What do we want most to sustain our nonprofits? Loyal donors, natch! How do we get them? Oh, that’s simple. We badger them for gifts. When they give, we warehouse them in our database. We then send a form letter (pretending it’s personal because we use their given name and indicate their gift was earmarked…
How often do you gift this gift to donors? I’ve personally declared November ‘Gratitude for Blessings’ month. For me, this means finding opportunities to demonstrate gratitude. And today I’m grateful for you, my readers. Whereas donors are the center of your nonprofit’s universe, you are the center of mine. When I can’t share my ideas, …
How do you show donors you’re thankful? November culminates [in the United States] with a feast of Thanksgiving for all with which we are blessed. Our greatest blessing in the public benefit sector is the donors who support our work and enable us to fulfill our vital missions. Last month I talked a lot about…
“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there” – Lewis Carroll When we simply engage in incidental cultivation and stewardship – a meeting here, a party there – the only place we get to is the meeting or the party. Is that our goal? If at the end of the…
It can’t all be about ‘push’. We’ve also got to ‘pull.’ Recently I’ve been writing a lot about social media. It’s an important tool for engaging with our supporters. But let’s not forget that what makes technology sing is not the technology; it’s the people behind the technology. Successful technology is about bonds, not bells…
Listen up. In “No” is not the end of the conversation Chuck English channels the old Dale Carnegie manifesto, How to Win Friends and Influence People, and reminds us of the significance of listening — showing genuine interest in others and encouraging folks to talk about themselves. This has always been the key to success,…
Today I have an article in The Bridge discussing the importance of actively embracing strategic donor relationship-building management. Seriously, there is nothing important you can do this year. It’s all about relationships – and it takes some work to build and sustain them. What are you doing to show your donors you know them?…
C.P.A. That’s the three things. Huh? Your accountant? Well…. sort of. What do you want from an accountant? My guess is that you want someone who is:
Gosh, golly… that’s exactly what your blog readers want from you! So if you’ve got passion and authority (and I certainly hope you have that about your mission and the work of your organization) then you’re already ahead of the game. Woo-hoo! Now you just need to package everything, and make sure you’re Constituent-centered (focused on your readers); Planful (you know what your blog’s goals and objectives are and how you can use your blog to be of value to your constituents), and Accessible (folks can easily connect with you and understand what you’re sharing with them).
Once you understand the principles of C.P.A. you’ll be well on your way towards having a blog with content that knocks the socks off your readers. Today, let’s begin with how to put the ‘C’ in C.P.A.
The world reacted with shock and outrage. There was a pervasive feeling of “how could this happen here?” People screamed… cried… prayed. This was five years ago. Last spring. When a fire wreaked devastating damage to something that, for many, represented the soul of a nation. And . Notre Dame Cathedral is iconic and symbolic.…
This week the groundhog told us it’s going to be an early spring!
Spring is always a good time for re-awakening, rebirth and just plain dusting away the cobwebs. And what a dreary, grave, cobwebby period it’s been.
We’ve got a lot to clean up, reorganize and rethink. So much, in fact, it’s downright overwhelming. So, as I sat down to write today’s article, I thought about what you actually have within your power to do. Right now. And all throughout the coming months.
I know it’s been pretty hard to focus with everything going on in the world.
So I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and tried to pull together the various challenges I’ve seen nonprofit leaders, fundraisers, and marketers grapple with in the past year. Actually, the past years. Through elections, pandemic, climate catastrophes, shootings, war, unprecedented demonstrations of cruelty and inhumanity, and more. It’s a LOT.
But, the show — your good work — must go on.
In other words, your mission must move forward. People rely on you to do the critical work of the social benefit sector.
I thought: what can people do now to set themselves up for success as we move forward into high fundraising season at the end of this coming year? It may seem early to think about this, but it’s never too soon to put your best foot forward.
I’ve ended up with four tips I hope you’ll find relevant and timely.
Whether it’s a marketing or fundraising communication, keep these four messaging basics in mind.
While you might be tempted to guess “If I were a Rich Man,” that’s not it.
Because that would be making fundraising mostly about money.
And, actually, fundraising is mostly about love.
So the correct answer is “Matchmaker.”
That’s right. Your job is to make the perfect match between the values your organization enacts and the values your donor shares.
Because when people connect, and care about one another, our world tips ever more slightly back into balance.
Right now we live in troubling times, where the world seems wildly out of whack and people seem further and further apart.
