Q: I have a question about the Wish List at the Point of Entry^®. How can we avoid having people focus only on things in our Wish List when we have a needs list that supersedes it in importance? My concern is that we'll have people donating the things on our Wish List, and our basic needs will remain.

Craig in Indiana

A: When you write your organization's Wish List, make sure to only include items that your organization actually needs, not items that are just "wants." Every organization has practical, useful items that they really need. As an example, a Wish List for a school might include items such as school supplies, clothing, computers, and science equipment. Keep in mind that the items on your Wish List should not have dollar amounts attached; asking for money comes much later, and there are many other points in the process to showcase your larger needs.

Your Wish List is intended to give potential donors a chance to become involved by first contributing in-kind gifts and testing the organization out to see how their gifts are received. If they are treated well, many of those donors will move on to give financial gifts after further cultivation and involvement.

Terry