Joanne Oppelt Raises Another Big Investment Using Major Gifts Ramp-Up celebrates a veteran fundraiser who raised a second million dollar gift raised within 45 days of her last. Last month we shared about a $1.5 million gift she brokered. Well, she’s don it again! Joanne Oppelt is a senior counselor with Development Systems International. Here’s what she has to share:
I raised another $2.5 million last week in Las Vegas using Major Gifts Ramp-Up. It was from Steve. He was relatively new to the organization and had never given a financial gift to HopeLink before.
Steve was born an entrepreneur. He has been starting, scaling, and selling businesses since he was seventeen, including an overnight delivery service and an airline. His current venture is a solar energy company.
The previous executive director had recruited him for board service. She met him at a corporate event seeking information regarding solar for four agency-owned homes. After meeting him, she thought he would make a good member. Steve accepted her offer.
At his second board meeting, she resigned. Steve’s introduction to HopeLink was one of chaos.
Joanne Oppelt Raises Another Big Investment Using Major Gifts Ramp-Up
Steve and other board members appointed Aaron the new CEO. After his appointment, Aaron immediately arranged for a one-on-one meeting with him. Steve chose a dinner meeting at a private club rooftop restaurant in the most prestigious building in town. Aaron asked Steve to serve on the Hope for a Home (a non-fundraising awareness event) host committee. Steve was honored to lend his name to the invitation.
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In May, he attended the luncheon where he was fully immersed in HopeLink’s case for support. He was impressed. When Aaron called him to arrange a follow-up meeting, Steve was more than willing. He was vested in HopeLink’s wellbeing.
I thought Steve was a great donor prospect. Even though he had never given, he was engaged and could provide a large campaign gift, as evidenced by his choice of dinner venues. I asked to meet him. Aaron called and arranged a midday meeting.
“You’ll like him,” Aaron told me when I got to town. “He’s a character. I’m interested in your impressions after meeting him.”
“He has the capacity to give a big gift,” I said. “I’m going to ask him for $2.5 million.” (Two and a half million was the second largest gift on our gift range chart.)
Aaron laughed. “I can’t wait to see the look on Steve’s face when you ask for so much.” Aaron didn’t believe we could get that large a gift from someone so new to the organization who had never made a financial contribution.
“Let’s listen to him and what he says before jumping to any conclusions,” I said.
Aaron and I drove to meet Steve. As we were introduced, I saw a middle-aged, short-haired, trim man sporting a light beard. He wore a brightly colored floral shirt, khaki pants, and sandals. He looked one cut above a Hawaiian beach bum. I shook his hand.
“Pleased to meet you,” I said.
“Likewise,” Steve said.
VISIT HERE TO MEET JOANNE OPPELT AT A 2-DAY MAJOR GIFTS RAMP-UP EVENT
“How are you today?” Aaron asked. “What has been keeping you busy?”
Steve’s eyes lit up as he shared the status of his business and the spread of solar energy in the community. He talked about his lobbying efforts and meetings with the Governor’s office. He spoke for a full five minutes, leaning toward Aaron to emphasize important points.
“It sounds like solar is your passion,” I said to Steve as he leaned back in his chair and stopped speaking. Steve nodded. I turned and asked Aaron, “Why don’t you tell Steve about your plans for your new office building?”
Aaron explained how a well-known architect had donated his design services in exchange for award submissions. He also described how a local church was in the final stages of decision-making regarding a plot of land they owned in exchange for operating the food pantry, using the kitchen, and facilitating community group meetings such as Girl Scouts and AA as part of the building’s use.
“How many square feet is the building?” Steve questioned.
“Twenty-four thousand,” Aaron replied.
“And how much roof space?” Steve queried.
“Twelve thousand, I think. I may be off. I’d have to ask the architect,” Aaron answered.
“How many windows?” Steve pursued.
“I have no idea,” Aaron said.
“Well, solar for a building that size will cost about $1.5 million. Energy-efficient windows and doors will probably cost another $100,000. To give you more exact numbers, I’d have to see the plans.”
Aaron breathed deeply. “I’d like you to contribute to the project. Where your giving fits in, I have no idea.”
“I do,” I stated. Steve turned towards me. I pulled out the campaign gift range chart and handed it to him. “These are the different gift levels we have for the campaign and how many gifts we need at each level. We were thinking your gift would be at this level.” I pointed to $2.5 million.
“Cash or in-kind?” Steve asked.
“Whatever meets your needs,” I said. I stayed silent while Steve took in what I had requested.
VISIT HERE TO MEET JOANNE OPPELT AT A 2-DAY MAJOR GIFTS RAMP-UP EVENT
He thought for a moment, then said, “A 24,000-square-foot building with 12,000 square feet of roof space is about $1.5 million. The windows and doors are another $100,000. How do we reach the $2.5 million?”
I didn’t say a word.
Steve sat up straight. “I can give it to operating,” he said.
“I hear you saying that you would like to donate $1.6 million to solar the building and $900,000 to operations. Is that correct?” I asked.
Steve nodded. “I have to talk to my business partner and finalize the numbers, but yes, that is what I’m saying. Of course, I would like to be involved in the planning.”
Aaron shook his head yes, in disbelief of what had just transpired.
“Aaron, can you get a hold of Darrel this afternoon so he and Steve can talk?” I enquired.
“Yes,” Aaron said. ‘I’ll do that as soon as I get back to the office. You will have his number by close of business.”
“When do you need the money?” Steve asked.
“For the building, sometime over the next two years after we secure the land. I expect to know about the land in six weeks. As far as the $900,000 goes, we were thinking over three years.” Aaron replied.
Steve nodded again. “Sounds good,” he said. “Just to clarify, I have to talk to my business partner and get the exact numbers down. Talking to the architect will help. I’ll be in Hawaii this weekend and in Phoenix on Monday and Tuesday. I can get to this Wednesday.
“I’ll call you on Thursday,” Aaron said.
Steve got up from the table. “Good. We’ll get the details down then,” he said. “It was certainly nice meeting you today.”
“Thank you for helping us be the best we can be,” Aaron said. “Thank you for all you do for us.”
Simply put, Major Gifts Ramp-Up works so well I wrote a book about to ensure my colleagues enjoy the same success I have.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joanne Oppelt has spent over thirty years in nonprofit sector helping large and small nonprofits alike. She has worked across multiple areas including the arts, child welfare, disabilities, early childhood education, maternal and child health, mental health, public health at-risk youth, and more. She has trained thousands of fundraisers and authored or co-authored more than twenty books on fundraising and nonprofit development. Joanne’s extensive background with such a side variety of 501(c)(3) organizations Ha enabled her to have a specialized insight into understanding the challenges nonprofits face both internally and externally. Her years of working in the nonprofit sector have given her the gift of knowing exactly what it takes to run successful fundraising campaigns that are not only completed on time, but also cone in under over goal. Joanne holds a B.A. in education for Bethany University and a Masters in health administration form Wilkes University, where she graduated with distinction. She has devoted her life to helping organizations she’s had the privilege to be involved with and impact the world in a significant way.
