users in Niagara Falls.
Dave Spacone, CEO
Improve Prospect and Donor Contacts with Moves Management
Use PledgeMaker to set goals, track information, and establish a foundation for implementing an effective moves management strategy for your organization.
Every nonprofit organization wants to turn prospects into donors. A moves management strategy can help your organization quickly migrate key prospects from prospective donor to major or planned giver.
A moves management strategy helps fundraisers identify, systematically track, and move prospects and donors through a series of contacts to prepare them for solicitation. This helps an organization coordinate solicitor activities, streamline daily operations, and ultimately improve bottom line results.
An effective moves management strategy increases the success rate of solicitor actions and assignments, direct marketing messages, and campaign appeals by allowing you to identify what works for your organization in the way of major donor cultivation. A moves management strategy also allows you to standardize processes by establishing best practices in managing prospective donors.
PledgeMaker provides all the tools your organization needs to implement an effective moves management strategy. You can record, track, store, and share all the information your organization collects in one centralized location. Coordinate all activities between different departments and solicitors within your organization using PledgeMaker as the platform to collect, analyze, and report on results.
To establish a moves management strategy for your organization, first assess your current process in order to identify what is working well and where you have room for improvement. Determine whether you have the staff, training, and tools necessary to move prospects and donors through your pipeline effectively. Then, formalize the process by which you manage the identification, qualification, cultivation, and solicitation of key prospects and donors. The process you use to move key prospects and donors through your pipeline should be closely aligned with your organization’s specific goals, objectives, and mission.
To learn more about using PledgeMaker to implement a moves management strategy for your organization, contact Sales at 800.442.9211 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
(Sources: SofTrek Corporation; technewsworld.com; The NonProfit Times)
IRS Establishes Regulations for Public Disclosure of Form 990-T
The IRS has established guidance under which section 501(c)(3) organizations must make Form 990-T available for public inspection.
Editor’s Note: The following article is intended to be informational only. Consult your tax advisor for specific information about public disclosure
of Form 990-T.
In May, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Notice 2007-45 as interim guidance on the new Form 990-T public disclosure requirement.
Under the Pension Protection Act of 2006, public disclosure has been extended to Form 990-T, Exempt Organization Business Income Tax Return, related to reporting of unrelated business taxable income incurred by section 501(c)(3) organizations. All Forms 990-T filed after August 17, 2006 are subject to public disclosure.
Section 501(c)(3) organizations that file Form 990-T are now required to make their tax returns available to the public upon request. Even organizations, such as churches, that are not required to publicly disclose their Form 990 must still disclose their Form 990-T. An organization must respond immediately to in-person requests and within 30 days to written requests.
The disclosure provision applies to an exact copy of the Form 990-T filed, including all schedules, attachments, and supporting documents. An alternative to providing hard copies of requested documents is for an organization to make documents available free of charge on its website and to direct requestors to the site.
To view IRS Notice 2007-45, visit http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-07-45.pdf.
For information on nonprofit tax basics including unrelated business income, visit http://www.stayexempt.org.
(Sources: irs.gov; GuideStar.org; cof.org; StayExempt.org)
PledgeMaker Version 4.4.2.1 Released
SofTrek recently released PledgeMaker version 4.4.2.1, which includes several enhancements to prospect, reports, and utilities. Specific enhancements include: use of non-Microsoft email clients with the Contact module; inclusion of response type in email response reports; addition of encryption key change utility; ability to modify scheduler wording to list File Transfer rather than FTP; addition of segmentation optimizer version parameter; and ability to store donor growth analysis coding on prospects.
For more information about PledgeMaker version 4.4.2.1 and all related enhancements, contact Client Services at 800.442.9211 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
IRS Provides Guidance on Political Activities of Nonprofits
Editor’s Note: The following article is intended to be informational only. Consult your attorney for advice about political activities of exempt organizations.
As election season approaches, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently issued guidance as expected on political activities by nonprofit organizations.
IRS Revenue Ruling 2007-41 provides guidelines for organizations exempt by section 501(c)(3) surrounding the tax law prohibition of political campaign activities. Nonprofits cannot support or oppose candidates for public office. Violations of this ruling may result in loss of an organization’s tax-exempt status. Certain activities, such as voter registration drives, voter education forums, and political debates are permissible provided they are conducted in a non-partisan and unbiased manner.
