Before the reign of STF, donors to Athletics used to get a thank you letter from Athletics (in addition to the receipt from the Foundation). Since STF came on board, these letters have stopped. The letters used to thank donors for their donation and reassure them how important they are. Often, the letter contained a short message handwritten by the signer. Now, donors just get the receipt from the Foundation. Anybody else notice this?

The AD and Associate AD in charge of gifts at another regional university are acquaintances of mine. They told me that they acknowledge every gift with a thank you letter - even the $10 gifts. Those who donate at higher levels get a more personalized letter. Every letter has a couple words of thanks hand-written on it. The Associate AD told me that people have lots of choices where to donate their money and when they choose your institution, they should be acknowledged and thanked. It's a way to show your appreciation, keep your name in front of them, and help groom them for future donations.

It's not a lot of work. The computer spits out the letter and then someone signs it. It tales less time than it did for the donor to complete the donation form and write the check.

Do you feel that Athletics should acknowledge gifts with a thank you letter or do you not care?

I'm a small donor...

I'm totally cool with receipt/letter.

On similar note, a slight change to my Season Ticket renewal request service was followed up on promptly by several in the office. (Forgetting names right now....shame on me...)

Perfectly fine with the receipt letter. STF has made his appreciation felt verbally quite often. I think it's understood by most donors. I'm not what you'd call high maintenance on this one and I give at least a grand every year.

My two cents: I'm giving because I want to, period. I don't need any kind of acknowledgement. Maybe there's data that shows giving increases with acknowledgement in which case they should do more of it I guess but personally I don't care about it.

(05-17-2018 10:31 AM)NIU1981 Wrote:  My two cents: I'm giving because I want to, period. I don't need any kind of acknowledgement. Maybe there's data that shows giving increases with acknowledgement in which case they should do more of it I guess but personally I don't care about it.

Amen!

I've gotten 2 letters and 1 post card since renewing my season tickets and giving my yearly donation in April, all were read and then thrown out.

I was on the board of a local non-profit with a pretty nice sized budget. The board made an effort to divide up the list of regular donors and send handwritten thank yous for continued support. It isn't expected by most people, but it certainly helps them feel like their donation is noticed.

I don't expect a handwritten letter to go out to every person donating to NIU. However, they can do much, much better in this category.

It is all a part of development. NIU doesn't do this well.

(05-17-2018 08:41 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  Before the reign of STF, donors to Athletics used to get a thank you letter from Athletics (in addition to the receipt from the Foundation). Since STF came on board, these letters have stopped. The letters used to thank donors for their donation and reassure them how important they are. Often, the letter contained a short message handwritten by the signer. Now, donors just get the receipt from the Foundation. Anybody else notice this?

The AD and Associate AD in charge of gifts at another regional university are acquaintances of mine. They told me that they acknowledge every gift with a thank you letter - even the $10 gifts. Those who donate at higher levels get a more personalized letter. Every letter has a couple words of thanks hand-written on it. The Associate AD told me that people have lots of choices where to donate their money and when they choose your institution, they should be acknowledged and thanked. It's a way to show your appreciation, keep your name in front of them, and help groom them for future donations.

It's not a lot of work. The computer spits out the letter and then someone signs it. It tales less time than it did for the donor to complete the donation form and write the check.

Do you feel that Athletics should acknowledge gifts with a thank you letter or do you not care?

I always receive the receipt letter and a second thank you letter from athletics or the NIU Foundation. The one I received a couple of days ago was from the Foundation.

It’s possible Dog Fan isn’t receiving thank-you letter because STF has uncovered his identity. Remember a few years ago when MD’s 20-year season ticket files vanished after months of STF rants?

Or maybe Dog Fan's thank-you letters are being sent to his old address at the Paperback Grotto...

I don't need or want letters, receipts, thank you's etc. I would rather the costs of staff time to type and prepare for mailing, the cost of the paper, ink, envelopes, etc. and the postage costs are better spent on other things athletics needs. The receipts showing what percentage was tax deductible were nice but Draft Dodging Deceitful Drumf, did away with that.

(05-19-2018 12:12 PM)cagy cager Wrote:  I don't need or want letters, receipts, thank you's etc. I would rather the costs of staff time to type and prepare for mailing, the cost of the paper, ink, envelopes, etc. and the postage costs are better spent on other things athletics needs. The receipts showing what percentage was tax deductible were nice but Draft Dodging Deceitful Drumf, did away with that.

Give the man a break, he had horrible bone spurs.

