How the Houston Jewish Federation Turns Beneficiaries Into Donors

Normally on this blog we talk about online tactics, but we saw a smart tactic this week that reminded us that offline visibility is important, too.

We participated in a Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) internal training program in Los Angeles for Federation marketing and development staff. In one of the sessions, David Nathan of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston made a presentation on the Houston Federation's new branding. As you can see on their Web site, they've adopted the new Jewish Federation system logo as their own, and developed brand standards and a range of printed collateral pieces. One of the printed pieces that David showed us stood out.

It's a static decal (the kind you might put in your car window, which adheres but can be peeled right off) that the Houston Federation's grantee agencies can put on their doors and in their front windows. It reads, "A Community Partner of Jewish Federation of Greater Houston. Your Federation Dollars at Work Here."

Like Jewish Federations across North America, the Houston Federation makes annual grants to more than two dozen local organizations, underwriting community social services and education programs across the region. Something charities and other donor-supported agencies need to keep in mind is that the very same people who benefit from their services may also be the supporters who spread the word about what they do for the community, or even the donors who make their programs possible.

Certainly one of the reasons that I say "yes" when I get my Annual Campaign solicitation from UJA-Federation of New York is that, back in 1990, when I was between jobs, I took a $2,300 emergency loan from the Jewish Free Loan Association, an urgent-need program of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. They charged zero interest, and gave me two years to pay it back. I remember how much I needed that money, which went to rent and food, and how fortunate I was to have Federation to turn to. And my loan was funded by individuals in the community, just as I'm helping to fund similar programs here in New York today.

The Houston Federation's decal reminds the beneficiaries who use these services that they are funded in part by community donors to the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston. This is good for the Houston Federation's brand, but just as importantly, it helps the Federation build its individual supporter and donor base, one person at a time.