It’s Douglas Shaw & Associates’ 30th Anniversary Year . . . So Why Should You Care?

Douglas Shaw
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD/CEO

One of the things we’ve learned over the past 30 years is that donors generally do NOT find the anniversary of a nonprofit organization to be a sufficient reason to give a gift! Of course, we learned it the way most of us do . . . by making mistakes.

As we now counsel the organizations we serve, you don’t want to be THAT charitable cause that is, in effect, saying, “Hey, it’s our anniversary! Give us a gift.” Sadly, anniversaries are not very effective fundraising offers. So why would we expend so much space in our newsletter to talk about our own 30th anniversary? Well, let’s see if I can make the case:

1. Stability—We’re still here getting it done for high-impact ministries and nonprofits, day in and day out. Many of our early competitors were considered the mainstay of fundraising agencies. Most of them have now been purchased by other, perhaps larger companies who needed their client base to keep their investors happy. At Douglas Shaw & Associates, it’s my name on the door, and I’m the only investor.

When I first began our company, at my dining room table, I was the David, going up against Goliaths. I had to hurry up and get letterhead and business cards printed before I went to conferences with the hope of convincing nonprofits to hire me. Today, the dining room table is long gone, and our staff of one has grown into well over fifty very talented women and men who have an average tenure of 9.5 years vs. the national average of 3.9 (see the Bureau of Labor and Statistics).

2. Proven Effectiveness—The work we do raises between $100-$200 million a year for the great causes who trust us. Whew! That’s a lot of money put to good use in meeting the physical and spiritual needs of people all over the world!

I can still remember my very first client: Star of Hope Mission in Houston, Texas. I have hung onto my very first project folder that I assembled for my very first mailing in my newborn company. Of course, today, all our project folders are digital and housed in one of our centralized operating systems, and we serve rescue missions and many other great organizations all over the United States. Nonprofits spend millions of dollars with us to acquire and cultivate donors online, on the air, and through the mail. And we take their trust in us very seriously.

3. Shared Values—We not only like what our clients do, we love what they do to be part of what is right with the world! When I first started out, I was thrilled that people valued who I was and what I could do to turn their fundraising budgets into high-performing direct mail appeals and newsletters. Some things never change. We are still thrilled to be trusted to serve as the direct response voices of the CEOs who lead the world-changing organizations.

4. Partnership—Right out of the gate, I knew that high-impact nonprofits needed a strong fundraising partner rather than an order-taking vendor. They needed strategic counsel first, and then execution. They needed someone who would admit it when they made a mistake and make things right, someone who had absolute mastery of the science and art of direct response fundraising and was willing to share insights with an open hand. A partner will not only tell you when they have made a mistake; they’ll tell you when you are about to make one.

Well, how’d I do? Did I make the case for the benefits of being a 30-year-old company?

If you like what you see in us, just give us a call at (630) 562-1321. You can also contact us here or by email. I think you’ll be impressed at the speed of our response.

I cared about changing the world for good 30 years ago—and together, with my trusted colleagues, we still care today!

Thank you for being a part of what is right with the world.