Difference in Appeal packages and Gift packages?

June Price

I am attempting to write a proceedures manual for RE data entry. I am trying to find good wording to describe what appeal packages are actually used for. I have searched this forum and user guides and knowledge base and haven't found a discussion on exactly what you enter into the package fields. I could have easily missed that though.

Is there a difference in the appeal package and the gift package?

Thanks for your help

JoAnn Strommen

Per Bill Connor's book, "Fundraising with the Raiser's Edge": 



Appeal indicates how the money was raised, what prompted the donor to make the gift.  Ex: July 2015 direct mail



Package is a subset of appeal.  Package could tell what version of the appeal they receive (incentive vs. no incentive / white envelope vs. blue parchment envelop).  Package could tell what segment of direct mailing they are.  Another option he lists is to record source list for acquisition mailings.



Entering packages will require more data entry work.



Here's description from knowledgebase: https://kb.blackbaud.com/articles/Article/47230

 

June Price

JoAnn Strommen:

Per Bill Connor's book, "Fundraising with the Raiser's Edge": 



Appeal indicates how the money was raised, what prompted the donor to make the gift.  Ex: July 2015 direct mail



Package is a subset of appeal.  Package could tell what version of the appeal they receive (incentive vs. no incentive / white envelope vs. blue parchment envelop).  Package could tell what segment of direct mailing they are.  Another option he lists is to record source list for acquisition mailings.



Entering packages will require more data entry work.



Here's description from knowledgebase: https://kb.blackbaud.com/articles/Article/47230

 

Thanks for the reply JoAnn

Tom Wright

JoAnn's answer is great, but I just wanted to add another common use of packages that I often see: RFV/RFM segmentation for warm mailings. E.g. C249 for a Current donor who has given 2 times in the last year and who's last gift was between £10 and £24.99.

Madeleine Holdsworth

We use the package codes to segment our donors.  For example, our FY15 Spring Appeal had package codes of Alum Donor, Alum Lapsed Donor, Alum Non-Donor, Indiv....same.  Then we use the summary information on the Dashboard to check totals raised per package segment.

Nicole S

I use like JoAnn, Tom and Madeleine.

Amanda Matlock

Madeleine Holdsworth:

We use the package codes to segment our donors.  For example, our FY15 Spring Appeal had package codes of Alum Donor, Alum Lapsed Donor, Alum Non-Donor, Indiv....same.  Then we use the summary information on the Dashboard to check totals raised per package segment.

Madeleine,

We started using Appeal Packages in the same aspect, which means they are virtually the same each year. Last year, when adding all of my Appeals, I chose to "copy from" when adding my Packages & noticed that the reporting felt "off." Do you ADD NEW Packages each year or do you COPY FROM? Any input would be extremely helpful...thank you!