When Jim Gislason of Vincennes, Ind., Lodge No. 291 was appointed ENF Chair in 1996, he decided to make it interesting. He made a bet against the Lodge Indoctrination Chair that every new member indoctrinated that year at their Lodge would become an ENF donor. Gislason has won that bet for 16 years running.
Gislason retains those new members by encouraging donors to open pledges so they’ll feel a commitment to contribute. He also solicits ENF donations with their Lodge’s dues mailing each year. He says 40-50% of dues-paying members will donate to the ENF in response to that mailing. He’s already retained nearly half of his donors when a year has just begun!
His retention efforts are paying off. Vincennes Lodge has six donors in the ENF Loyalty Club for 2011-12, meaning those members donated to the ENF during each of the past ten fiscal years.
How does he encourage long-time support?
“When donors understand the Foundation and what we do, they want to contribute every year,” Gislason insists. “It just happens.”
The ENF is proud to have Jim Gislason on our team. We certainly wouldn’t bet against him!