Philanthropy provides a perfect opportunity to bring people together.
And who knows the most about making people fit together? Matchmakers!
And today’s matchmakers have more tools than ever before at their fingertips. Hence the success of online dating services. Though it would’ve been easy to assume matchmaking is such a personal endeavor technology could never touch it, that’s not the case at all. Because the digital revolution means people today are more connected than ever. Successful matchmakers don’t eschew technology; they embrace it. So should you.
What will you hope for in the coming year? Recently a college classmate asked me and others this question, ruminating on how hope and optimism are similar yet different. It struck a chord with me You see, I’m not generally an optimist. Yet I’m often hopeful. I’d just never taken time to actively consider how…
I had a pure strategic fundraising post all ready to launch today, but I just couldn’t quite do it. The world seems wildly out of whack right now. I can’t pretend it’s business as usual. I try to stay away from “politics,” because I know that’s not why you read my blog. However, we live…
People keep telling you to add text messaging to your communications strategy, right? It’s a mobile world, and you need to reach people where they are. But how do you actually get people to opt in to text messages and grow your contact list? Let’s explore five ways to get your supporters to consent…
Only about 10% of Americans itemize tax deductions today. Prior to 2017 it was 31%; that was , but still a minority. Yet you’re likely blithely sending out year-end messaging replete with “Only 1 week left to grab your tax deduction!” Who cares? At best, it’s just ten percent of your donors. And since the…
I firmly believe part of the role of a philanthropy facilitator is to foster both individual and community well-being. You must both: (1) focus inward, as you can’t help others unless you first help yourself, and (2) focus on the way you connect with others. What you say, What you do, and, most important, How…
In Take Heed Nonprofits: The Sky is Not Falling, but it’s Cloudy we loed at trends in giving and how this might impact your strategic fundraising planning. Some of the data-based take-aways included: Less Donors and Dollars Overall Less Individual Donors — Shrinking Slice of Fundraising Pie More Foundation and Corporate Giving Focus of Giving…
From time to time, I host guest posts from professionals with niche expertise. There are just some things others know a lot more about than do I, especially when it comes to technology. Today’s article is one of those, from someone who really understands the ins and outs of text messaging and fundraising. Here’s what he has to say.
You do too! You’re busy and overworked, and the prospect of adding a new channel to your plate is daunting. But what if texting is a strategy that can help your nonprofit overcome some of the problems causing you stress?
You can future-proof your nonprofit by embracing text messaging. Everything is going mobile, and putting a strong texting strategy in place puts you at the center of the action.
Here are 10 reasons why your nonprofit should use text messaging:
Watches, phones, tablets, and more—so many people have them, and not only do they have them, they take them everywhere. These little devices have invaded our lives.
People are on devices, so reach them on a device. After all, a classic marketing mantra is “if you want to reach people, go where they are.” And texting is the best way to do that:
Just look at the open rates: 90-95% for texting vs. 30-35% for email.
To do: Generally, more than half of web traffic is from mobile devices. In a mobile world, you need a mobile-first strategy. To persuade yourself and your leadership you should really prioritize this, take a look at your website’s analytics and compare mobile to desktop traffic. It’s time to reach people where they’re at.
Fundraisers report money is the number one reason they leave their jobs [See Part I of this two-part series here]. Hmmn… hmmn… hmmn…
Is it really all about the money?
While I do believe too many fundraisers are underpaid relative to their skill sets and performance, I’ve a hunch it’s not the real chief culprit for fundraiser dissatisfaction. What is?
The real reason fundraisers leave their jobs, and the sector, is very similar to why donors leave you. Today’s article will help you learn both:
Ready?
I gave you a hint in the title. Yup. It’s what Aretha Franklin famously sang about:
It’s not just respect for fundraisers as individuals that’s lacking. It’s respect for their profession. For what it takes to succeed with development in a nonprofit organization. For what it means to be a part of a team — all working together towards the same goal — and why it’s impossible to succeed without a supportive infrastructure and culture.
And, by the way, donors won’t thrive absent a supportive culture and infrastructure either. They’re looking to be a part of your community, your family, your way of life. If you won’t give them this warm, fuzzy, connected feeling — they’ll find someone else who will.
So what pre-conditions must be in place for fundraising staff, and donors, to want to stay?
If you’re a fundraiser, does the following statement sound like you?
Show me my money!!!
