Twenty shluchim gathered in Baltimore this past week for a three-day program teaching fundraising techniques, strategies, and perspectives.
Over the last four years, Grow Gelt Solutions has trained hundreds of Shluchim in fundraising techniques, strategies, and perspectives with in-person and online training at growgelt.com.
This year they introduced a genuinely groundbreaking element—a fully interactive Bootcamp.
Grow Gelt offered a development experience of “Just Work”; without any presentions or even a single PowerPoint.
Instead, the presenters led the shluchim through a series of interactive activities to plan effective solicitations and select names to engage and solicit.
The shluchim separated around the Chabad House and made calls, using the plan they had just developed. The coaches circulated among the shluchim, providing assistance and advice.
The environment was electric! Shluchim brainstorming, strategizing, and supporting each other.
Rabbi Shmulie Naparstek of Jackson, NJ, remarked, “In my five years on Shlichus, I’ve never had so much time and mind-space to focus on cultivating relationships and fundraising!”
The program began on Chai Tamuz, with twenty Shluchim meeting in Baltimore for the three-day revolutionary program.
They participated in interactive discussions about meeting new people, maintaining relationships, soliciting donors, and rekindling the connection of lapsed donors.
They spent hours on the phone making calls to donors of all levels to request gifts and secure meetings to solicit major gifts in person. They learned from and supported each other while also leaning on the coaches in the room when needed.
The schedule was simple. 1) Plan 2) Ask 3) Thank.
The conference was hosted at the Chabad Center and Lubavitch of Maryland. Head Shliach Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan shared with the Shluchim the Rebbe’s approach to fundraising and that fundraising helps you “stretch” yourself, like no other peulah.
Rabbi Elazar Green CFRE, Marc Pitman CSP, and Ely Rosenfeld helped lead and moderate the discussions and coached Shluchim through “speed bumps” as they came up.
The results were extraordinary; $77,362 was raised (to date) due to those calls. Many calls are still being followed upon, and over a dozen in-person major gift meetings were scheduled.
Fundraising coach and consultant, Marc A. Pitman CSP, has been with the Grow Gelt program since its inception. “This year’s evolution is quite genius. They’re going home with money in the bank and with meetings on their calendar. Nobody else is doing this! I’m so happy to be part of such a creative idea. And I am delighted to play a part in the success of the Shluchim.”
Rabbi Elazar Green directs the Grow Gelt program. “This program is the result of talking to dozens of Shluchim who have taken our training over the last few years. So we were wondering how we could help them even more. What they told us was that they need time and space to implement their training. They know what they need to do. They just don’t have time or support to actually do it! I am thrilled about how this turned out. In addition to the peer support, which will continue beyond the conference, they did real work and raised real money. I expect the number of gifts raised as a direct result from this conference to break $200k over the next few weeks.”
Rabbi Leibel Kudan from Hollywood, Fl, said, “Aside from the (new) money I raised, this was a special experience. The size of the group, the diverse types of Shlichus, and the balance of different personalities created a fantastic blend. I am sure it will keep getting better and better!”
Rabbi Chanoch Wineberg from New Haven, CT, remarked, “What I found powerful is that this experience taught me that I don’t need a special campaign or a holiday time to make an ask. It can be a random Tuesday, and I can call people to help. And they will help! This conference showed me how and I am really grateful.”
Rabbi Tzili Ehrenreich from Nyack, NY, exclaimed to the group, “If you do this every single day, you’ll never worry about chasing a buck again!”
Rabbi Mendy Kasowitz from West Orange, NJ, shares, “Everything we learned here is so important. But the most key thing for me is spending time with the guys. These guys are cherished gems that I will be close to for the rest of my life. I have gained lifelong friends from this year and the past two years. The gravitational pull that makes me want to come are the Shluchim that attend. We become a real family that helps each other. And that is so important to me.”
Discussion
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