The ruling, which covers a wide range of situations and focuses on several meaningful factors, describes 21 factual situations involving activities by exempt organizations that may be prohibited campaign intervention. In each situation, the ruling applies tax law and regulations and concludes whether prohibited political activity has or has not occurred.
If your organization is considering any type of political activity, consult the IRS ruling. View the complete ruling at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rr-07-41.pdf.
(Sources: irs.gov; GuideStar.org; CharityGovernance.com)
The Basics of Building Donor Loyalty
Building donor loyalty is more than just tactical; it is a mindset that views donors as the most important part of an organization.
A nonprofit organization typically sets fundraising goals in terms of dollars. However, the most important goal should be to build a base of loyal, supportive donors. In general, the longer a donor gives to an organization, the more frequent and larger the gifts become.
Organizations are not entitled to donor loyalty; they must earn and constantly re-earn it. Building donor loyalty is mostly common sense and the willingness to keep at it. Donors are consumers and demand choices. They attach their loyalty to organizations that accommodate them. Serve donors in ways that make giving both simple and satisfying.
Don’t wait for the right time to build donor loyalty; do it all the time. Make donors feel like a direct part of the effort to carry out your organization’s mission.
Donor loyalty is achieved by responding to donors with active cultivation, careful consideration, and respectful appreciation.
Strive to understand the needs and wants of each donor. Then, create relevant messaging and tailor campaigns to targeted segments of donors.
Building donor loyalty is possible; it is simply hard work on the part of those fundraisers who are thoroughly prepared and committed.
(Sources: SofTrek Corporation; DMANF Journal; charitychannel.com; raise-funds.com)
Maintain Top Relationships with Your Donors
Maintaining the relationships you establish with a donor is the best way to ensure continued support of your organization's mission. There are several keys to maintaining top donor relationships.
Be resourceful. Conduct research about the donor before making contact and update that research regularly. Tailor your methods and messaging based on the donor’s interests and preferences.
Be committed and meticulous. Keep accurate records of all contacts with the donor, including dates and individuals involved. Track cultivation of the donor and share information within your organization.
Be prompt and personal. Once a gift is received, thank the donor promptly and often with letters, phone calls, visits, and in publications and at events.
Be visible. Keep the donor informed of your work to build knowledge of and trust in your organization, thereby improving the chances for continued support.
Above all, remember that donors are your customers and deserve the best care you can provide.
(Sources: SofTrek Corporation; nonprofit.about.com)
News & Notes
2007 Users' Conference
The PledgeMaker Users’ Conference is quickly approaching (July 29 through August 1) but there’s still time to register! Visit
www.pledgemaker.com/ conference07.asp for the latest session details, evening activities, and registration information. Join us for informative sessions like multi-channel marketing, report writing, and the latest industry trends. Plus, our Margaritaville welcome dinner should not be missed! We’ll see you in the Falls.
What's On Your Mind?
Is there a fundraising topic about which you would like to know more? Are you wondering how to most efficiently use a particular PledgeMaker feature? Do you have a general comment about Insights or eTips? Let us know what’s on your mind! Email
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If I knew then...
Calling all fundraising professionals! You’ve likely had several “if I knew then what I know now” moments in your career. Share your fundraising lessons learned with Insights. We’ll collect and publish your valuable lessons in a future issue. Send them via email to
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Links and Resources
The NonProfit Times (www.nptimes.com)
The print publication's website offers selected articles from current and archived issues. The resource directory lists contact information for service-related organizations. You can also search the employment section or subscribe to enewsletters.
Fundsnet Services Online (www.fundsnetservices.com)
Search the Fundsnet Services free, comprehensive fundraising and grants directory for funders, funding resources, and scholarship opportunities. The site includes a section organized by subject area. In addition, most links on the site are annotated.
CharityFocus (www.charityfocus.org)
CharityFocus is an all volunteer nonprofit that organizes volunteers at no charge to create and market websites for other nonprofits. Find local CharityFocus chapters, read Smile Stories, or sign up to receive the DailyGood inspirational email.
The Nonprofiteer (http://nonprofiteer.typepad.com)
The anonymous blogger focuses on current issues affecting all types of nonprofits. Check out recent posts, read comments, and browse past issues by category. The blog also includes links to several nonprofit resources. Email your questions to The Nonprofiteer or sign up to receive the blog's daily feed.
"If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it." - William Arthur Ward
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