According to five years of research by Penelope Burk (culminating in her book, Donor-Centered Leadership) as well as a much-talked-about study, Underdeveloped, by CompassPoint and the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, half of chief development officers plan to leave their jobs in two years or less and 40% plan to leave fundraising entirely.
The number one reason fundraisers give for leaving is to earn more money.
What’s going on, and how can you fix it?
Is it about money, or something else?
Storytelling today is ‘hot.’
And why not? It’s the fundamental human activity – we even talk to ourselves!
We tell ourselves stories all the time to inspire, goad, cheerlead and persuade.
“I’ve been knocked down, but I’ll pick myself up.”
“This cake will be even better than my mother-in-law’s.”
“The deck seems stacked against me, but I’m going to fight; I’m going to win.”
“Tomorrow will be a better day.”
Storytelling is something people naturally gravitate to. We’re wired that way.
They are the connective tissue that turns otherwise random acts into important sequences.
Does this sound like something that might be useful for your content marketing strategy?
Everyone knows storytelling = good. Humans wired for stories. We want to enter into them … become part of them… see ourselves, in some way, expressively reflected in the characters, plot and struggle. Everyone responds, all ears, to “Shall I tell you a story?”
Yet there’s been a brouhaha of late around so-called “donor-as-hero” stories. I’ve long been a proponent of encouraging donors to jump right into the narrative to give it a happy ending. Yet, today, people worry these stories reinforce “white saviorism,” especially in cases where donors are perceived to be in positions of privilege and power. In such situations the impression is donors unfairly get to feel good about helping those less fortunate. And it’s unfair because donors are part of, and contribute to, an unfair system — even if unconsciously. And this unfair system keeps people in need in their disadvantaged state.
Related to this are the ethics of making poster children of clients. Program staff may fear the commodification of stories as “sales products” for fundraising. There’s tension between departments, fueled by misunderstanding and mistrust.
I’d like to address (1) the overarching storytelling challenge, with specific attention to both the (2) white saviorism and (3) ethics conundrums. Let’s begin with.
Are you throwing your former board members out like yesterday’s trash?
This may not be your intention, but you’re kind of guilty of this if you don’t continue to (1) let them know how special they are, and (2) build personal relationships with them. After all, one of the foundations of Penelope Burk’s groundbreaking work in Donor-Centered Fundraising is the finding donors want one thing first and foremost: “Show me that you know me.”
CONSIDER THIS:
Every single communication with a former board member should let them know you know who they are.
If you treat them like they’re toast, don’t be surprised when they start sending you little bread crumbs instead of the whole slice – or loaf – they once sent. People want to be appreciated. It’s just human nature. And facilitating philanthropy (the word literally means “love of humankind”) is a very human endeavor.
Don’t stop loving your former board members.
Stop blaming them for stopping to love you. Blaming is a cop out. Instead, look in the mirror and see what part you may be playing in their changed behavior.
SPECIAL TIP: You can apply much of the suggestions in this article to former staff as well. I often marvel at the hands-off way I’m treated by some of the places where I once worked, sometimes for many years. Places where I donated too, because I believed in the mission. Now I’m just a “prospect” or “lapsed donor” to them, and the communications I receive come across a bit infantalizing. After all, I know this stuff. I wrote a lot of this stuff! It just feels like they’re telling me “since you don’t work here any more, you mean nothing to us.”
Former board should be one of your top segments for cultivation!
IN A NUTSHELL:
- They have a deep understanding of your vision, mission and values.
- For years, they made your nonprofit one of their top philanthropies.
- They have numerous connections with your cause, including relationships with staff, each other, and even beneficiaries.
- At one point you were part of their identity and family.
- You likely have a special place in their heart.
- They may even have included you in their estate planning!
Don’t stop making beautiful music together! Continue to treat them personally, unless they specifically ask you to stop. Don’t simply relegate them to your impersonal e-news mailings or mass annual appeals. Treat them like major donors and develop a love and loyalty strategy that invites them to stay engaged with you, albeit in a new way.
Early in my career I received a piece of fundraising advice that has stuck with me to this day:
People are all people.
And what do you do with people if you want to build a relationship?
You get PERSONAL!
In fact, if I had to tell you how to win over donors with just one word, “personal” is the word I’d choose.
Let it underscore everything you think about and do.
Your annual appeal writing. Your special events. Your newsletters. Your blog posts. Your proposals. Your reports. Your social media. Your donor cultivation.
