Appeal Expenses for non direct response appeals

Annelise Holverstott 2

I help support a community radio station that gets underwriting -- a local business will pay cash or give an in-kind donation to have their name mentioned on-air. The way we are set up, there is a separate database (Allegiance) for underwriting only that helps with scheduling the radio spots, but all underwriting payments are processed through the fundraising side of accounting and therefore have to be entered in RE.


The radio station has a very complex budget but would like to track the expense associated with soliciting underwriting, so they asked me if I can think of a way to do it in RE. I'm wondering about the applicability of "appeal expenses" in this situation, where there are obviously costs, but no simple "cost per piece" like we might have for a direct mail appeal. Does anyone have any experience with appeal expenses? And do you think that's a good solution to these tracking needs?


Thanks!

John Heizer

Annelise Holverstott:

I help support a community radio station that gets underwriting -- a local business will pay cash or give an in-kind donation to have their name mentioned on-air. The way we are set up, there is a separate database (Allegiance) for underwriting only that helps with scheduling the radio spots, but all underwriting payments are processed through the fundraising side of accounting and therefore have to be entered in RE.


The radio station has a very complex budget but would like to track the expense associated with soliciting underwriting, so they asked me if I can think of a way to do it in RE. I'm wondering about the applicability of "appeal expenses" in this situation, where there are obviously costs, but no simple "cost per piece" like we might have for a direct mail appeal. Does anyone have any experience with appeal expenses? And do you think that's a good solution to these tracking needs?


Thanks!

RE is probably not a good choice for tracking this.  I'd just suggest a "rogue spreadsheet" method.

Annelise Holverstott 2

John Heizer:



RE is probably not a good choice for tracking this.  I'd just suggest a "rogue spreadsheet" method.

 

 

Thanks. I agree it does seem like a stretch. They essentially have been tracking everything "rogue" but they were hoping for a way to streamline, as their budget is really, really complicated.