Bringing Donors Along on the Journey
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A Preliminary Investigation of Organizational Strategies in Transitioning from Residential to Family Care for Children
The Challenge Research suggests that children develop best in families. However, millions of children live in residential care centers worldwide. Many residential centers desire to transition their programs from a residential to a family-based model of care, but face barriers surrounding funding and donor support.
The Solution Understanding how transitioning models will impact donor support, as well as how organizations transitioning their models are engaging donors and what strategies have been helpful, is critical for NGOs to be successful in their transition.
Donors are key stakeholders that need to be actively engaged during the process of transitioning models.
How can organizations who desire to bring donors along as they transition their model of care learn from those who have already done so?
According to survey data from...
26 Non-
Governmental Organizational Leaders
serving
7,454 children & 27,888 families
11
in countries
who had already transitioned or were in the process of transitioning their programs:
Funding
Communication
Most programs (80.8%) reported an initial rise in costs, as they worked to develop familybased models of care while still maintaining their residential services.
The most helpful types of information when communicating with donors were plans for transition, stories from their own program, and research.
After the transition started and children began moving to family-based models, most programs reported their cost per child decreased.
Presenting donors with multiple types of information led to the most positive initial donor responses.
‘More financial support from donors and well wishers, as the processes are costly and very involved as the budgets are very high initially.’
Timing Many organizations reported involving donors from the very beginning of the process or soon after they had made the decision to transition. No organizations reported an explicitly negative response from donors when they initially learned of the transition.
Organizations should consider involving their donors early, often, and using multiple methods and types of communication to ensure successful long-term donor engagement while they transition their programs.
‘Effective and consistent storytelling and program explanations. Best if done in person, either through a trip or at an event.’
Gain/Loss of Donors 42% reported losing donors during the transition, but 69% reported that they gained donors as a result of the decision to transition services to family-based models of care. Organizations were able to regain any lost funding relatively quickly. Organizations were more likely to retain donors long term if they involved donors at the beginning of the transition process.
Effective donor engagement is a vital component to success in the transition from residential to family care.
Bringing Donors Along on the Journey
Tap for full article!
A Preliminary Investigation of Organizational Strategies in Transitioning from Residential to Family Care for Children
Recommendations for programs desiring to transition to family care
Plan Sufficient Time for a Transition Transitioning from residential care to family care requires substantial time and resources. Organizations will be more successful if they allow sufficient time to adequately raise awareness, plan, and engage stakeholders.
Create a Donor Communication Plan The donor communication plan is a combination of both messaging, channels of communication, and timing. It provides the who, what, where, when, and why for donor communications and fundraising campaigns. Utilizing multiple forms of communication makes it more likely donors will be able to receive information by the method of their preference.
Educate Donors by Highlighting Diverse Information By using diverse information to educate donors, such as using stories and plain language that donors will understand, organizations may make information about evidence-based practice more accessible to donors.
Make Donors a Part of the Story Reaffirming that the donor’s passion is fulfilled by the organization’s purpose, despite changes in programming, is key to maintaining longterm donor relationships. Educating, informing, and soliciting feedback from donors from the beginning of a transition from residential to family care may strengthen donor commitment and participation.
Share Small Victories Sharing stories of children desiring families, family reintegration, families strengthened by services, and other examples of positive program outcomes can help donors connect to the purpose of a transition.
The Bottom Line As the field of child welfare becomes increasingly aware of the need for children to be in families, many residential care programs will be well-positioned to transition their services from residential care to support family-based models of care. Although the need for establishing family-based systems of care is clear, the process of transitioning models is complex.
Findings indicate early involvement and a robust, multifaceted, and multi-layered communication strategy are imperative to long-term successful donor engagement for organizations that plan to transition their programs.
Based on research by Nicole Gilbertson Wilke, Amanda Hiles Howard, David King, and Brian Carroll