If you take just this one word to heart — PERSONAL — you’ll be leaps and bounds ahead of the competition.
Though we we give lip service to the importance of practicing empathy and donor-centricity, truly valuable tools in building donor relationships, these terms are subsumed by the umbrella of the ‘person’ to whom they apply. Start there.
Visualize your person, and before engaging in any strategy or tactic, ask yourself:
Is there a more personal way to deliver this message?
Make sense?
Today, in a still-disrupted, socially distanced, increasingly virtual environment, with striving for greater diversity, equity and inclusion at the forefront, how you get personal and how you define people are more important than ever.
Today I’d like to flesh out the multiple meanings of this word, and discuss how getting personal can help you achieve your nonprofit fundraising and marketing goals.
I generally counsel nonprofits to call and thank their donors.
It’s personal, unexpected and just plain nice. We could all use a little more “nice” in our lives.
But there’s a right and wrong way to express gratitude
One is authentic and meaningful.
The other is robotic and meaningless. Maybe even off-putting.
Here’s a transcription of a voicemail left for me last week from a well-known national charity with local branches:
I confess I know virtually zip about artificial intelligence.
But I’ve been learning. Fast.
Because it’s hard these days to travel anywhere in the world, including the social benefit sector, without hearing enticing things about it.
At first blush this sounds good. But… the devil is in the details, right?
Which is why people are equally thrilled or unnerved at the prospect.
I wondered if using it could create unintended consequences. New tools used as blunt instruments could cause unintentional harm. So, I thought I’d do a little research to know whether I should advise fundraisers to jump on the AI bandwagon.
Annual reports don’t have to be dry as dust. In fact, the most effective ones are not financial reports; they’re a story with the donor at the center. And they inspire action.
When you consider all the blood, sweat, tears and money that go into them, you want to assure they:
Towards getting the biggest bang for your annual report buck, consider renaming them (or at least thinking about them) as Gratitude Reports. Make them all about your donors, how grateful you are to them for making your work possible, and how appreciative you are for all the accomplishments they enabled.
Rather than “2023 Annual Report,” consider a more donor-centered title like “Generosity Report,” “A Gratitude Report,” “The Year of the Donor,” “Impact Report.” or “You Make it Possible.” I’ve seen all of these; feel free to get creative and let your title guide your content!
Have a heart- and people- centered, colorful year! Here are the 10 most popular Clairification articles from the past year, according to Google Analytics. Plus, at the end, I’m sharing some photos I hope you’ll enjoy! Counting Down… 10. What to Say When Your Donor Asks: How Much do you Spend on Overhead? Here I…
Here’s the deal: When you match people to environments or roles congruent with their skills, knowledge and strengths, they’ll do better.
Reading this statement, it appears patently obvious. But… how many businesses operate this way. Does yours?
This post was inspired by one of Seth Godin’s thought-provoking, minimalist posts. As always, he manages to convey something important and provocative in very few words. This time, he got me considering the way nonprofits structure job descriptions and conduct performance evaluations. It’s not the first time I’ve thought about this, as in my three decades of in-the-trenches practice I wrote a lot of the former and conducted a lot of the latter.
In the early years, I made the mistake of putting people into rather rigid boxes. This was not good for the people stuck inside, nor was it good for the organization as a whole. Later, I learned to be more flexible and play to people’s strengths.
Before I get specific, here comes the Godin post that stimulated this little rant.
We spend some of our time building things, from scratch. New ideas, new projects, new connections. Things that didn’t exist before we arrived.
We spend some of our time breaking things, using them up, discovering the edges.
And we spend some of our time fixing things. Customer support, maintenance, bug fixes… And most of all, answering email and grooming social media. The world needs fixing, it always does.
You’ve already guessed the questions:
— where do you personally add the most value?
— how much of your time are you spending doing that?
What follows is a bit of thinking out loud. I hope it will inspire you as well. If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below!
If you look at a nonprofit organizational chart, too often you’ll see job titles that no longer describe what the folks in them are doing. Sadly, the “Peter Principle” is alive and well. Folks rise to the level of their incompetence, and the function they are supposed to be performing gets shoved to the back burner.
This can lead to hidden organizational inefficiencies. For example:
The major gift journey is a synergistic one. You see, it’s both your journey and your donor’s journey.
