Even though fundraising can be helped by naming as a form of recognition, there have been cases of misunderstanding, hurt feelings and even demands for refunds.

During the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) International Conference, Beth Crutcher, director of development and campaign manager for the University Medical Center of Princeton spoke about naming and recognition procedures, some of which worked quite well for the Princeton HealthCare System (PHCS).

Crutcher said the PHCS guiding principal is that donor recognition is an opportunity rather than an obligation and should be used as a strategic part of a comprehensive recognition program.

She offered the following ideas:

• Use your recognition program as an effective aspect of your development program with consistent standards, policies and procedures to guide decision making.
• Use naming opportunities to help close principal gifts.
• Engage your community and donors in recognition design.
• Integrate recognition into the design and construction process.
• Set guidelines for valuing naming opportunities.
• Select locations for plaques and donor walls.
• Use technology and spreadsheet programs to manage and track your naming opportunities. This helps categorize the plaque inventory as needed.
• Produce ribbon-cutting events that result in great press and ever greater gifts.
• Develop standards; they prevent inconsistent treatment of donors, protect staff and guide naming strategy.
• Look for creative opportunities to reconnect with donors.
• Use the donor-recognition process as an opportunity to make contact with donors to encourage upward movement in giving levels.

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