I tend to agree with Dog Fan and GBF that NIU can do a better job of making donors, season ticket holders, et al feel more appreciated. Like '81, I give because I want to, and someday someone's going to have to pry my season tickets from my cold, dead hands. But not everyone feels that way, and if sincere thank you notes and calls get some people to keep giving, then NIU needs to up its game. My wife and I are going to North Central to see 10,000 Maniacs tonight. When I bought the tickets months ago, a window popped up asking if we'd like to donate $5 to North Central's arts program. Sure, why not. About a month later I got a hand written note from a student in the arts dept thanking us for our donation and telling us what it was used for. I had to rack my brain to figure out when I had donated to NC, and then I remembered. I was impressed! It really doesn't take that much effort. Football players know how to write...

(05-19-2018 05:30 PM)HW58 Wrote:  I tend to agree with Dog Fan and GBF that NIU can do a better job of making donors, season ticket holders, et al feel more appreciated. Like '81, I give because I want to, and someday someone's going to have to pry my season tickets from my cold, dead hands. But not everyone feels that way, and if sincere thank you notes and calls get some people to keep giving, then NIU needs to up its game. My wife and I are going to North Central to see 10,000 Maniacs tonight. When I bought the tickets months ago, a window popped up asking if we'd like to donate $5 to North Central's arts program. Sure, why not. About a month later I got a hand written note from a student in the arts dept thanking us for our donation and telling us what it was used for. I had to rack my brain to figure out when I had donated to NC, and then I remembered. I was impressed! It really doesn't take that much effort. Football players know how to write...

NIU does this I got a post card in the mail from someone on the softball team thanking me for my last donation. Not sure why others didn't but I've always gotten at least 2 letters every donation I've ever made.

That's good to hear. I've never gotten anything like that. I have, though, gotten an occasional correspondence and voice message. I don't think NIU does a terrible job--they could just do a better job.

Older donors don’t really care about the fluff for donating, but there have been studies done that new donors, customers, etc are more likely to continue buying in if they feel appreciated ..... It wouldn’t hurt to get more buy in.

its just obvious, smart business to send out a thank you.

I'll tell you why I think Athletics should resume sending thank you acknowledgements to its donors. Making donations to support the department is not easy for many people. While donating is easy for some, others need to scrape donations together while others may save up through the year to make a bigger donation when the HAF donations are due. It is a sacrifice for some people. The least Athletics can do, IMO, is to say directly to its donors, "thank you, your funds are truly needed, and you are important". This used to be done before STF came on board. It makes people feel recognized and that their donation and they themselves are appreciated. And when it comes to donating again, at least the donors won't feel ignored. Plus, I have always been taught that when someone gives you something, you say "thank you". Will the world stop if they don't send these letters? No, but it's well worth a few minutes of labor cost and the price of a stamp. And, it's the right thing to do.

Nicely stated, Dog Fan. I was thinking about other ways NIU could make season ticket holders/donors feel appreciated. I was at the Stories from the Sidelines event for season ticket holders back in February. Took my son and we really enjoyed it. In retrospect, though, the Athletics Dept missed a golden opportunity to say "thanks" to the season ticket holders in a unique way. It seemed like everyone under the sun was introduced--the coaching staff, the players, the Huskies in the NFL, others who are part of the program--everyone that is except the season ticket holders. First and foremost, before introducing anyone else, they should have asked the season ticket holders to stand up as a group and be acknowledged with a round of applause. I don't need this personally, but I wouldn't have minded it either. NIU needs to look for opportunities like this and take advantage of them. This sort of no-cost, positive PR with the fans goes a long way.

(05-19-2018 02:55 PM)bikechuck Wrote:  

(05-19-2018 12:12 PM)cagy cager Wrote:  I don't need or want letters, receipts, thank you's etc. I would rather the costs of staff time to type and prepare for mailing, the cost of the paper, ink, envelopes, etc. and the postage costs are better spent on other things athletics needs. The receipts showing what percentage was tax deductible were nice but Draft Dodging Deceitful Drumf, did away with that.

Give the man a break, he had horrible bone spurs.

Yeah, gripping a pen really agitates those bone spurs.
Guess he and some of the folks in development didn't grow up with a mother who made them write thank you notes to relatives acknowledging birthday or Christmas gifts.
Sorry cagey, but if our athletes are being denied something they need because of the paper, ink, envelopes, postage and five minutes it might take for a staffer, coach or athlete to do this, then our Division i days are numbered.