If you want to follow along the most direct pathway to sustainable philanthropy, you’ll want to consider the two-fold nature of the expeditious endeavor known as major gift fundraising. Or, as I prefer to call it, passionate philanthropy.
First understand it’s not just about the money; it’s every bit as much about the experience.
If you do your job as guide well, they’ll find meaning, purpose and happiness being engaged with you.
That’s right! It’s both (1) a business, and (2) a donor journey toward joy. You’ve got to treat it like a business if you want to make money. That means clarifying goals, setting specific objectives, planning strategies and tactics, and holding yourself accountable. Otherwise you’re just occasionally taking folks along for a stroll, without being thoughtful about what’s in it for both of you. And if you haven’t concretized what the benefits are, it’s hard to deliver on them!
Let’s take a look at the 6 steps you must take to build and sustain a winning major gifts program.
Yes, nonprofit newsletters can raise money!
And they should delight, retain and upgrade donors too.
How does this work?
It works by using your newsletter to give credit where it is due.
To your donors!
You see, a charitable gift is not the same as a purchase of a product or service. With the latter, you have something tangible to continue to appreciate (e.g., you use your laptop daily; you continually admire the new paint job on your house). With the former, you’ve got nothing but an initial shot of dopamine … and then a memory. For most donors, this becomes a distant memory. Because most nonprofits don’t consistently and repeatedly report back. With donors, out of sight truly does mean out of mind.
You see, once is not enough. Research shows for gratitude to be deeply felt it must be repeated. Repeat gratitude and reporting back accomplishes the following:
Donor feels good
Donor trusts you’re good to your word.
Donor feels inclined to give again.
Donor retention increases
Average gift size increases
Your raise a lot more money over time
In my last article I talked about providing employees with praise, recognition and meaningful feedback in order to retain staff and build the type of job satisfaction and longevity that creates a sustainable nonprofit.
For nonprofit fundraisers, the “Great Resignation” was happening long before the pandemic. In fact, per Penelope Burk at Cygnus Applied Research, the average amount of time a fundraiser stays at his or her job is just 16 months.
“Oh, well” you say? “No big deal” you say?
Need I remind you fundraising is a relationship-building business? Relationships happen people-to-people, not people-to-institution.
All that work I’m constantly exhorting you to do to personally nurture, reward and develop bonds with your constituents as you support them on their donor journey matters.
You can’t afford the typical nonprofit staff turnover, and you need to do whatever it takes to make working for you a positive experience.
Fundraiser turnover results in the ongoing work of reporting back, asking for feedback and offering praise getting abridged or abandoned altogether. Trust me, this is a genuine real world concern. I work with countless nonprofits, and staff turnover leads to downgraded and lapsed gifts. You may think this won’t happen to you, but it will. When a donor doesn’t get the meaning they need, they drift away to other causes offering them a better return on their engagement. Don’t blame the donors; it’s just human nature to want to feel connected to other human beings.
And don’t make the mistake of thinking you can’t afford to keep your fundraiser by providing a better salary and other benefits, such as additional vacation time. Penelope Burk surveyed 1,700 fundraisers and 8,000 nonprofit chief executives, and found it would cost just $46,650 to keep a good fundraiser happy.
The direct and indirect costs of finding a replacement are $127,650. Hmmn… being pennywise and pound-foolish is not what I would call working smart.
Employee retention costs a fraction of employee recruitment, training and on-the-job learning. So seriously consider what you can do to work a lot smarter by treating your employees like the true treasure they are. As noted in my last article, a decent salary matters. I’m all for offering living wages! But many more things than money are motivators.
It’s time for a closer look at how flexibility in the workplace will help you shine.
A recent guest essay in the New York Times,
Just about every nonprofit at this point understands they need: a robust way to communicate with and engage constituents. a user-friendly way to record this engagement so they can track actions, monitor performance and either automate or personalize future engagement, as appropriate. Technology is a tool to help you do and better. Enter CRM…
This was another year of adaptation. Settling into some things, while feeling decidedly unsettled in others. Opening our eyes, minds and hearts to see, and be, things clearly.
This year continued to mark a shift in the direction of my content, as “business as usual” seemed out of sync with the times we found ourselves in. Much of the heart of fundraising remains constant, while much of the practice and culture is evolving. It is a time in which feeling our humanity, and coming from a place of love, seems more important than ever.
Today I summarize my writing of the year by sharing the articles that most resonated with readers out of the 70+ I created for 2021, including some popular oldies.
