Charitable organizations know that memorial giving (aka tribute giving) is an effective fundraising channel. In most cases, tribute gifts simply come in the door with little or no effort on the part of the recipient organization. Yet there are three simple things organizations can take to maximize these contributions: enable online tribute giving, educate donors about the process of setting up memorials, and engage with funeral directors.

A quick scan of the Death Notices section in yesterday’s Philadelphia Inquirer revealed the following nuggets of information:

• 31 out of 45 obituaries requested memorial donations in lieu of flowers – that’s almost 70%!
• obituaries recommended contributions to the following types of charities (percentages don’t total 100 because of rounding):
  • 26% – healthcare organizations (hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, etc.)
  • 24% – disease related charities (autism, cancer, diabetes, etc.)
  • 12% – social service agencies (catholic charities, make-a-wish, etc.)
  • 12% – religious organizations (churches)
  • 12% – charity of the donor’s choice (this is a cop out of if you ask me – pick a charity!)
  • 9% – animal services (SPCA, humane society)
  • 6% – civic organizations (rotaries, lions)
• 89% of obituaries included the charity’s name and address while 9%  listed only the organization’s name; one obituary listed a phone number and website.

Why is this data important and what can we learn from it? First, let’s think about that one obituary that listed a website. It was for a loved one of mine, and I happened to help write it. We wanted to select an organization that served animals. We also wanted to make giving as easy as possible for family and friends. The first organization we had in mind, the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, didn’t offer any method for online giving. The second organization we thought of, the Humane Society of Atlantic County, could only process online donations through PayPal with no fields to indicate the gift was a tribute. We finally settled on the national Humane Society since their website could handle tributes. From the perspective of a family member attempting to select an appropriate charity, having an honor/memorial-friendly website can be a deciding factor. I can tell you that this was not the first time I had written an obituary and in all cases, I selected an organization that offered online memorial giving.

Aside from making the process of giving easy for donors, what else does driving a potential donee to your website offer your organization? An important opportunity for engagement! When obituaries only list addresses, donors may dutifully mail contributes. It’s a friend-raising opportunity completely lost! If the obituary had listed your website instead of or in addition to your address, that potential donor would have had to click through your pages. During that short transaction, your organization would have had the chance to educate the donor about your mission, your impact, and your services.  You would have had a few minutes to potentially turn a one-time donor into a friend, an advocate, and/or a future supporter. What’s more? You would have had the chance to capture donor data. When donors mail a check without a reply device or form, they don’t know to tell you how they want to be recognized, whether they want to receive future communications, whether they work for a company that matches gifts, etc. If they had donated online, you could have asked them each of those things and more – positioning you to both better steward their contribution and raise funds from them in the future.

First two lessons learned? One, get your online giving program up and running and ensure that whatever tool you use can accommodate tributes. Two, create a page on your website and/or in your printed materials that gives donors an overview of tribute giving – why it’s important, how to set up a memorial, and *what to list in an obituary*.

That brings me to my last point. What’s another simple and pretty much free method for actively increasing tribute giving? Network with your local funeral directors. The bereaved don’t always have a specific charity in mind and often ask their funeral director for recommendations. Make sure your local funeral directors have your brochures or cards on hand, know your website URL, and have the contact information for your organization should a bereaved family need more information.

Don’t get passed over for an organization that has their tribute act together. Update your website, educate your donors, and reach out to local funeral homes!

Contact Vive Consulting for more information on setting up an online fundraising program.

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