The Huge Mid-Level Fundraising Opportunity You’re Missing

Giant gummy bear

Nonprofits pay a lot of attention to donor acquisition. Then?

They largely ignore these donors, unless…

They become worthy of attention by virtue of being ‘major’ donors. Then?

Nonprofits pay a lot of attention to major donor relationship building.

But between new donor acquisition and major donor cultivation, solicitation and stewardship, what happens?

Usually not enough.

This is a HUGE missed opportunity.

You’ve likely got great donor prospects hiding inside your own donor base, and you’re essentially treating them like, well, poop.

What if you were to begin to look at your mid-level donors as the transformational fundraising opportunity they are?

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How Humanity and Trust Supercharge Nonprofit Fundraising

"Doing the right thing isn't always easy" storefront artEveryone’s been saying this, just about daily, for some time.

“These aren’t ordinary times.”

If the anthem for the Boomer generation was Bob Dylan’s “The TImes They Are A’Changin’,” what’s the anthem for today? History doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes. We’re living in the face of a firehose of breaking news, and much of it is difficult to digest. Let alone know how to face, handle and get through it with safety and sanity intact.

We can retreat, live in limbo or figure out a way to navigate through this reality and find opportunities to do our work in new and better ways.

It’s a difficult assignment, because it’s not easy to know where to begin.

As social benefit organizations, we want to come from a human-centered, community-centered place, but… what exactly might that be in this extraordinary time?

What the World Most Needs Right Now.

I think it’s humanity and trust.

Usually we have to guess at what will feel relevant to our supporters. Today, we pretty much know. Because we hear it all the time. On the news. On social media. When we zoom with colleagues. When we talk to our friends.

  • People want to know who they can trust.
  • People want their fellow humans to act the part.
  • People want to consciously engage — with humans they can trust — in a meaningful manner.

Social benefit organizations have a secret advantage.

Survival in the civil sector is based on the philanthropic exchange, and ‘philanthropy’ means ‘love of humanity’. Yet sometimes it seems all we see and hear is hatred of humanity. Us/Them.  Left/Right. Red/Blue. Young/Old. Good/Evil. Insiders/Outsiders. I could go on…

There’s a better way. When you infuse your nonprofit work with humanity, you’ll reach trust.

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Your Unique Coping Strategies?

woman expressing valuesThese are the best of times. These are the worst of times.

However you see the present, rest assured others see it the opposite.

How do you cope? How do you help others cope? How are you adapting, personally and professionally, to the times in which we live?

It turns out the way you cope, particularly during times of stress, has a lot to do with your unique personality traits.

During such times, it pays to be self-aware. It can help you understand why you may be feeling particularly panicky. Or inexplicably calm and at peace. ANd it can help you lean in to what makes you feel creative, purposeful, and even joyful.

Through self discovery, you can live your life in the best way possible.

Want to make a contribution that feels authentic, productive and true to you?  Want to make this a year where you help others do the same, be they your family, friends, co-workers, program participants and beneficiaries, volunteers or donors?

Then how about taking a bit of focused time to unearth some important truths about the most interesting person on earth — YOU!

Now is a terrific time for some good old-fashioned introspection.

Turn off the news, stop scrolling through social media, and instead get in touch with, and appreciate, what you bring to the table.

How to Learn About the Most Interesting Person on Earth

I’ve got four fun things for you to try!

One is a values exercise. The others can be grouped under the mantle of “personality tests.”

First, let’s stipulate values vary and they’re all legitimate. Also, there’s  no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ personality. These exercises and assessments I’m sharing today are my favorites for the workplace (and beyond) as they’ve been rigorously tested, are grounded in research and have been shown to be fair and consistent across populations.  Plus, they’re fun to take.

Are you game?

Even if you don’t love doing exercises and taking quizzes as much as I do, you may find one or more of these interesting. None of them take a lot of your time. And it’s even more fun if you do it together (with friends, family, co-workers); then compare and discuss results!

Remember: Everyone brings their own gifts to the situation at hand. 

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