In case you missed them, here are last year’s blog posts with the most views, according to Google Analytics.
Plus, at the end, I’m sharing some photos I hope you’ll enjoy!
Are you throwing your former board members out like yesterday’s trash? You are if you don’t continue to build relationships with them and let them know how special they are.
Every single communication with a former board member should let them know you know who they are. One of the foundations of Penelope Burk’s groundbreaking work in Donor-Centered Fundraising is the finding donors want one thing first and foremost: “Show me that you know me.”
If you treat former board members like they’re toast, don’t be surprised when they start sending you little bread crumbs instead of the whole slice – or loaf – they once sent. People want to be appreciated. It’s just human nature.
Stop blaming board members for stopping loving you. Instead, focus on not stopping to love them!
Former board should be one of your top segments for cultivation! They have a deep understanding of your vision, mission and values. For years, they made your nonprofit one of their top philanthropies. They may even have included you in their estate planning!
Former board have numerous connections to your cause; don’t lose them! They may have relationships with staff or even beneficiaries. They also have connections with each other. At one point you were part of their identity and family. You likely have a special place in their heart.
Don’t stop making beautiful music together! Continue to treat them personally, unless they specifically ask you to stop. Don’t simply relegate them to your impersonal e-news mailings or mass annual appeals. Treat them like major donors and develop a love and loyalty strategy that invites them to stay engaged with you, albeit in a new way.
TRUTH BOMB:
The key to successful fundraising is knowing your donors.
If you don’t know them, you can’t nurture them.
If you don’t nurture them, they won’t grow.
Simply staring at your bare patch of land waiting for flowers to sprout and blossom doesn’t work 99% of the time.
Why are you waiting to ‘get lucky’ the winds will just blow some seeds your way?
Likely, this won’t happen.
Even if it does happen, the seeds may not take root and grow.
Unless you do something to help them along.
In fundraising, the best way to nourish supporters is to know them better.
So you can give them what they explicitly need, not what you think they need.
You need to engage in “getting to know you” activities so you’re basing your work on knowledge, not just opinion.
There are all sorts of excuses.
Many come from a sense of ‘donors’ being primarily identified that way, rather than as the complex people they truly are. Staff are often afraid of, or at least uncomfortable with, ‘donors.’ Even many volunteers, who aren’t major philanthropists themselves, feel this way.
Have you ever heard (or felt):
What the heck are “planned gifts?”
For some reason, this term remains largely mysterious for many nonprofits. There’s a feeling planned giving is complicated. Not for the faint of heart or the small of budget.
This couldn’t be more wrong.
People wonder:
They’re all of the above!
If there’s any overarching guideline, the truth is that planned gifts generally represent the largest gift a donor will make to you.
You can’t just call someone up out of the blue and ask them for a major gift to your campaign. Period. Full stop.
This won’t work any better than building a house before you’ve found the right location, created a blueprint, laid a foundation and brought in just the right crew to build according to your specifications.
In both cases, first you must lay the groundwork. I like to think of this as making sure all the pre-conditions to a successful ask are in place before I make someone an offer I know they won’t be able to refuse. And I’ll know I’m ready to pop the question because first I’ll have answered “Yes!” to all of the ten questions that follow.
How do you help people afraid of fundraising become comfortable in what should be a mission-aligned role for everyone associated with your nonprofit organization?
After all, everyone benefits from increased philanthropy. Not just development staff.
Increasingly, successful nonprofits are adopting cultures of philanthropy where everyone involved – administrative staff, program staff, board members, committee members, direct service volunteers and even beneficiaries – comes together as ambassadors, advocates and askers on behalf of furthering the organization’s mission, enacting its values and fulfilling its vision.
Facilitating philanthropy is not rocket science, yet folks unaccustomed to the relationship cultivation and solicitation required to land major donations are fearful because they don’t know how to do it. Actually, they do. They just need some guidance, hand holding and support along the way. Reluctant fundraisers tend to think fundraising is just about money. It’s a lot more than that.
It’s the job of a nonprofit’s leadership to work with insiders (staff and volunteers) to help everyone feel both passionate about the cause and confident in the fundraising process.
There are barriers to be overcome; first and foremost is fundraising fear. This fear takes many forms, and is perhaps best expressed in some of the questions I frequently receive. So I’m endeavoring to answer a few of these questions below. Hopefully this will help you address these challenges within your own organization so you, too, can transform folks from fearful and reluctant “fundraisers” to joyful and ready “philanthropy facilitators.”
