A full complement of class fund director appeal letters are sent to all Grinnellians at least 2-3 times a year. Some classes need more attention than others, especially during reunion cycles.

Talking Points: Class Advisors will distribute a talking point structure to CFDs before each appeal. These talking points reinforce other communications from the College and the Pioneer Fund. Use whichever points you find most interesting to frame your letter.

Letter: The appeal letter makes a personal case for making a gift. The CFDs craft the letter to include one talking point and to make the case for giving to Grinnell College. The basic body of the letter is structured as follows:

Submitting Your Draft Letter

Tips for Success

Changes in the language in the opening and closing paragraphs tailor your letter to most effectively communicate your message about involvement. The CFD appeal schedule is broken into five groups by class year to make processing, printing letters, and preparing envelopes manageable. It is important that the CFDs in each group adhere to their deadlines.

For solicitations, alumni are divided unto four giving groups based on their two year history of giving to the College. The giving status groups are:

• Active: Made a gift in this fiscal year.
• Lybunt: Made a gift last year but not yet this year.
• Sybunt: Made a gift some years ago but not yet this year.
• Nondonor: Has yet to make a gift.

Similarly, alumni are also divided into four additional behavior groups based on their five year history of giving to the College. The behavior groups are:

• Auto: These alumni have made a donation in each of the past five consecutive years.
• Swing: These alumni have made a donation in at least one, but not more than four, of the past five years. Also includes alumni who are less than five years out. Note: As soon as a Lapsed or Future donor makes a gift, they become a Swing donor.
• Lapsed: These alumni have made a donation in the past, but not in the most recent five years. As soon as a lapsed donor makes a gift, they become a swing donor.
• Future: These alumni have yet to make their first gift to Grinnell College and have been away from Grinnell for at least five years. As soon as a future donor makes a gift, they become a swing donor.

The grid below organizes these groups to demonstrate the different levels of attention which should be given to classmates. The numbers indicate the order in which the groups should be ranked when determining contact priority levels.

In decreasing order of attention:

• Auto Lybunt: Regular donors who have not yet made a gift this year.
• Swing Lybunt: Irregular, new, or recently renewed donors who made a gift last year and have not yet made a gift this year.
• Swing Sybunt: Have made at least one gift in the last five years, most recent gift was at least two years ago and no more than five years ago.
• Lapsed Sybunt: Most recent gift was at least five years ago.
• Futures: Have yet to make a gift to the College and graduated more than five years ago.