Welcome to JVP and JVPA's 2023 Year-End Appeal Grassroots Fundraising Campaign! Huge and warm welcome to the 22 new people joining us for the first time, and welcome back to all returning fundraisers. 

From chapter-leaders who have been building our movement for years and years to many new members seeking ways to get involved during this crisis, both JVP's collective power to mobilize against genocide and long-term organizing against occupation and apartheid is strengthened by your dedication to building relationships with donor-members. Thank you.

We are grateful to each of you for your commitment to this process. Over the next six weeks, we'll reach out to nearly 1,000 major donors to build relationships with them, share updates on our work, thank them for their support, and ask them to continue supporting us with a financial contribution. 

In addition to being a significant source of income for JVP and JVPA - nearly 90% of our annual budget comes from individual donors and small family foundations - fundraising campaigns are a chance to meaningfully engage with people who are deeply invested in Palestinian liberation and dream of a world where everyone lives free in safety and justice.

Like everything we do at JVP and JVPA, we are in this together and it's important to me that you feel supported and empowered as you connect with like-minded people to ask for a financial contribution. In addition to connecting with your Circle Leaders and others in your fundraiser circle throughout the campaign, don't hesitate to reach out to me at adelaide@jvp.org.

In solidarity & care,

Adelaide Dicken, she/they
JVP Senior Fundraising Campaigns Coordinator

Join us on Tuesday, November 28 at 4pm PT / 7pm ET for our Year-End Appeal Kick-Off Call!
The recording will be embedded here shortly after the live call. 

On October 7, we shifted the full thrust of our organization into mobilizing to demand a ceasefire to save Palestinian and Israeli lives. This continues to be our organizational priority, and we have paused all public-facing fundraising. And, at the same time, we want to engage with our base of core donor-members to check-in and see how they're doing.

There are a few key changes to our fundraising approach in light of JVP's prioritization of emergency response organizing to call for a ceasefire:

• Updates on our work: Ordinarily this toolkit includes fuller updates on our ongoing work. We removed this section, and instead we've included updated talking points that speak to this moment. We also have a new website at jvp.org that has information on each of our ongoing campaigns in case you're looking to share about those campaigns. 

• Relationship before Ask: Aligned with our overall approach to fundraising, we see and value the person before the donation. This is always true, and it's even more critical this year. We don't have a monetary goal this campaign; but did still set ask amounts for most donors. However, the asks should only be made if you feel it's appropriate while engaging with the donor. 

  • For us, this means, if you talk to the donor and they are navigating grief, experiencing hardship, or feel tension with JVP right now - skip the ask! 

  • It's more important to build a relationship with them than it is to solicit them for a donation. 

  • It might be helpful to do a gut check and consider things from their point of view: If you were them, how would a donation ask land with you? Would you feel heard by the fundraiser? Valued as a member? Or would you feel frustrated? 

Remember, people will remember having a conversation where they felt unheard and solicited at inappropriate time. Similarly, they will remember having a meaningful conversation with no ask and likely come back to JVP later on as a result.

We fully trust and empower our fundraisers to make this decision with each conversation.

During the campaign, you'll act as a JVP/A "connector" to members who have donated $500 or more in the last 18 months. Your main responsibility is to build relationships with your list of assigned donors and to ask them for a financial gift to support our work. 

The most important thing is to create a connection between you, the donor & JVP/A by answering questions and sharing how they can get involved. You’ll also ask donors with an amount listed in your spreadsheet if they can make a gift to either JVP or JVPA. 

✨ During the campaign, you will reach out to your donors three times: 

• 1. Touchpoint 1 (by December 10):  Write each donor a personalized email and ask to schedule a conversation. (If you already have a relationship, of course you can text or call them directly!)

  2. Touchpoint 2 (by December 21): Give anyone you haven't heard from a call. If you don't reach them, leave a voicemail and follow-up with an email that includes a donation link. (If they don't have a phone number, live outside the U.S., or are marked 'do not call,' then you will email them again inviting them to connect with us.)

  3. Touchpoint 3 (by January 5): Wrap up all of your donor outreach and send a handwritten postcard with your contact information. (We will send a postcard kit to you in the mail.) For donors who made a contribution, thank them on the postcard (without saying amounts). For folks you couldn't make contact with, thank them for their support and leave contact information to connect. For no-ask donors, thank them for their support and follow up on whatever you talked with them about. 

✨ As you complete each touchpoint for each donor, you'll update their stage in your spreadsheet.

✨ When you're able to connect with a donor, you'll add notes about your conversation in EveryAction.

This website is home to all of the info you need to be a part of the team. In the toolkit, you'll find template emails, conversation guides, instructions for managing data, and more! Use the links below to get started! 

If at any point you find yourself unsure of what's next or how to proceed, please reach out to your Fundraiser Circle, or email Adelaide at adelaide@jvp.org or Mesa at Mesa@jvp.org.

Access all pages on this website by viewing the side menu. If you can't see the menu, try clicking the menu icon (the three horizontal bars) in the upper left hand corner of the site.

• What's grassroots fundraising?: This section offers background information about JVP's approach to fundraising and your grassroots fundraisers team!

• Start Here: Learning about your MDs: The first step in your outreach is to familiarize yourself with your donors. The instructions here will help you find the information you need, including: contact preferences, giving history, and conversation notes from previous fundraisers on EveryAction.

• Touchpoint Guides: When you're ready to start your outreach--and for each touchpoint throughout the campaign--these pages include all the instructions you need, as well as templates and conversation prompts. 

  • • • • Touchpoint 1: Asking to talk

        • Touchpoint 2: Making your calls

        • Touchpoint 3: Sending your postcards

• Talking Points: Check out this page for updates on JVP and JVP Action's work!

• FAQ: Many common questions about donor outreach are answered here!