You have two ears and one mouth. Use them in that proportion.
Ever hear that?
It’s the secret to building authentic, lasting relationships. Full stop.
Whether you’re dating, parenting, teaching, attending a conference or hosting a dinner party, the ability to be fully present – in listening mode – will impact so many things. For good or ill.
Donor loyalty and love are earned, and it begins with YOU listening.
If I had to boil down Penelope Burk’s two decades of groundbreaking research in donor-centered fundraising into one thing donors want, it would be this: SHOW ME YOU KNOW ME. There are lots of ways to do this, but we sometimes miss out on the most obvious one.
Your job – as fundraiser, nonprofit professional and philanthropy coach – is to help your donors see the way to greatness. Think of this as part and parcel of your job as a philanthropy facilitator. In donor coaching mode, you need to listen so you can find “coaching moments” – opportunities to motivate donors to engage with, and act on, their passions in a way that brings them meaning and joy.
“Coaching is a worldview that is driven by the intention to be of service to others.”
— Dianna Andersen, Cyliant
Your job is to guide folks over the river, through the woods, up the mountain and
This year it’s been easy to hoard.
You had all the strategies that worked for you in the past, PLUS you had to add a bunch of new ones when faced with the realities of the pandemic economy.
Then you had to add things to be relevant to supporters who were thinking about a million news stories. You needed to be relevant, and consider your stance on BLM, BIPOC, DEI and a range of political and social justice issues.
The extraordinary times could not be ignored, so strategy got piled upon strategy, got piled upon…
And your nonprofit work plan got super crowded.
Time to clear out some space!
You’re likely wondering if you have to do everything virtually as well as in person. You’re wondering if your messaging needs to change to be more inclusive? You’re wanting to connect with folks in ways they’ve come to expect, and to offer meaningful engagment opportunities, but… where is everything going to fit?!?!
Never fear. Help is here!
If you’ve been living under a rock, Marie Kondo’s KonMari is the art of “tidying up to transform your life.” It’s a popular book that’s become a Netflix sensation, and it may not be your cup of tea, but…
What if, through some simplification and organization, you could transform your life (at least at work) as well as your nonprofit’s life — so all involved felt greater inspiration and even serenity?
You. Can. Do. It.
Alas, I’ve participated in many a planning session, and seldom do I recall – if ever – really focusing first on what we could stop doing to make room for new endeavors. If this sounds familiar, you’re likely also familiar with the unfortunate consequences.
There are some things that really should not be part of your work plan moving forward. Or, at the very least, they should be pared down. Quite. A. Bit.
You want to raise money with your fundraising appeal, right?
Guess what?
However you feel when you sit down to write is how your readers will feel when they sit down to read.
Feeling anxious? Unprepared? Bored?
Your feelings come through in your writing. Or not.
So… first put a smile on your face! Think about what inspires you about your mission. What are you passionate about? What drew you here and keeps you here?
Passion is contagious.
You can do this – it’s just like talking to a friend about how important your cause is.
Yup. Your donor is your friend.
Talk to them exactly that way.
Becoming a writer is about being conscious.
“When you’re conscious and writing from a place of insight and simplicity and real caring about the truth, you have the ability to throw the lights on for your reader.”
– Ann Lamott
Greg Warner of Market Smart writes a lot about the difference between “work” and “progress.” I appreciate the distinction, both professionally and personally. I think you can use this notion, so I’m going to suggest a way to extend this idea to your nonprofit fundraising.
Warner notes in Why You Should Never Get a Job and Go to Work: “work” is tedious and negative; “progress” is inspiring and positive.
This is about being intentional about where you’re going.
It’s somewhat about perception and desitnation, but I’d argue it’s largely about the journey.
Your journey. Your donor’s journey.
And how everyone feels about the endeavor.
Fundraisers report money is the number one reason they leave their jobs. While I do believe too many fundraisers are underpaid relative to their skill sets and performance, I’ve a strong hunch it’s not the real chief culprit for fundraiser dissatisfaction.
What is causing so many fundraisers to leave their jobs? Or leave the nonprofit field entirely?
Support. Culture. Infrastructure.
Or, to be specific, the lack thereof.
