Is your organization part of a larger statewide, regional or national organization? Imagine the positive financial impact of having your entire organization using the Benevon model. Rather than each local office "doing its own thing"—generally, that random smattering of direct mail, grant-writing and special events—what if your entire organization had adopted the same system and was implementing it across the board?

We work with many such organizations that are committed to getting off that treadmill of year-to-year survival. Like yours, these organizations are doing wonderful work and have many loyal donors who may be giving smaller amounts through the mail or at special events. What if all of this could be turned into a coordinated system, a recipe, customized to your organization's unique mission?

What would that look like?

First, there would be one common Point of Entry^®. Rather than each local office having to design its own Point of Entry format (including Facts, Emotional Hook^™, and a system for capturing and tracking names), there would be a template provided by the national office. That template could then be customized somewhat by each local chapter, yet would still convey the essence of the organization's brand. The handouts at the Point of Entry would be centrally designed to reflect the key themes your brand seeks to convey. There would also be a template for a Visionary Leader^™ talk and an Essential Story^™. There would even be suggestions for types of testimonial speakers, what to show people on a tour (if you are able to do a tour), and a common sign-in card to Capture the Names. All of these materials would be branded with your organization's signature look.

As for the Follow-Up Call, there would be a common script, a standardized Follow-Up Call template, and a common tracking system, using the same codes and notation format to track data throughout the organization. As donors progress through the Cultivation Superhighway^™, each contact would be tracked and next steps noted, all using a common system.

Each local office would put on its own Ask Event, following the same format. The national office would provide a template for the Ask Event program, scripts for the Visionary Leader Talk, and sample scripts for the testimonial speakers and Pitch Person. There would be a powerful and inspiring seven-minute video, produced and provided by the national office, which delineated the organization's central mission, including specific examples. There would be a centrally-designed pledge card and all donors would be asked to become part of a centralized Multiple-Year Giving Society^™, with consistently named giving levels, so that they could be recognized both locally and nationally for their gifts.

There would be agreed-upon Free Feel-Good Cultivation Events^™, such as the annual awards ceremonies which each local chapter is already putting on, and a suggested program outline for how to ensure that these events also serve as Points of Re-Entry for prior donors as well as mini-Point of Entry Events for potential donors.

All of the materials would be graphically standardized and designed by the national office to ensure consistency.

Furthermore, the Benevon Model would be coordinated by a central staff person at the national office. This person would track the best practices of the local offices and facilitate sharing of successes and challenges through national conference calls and an internal list-serv.

Over time, a strong base of Multiple-Year Donors would develop—donors who are truly committed to the mission of the organization. Using a systematic approach to ongoing cultivation and Follow-Up, many of these same donors would increase their level of giving for unrestricted needs and also begin to give to capital needs and endowment. They would become ideal candidates for planned gifts. Eventually, many of these major donors would become board members, either at the local or national level.

Rather than relying on already overloaded local office staff to customize each aspect of the Benevon Model to their organization, this central approach streamlines the process and allows the national office to provide critical "value-added" components. If followed over time, this approach will transform your statewide, regional or national organization into a cohesive fundraising unit, allowing local staff to implement the model systematically at the local level, knowing they are part of a larger, well-coordinated effort.