Keeping in Touch
As your program progresses, you’ll want to keep your funders informed. It’s critical to the development of a long-term relationship that you do this, but you don’t want to overdo it and put them off.
To keep funders informed about your project and your charity, consider sending them the following:
• Invitations to events related to the program they funded. These could range from formal events (such as a concert or dinner) to sessions for clients (when the privacy of clients is not an issue).
• Copies of positive news coverage of the program. If you receive negative coverage, you might need to inform the funder with an explanation of why the coverage was negative and possibly a copy of a letter to the editor you have written, whether published or not.
• Copies of your publications that report on the program, such as your newsletter or new information posted on your website.
• Copies of any special publications created for or by the program, such as application forms, catalogs, or books created by clients.
The funder will probably expect to receive these things from you. Sending them in advance of formal reports helps keep the relationship going.
WORDS TO THE WISE
Scandals have rocked several charities in the last few years, which have led to greater scrutiny and public suspicion. Should there ever be even a hint in the press about a problem in your charity, contact your funders right away. You might not be able to turn a story around, but you can assure funders that you share their concerns about how their grant money is spent.
You might be tempted to share with the funder thankful letters you receive from clients, but I’d save these to include with a formal report.
Your charity might have other publications and events not related to the funded program. Be judicious in sending these to the funder. Just as with the proposal, you want to keep the funder’s focus on the project they have funded. You want to keep your charity in the forefront of the funder’s mind, but don’t go too far and be a pest. If the funder receives too much unrelated information, they might stop reading anything you send them.
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