Alas, in interview after interview with fundraisers working in the trenches, I find these essential components of a productive and joyful work environment sorely lacking. This situation doesn’t usually arise out of malice. It’s born of a desperate lack of understanding about what it takes to manage people well. Of course, that’s a topic unto itself. But there’s something else that happens with people hired to work as development staff. And that’s what I want to address here.
What’s love got to do with it?
Show me the money.
Some year’s ago the Chronicle of Philanthropy published an article about the need to Shake Up Development Offices and Curb Turnover. The article cites Penelope Burk’s five years of research which culminated in her groundbreaking book, Donor-Centered Leadership, as well as a revelatory study, Underdeveloped, by CompassPoint and the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund that found half of chief development officers planned to leave their jobs in two years or less. And 40% planned to leave fundraising entirely.
What’s going on, and how can you fix it?
Is it about money, or something else?
It’s the time of year when nonprofits are evaluating their recent fundraising results and making plans to bring in more contributions in the coming year. But… how?
What will move the needle for you this year?
This question came up in a recent call I was on, and the subject turned to this organization’s monthly giving program. It was doing okay, but they weren’t persuaded it was worth the time and effort compared with focusing on major donors. What I tried to tell them was that many monthly donors are major donors or major or legacy donors in waiting!
If you’re not thinking about your monthly donor program this way, this year is your opportunity to reframe how you think about it.
CONSIDER THIS: A $50 monthly donor is a $600 donor. A $100 monthly donor is a $1,200 donor. PLUS… monthly donors are exceedingly loyal. One-time donors renew, on average, at a rate of 45%. Monthly donors renew, on average, at a rate of nearly 90%. And the fact they give consistently over time means they truly identify with your charity. You are so important to them you are like one of their children to whom they give a monthly allowance! So there’s a good chance they may also leave you a legacy gift. Wouldn’t it make sense to double down this year to try to grow and cultivate more of these loyal supporters?
On my recent call with the charity feeling uncertain about how much resources to devote to monthly giving, I remembered this conversation I had a few years back with expert, Bill Sayre, CEO of Merkle RMG. Since he works with hundreds of organizations to help them build and manage their sustainer programs, I’d asked him to give me his thoughts on what you can do to begin and/or better manage your monthly giving program.
Chances are you already have some sort of monthly sustainer program. But… is it the best it can be? Could it do more heavy lifting for you?
Today I’m re-running this article in the hopes it will help you plan for the year ahead. You’ll learn not only why monthly donor programs are a good idea, but how you can put management systems in place, grow your revenue, keep donors happy and maximize return on your investment.
What will you hope for in the coming year? Recently a college classmate asked me and others this question, ruminating on how hope and optimism are similar yet different. It struck a chord with me (Thank you David Mahoney). You see, I’m not generally an optimist. Yet I’m often hopeful. I’d just never taken time…
I don’t compile a list like this every year, but this year was different. It marked a shift in the direction of my content, because… “business as usual” seemed out of sync with the times we found ourselves in. So this year I’m going to summarize my writing of the year by sharing the articles…
To be a donor-centered fundraising expert, you must:
(1) Know what donors love, and
(2) Offer these lovable things to them.
There are three things I’ve found donors love when it comes to making donations.
Got it?
It’s that simple; yet very few organizations successfully offer these things to their donors. Instead, they fail their supporters by doing one or more of the following (take a look at your current appeal and see if you may be guilty of any of these sins):
This is all wrong!
Today I’m here to tell you what works. I’ve not only found these four things to be true anecdotally, based on personal experience with a range of different charities, but there’s also research to back this up.
Ready to learn the four secrets that will dramatically ramp up your fundraising this year?
This is one place you don’t have to social distance.
In fact, this is perhaps the most opportune time ever to do exactly the opposite.
But, not to worry.
Getting up close and personal… getting connected to your supporters and potential supporters in an authentic way… this is among the safest things you can do to give people warm, virtual hugs. At a time when folks are missing human contact the most.
And guess what?
It will make people feel good!
And when you make people feel good, they’ll associate that good feeling with you.
This sets the stage for them to be receptive to your call to action when you’re ready to make it.
Yet it can significantly increase the depth and breadth of your marketing reach.
You might think of social media as the new nonprofit advertising.
Per fundraising expert Tina Cincotti, donors are more likely to give, and stick with you, if you connect to them through multiple points of contact. In fact, they give at least 20% more than those connected through only one channel.
You don’t have to be everywhere, do everything, all the time.
When you think this way, you’ll never start.
Begin at the beginning.