Donor Walls - Do you add tribute gifts to donor's personal giving for a donor wall?

Margaret Williams

Good morning Listers!

We are updating donor walls and we have a question?

Do you add the tributes gifts given in honor of a donor to their true giving to calculate where they belong on the wall?

Thank you for your help!

Margaret Williams, Avera Foundation

Elizabeth Baxter

@Margaret Williams
Our organization does!

Margaret Williams

@Elizabeth Baxter - Thanks! This helps!

Dariel Dixon

@Margaret Williams I wanted to make sure that I understood the question. If someone made a gift in my honor, the gift would be calculated in with my personal giving?

For instance, Mike donated $1,000. Susan donated $2,500 in honor of Mike. Would you recognize Mike on the donor wall for $3,500? If so, are you also recognizing Susan for the $2,500 gift on the wall?

Margaret Williams

@Dariel Dixon - Good afternoon, Dariel - yes, you are exactly right that is what I am asking. I never calculated a donor wall this way and I am wondering if anyone does because I have never heard of doing it that way. How do you do it?

Dariel Dixon

@Dariel Dixon - Good afternoon, Dariel - yes, you are exactly right that is what I am asking. I never calculated a donor wall this way and I am wondering if anyone does because I have never heard of doing it that way. How do you do it?

@Margaret Williams: I've never done that, nor would I agree with that way of thinking. Primarily because it counts the gift twice. And it's inaccurate for the honoree. Just because a gift came in honor of someone doesn't mean they should get recognition credit for it.

JoAnn Strommen

I second @Dariel. We would not include from that standpoint that donor wall recognizes gift from the donor. A gift received in their honor is not their $/gift.

Margaret Williams

@Dariel Dixon - Thank you! I agree and it helps to have you and @JoAnn Strommen agreeing with me!

Karen Diener

@Dariel Dixon:

@Margaret Williams I wanted to make sure that I understood the question. If someone made a gift in my honor, the gift would be calculated in with my personal giving?

For instance, Mike donated $1,000. Susan donated $2,500 in honor of Mike. Would you recognize Mike on the donor wall for $3,500? If so, are you also recognizing Susan for the $2,500 gift on the wall?

Oh wow! I NEVER thought about it this way. In 100% agreement that it's a big no. Thanks for being specific about how to ask the question Dariel!

Karen

Faith Murray

@Margaret Williams, also agreeing with @Dariel Dixon. The only exception we have made is in the case where a relative makes a significant donation in memory of a deceased parent and has specifically asked us to list their parent's name instead of their own on the donor plaque.