“Fundraising is Beautiful”
If this headline seems incongruous, then it’s great you’re reading this piece. Ask yourself why that phrase sounds odd. I thought about what every nonprofit Board Member should know about fundraising, so this is addressed directly to that relatively small group of people. Our historic problem with fundraising is that most Board Members and non-development leadership, like ED’s, Presidents’ fear and dislike it.
They carry around a pile of misconceptions about fundraising. Worst of all are those who are quite convinced they “know” fundraising and do not. I wish we could make this “fundraising fear” tangible, something people could touch. What would it be? I think of a paper screen, or wall that separates our organizations/institutions from the financial resources it needs. I use the paper wall analogy because it’s fear, and it should be easy to break through it.
When you hear people who aren’t fundraisers talk and joke about what our profession does it’s often described in awful terms. “Begging”, “Arm twisting” and “Putting the screws to someone”.
Fundraising is beautiful. It’s the sheer power of public good. It’s the power of strangers to help others. Many ethically questionable businesses are lauded, tolerated and supported by the public. Raising money for greed is somehow good, to paraphrase Gordon Gekko of the movie Wall Street, but raising money to help people somehow isn’t. When we turn on the TV we can hear long stories about dirty fundraisers and fundraising, mostly tied to politics. When is the last time you saw a story about a heroic fundraiser, a staff person? There are many fundraising heroes , but I can think of only one story in my 30 year career in a small publication which told a great story about the courage of one fundraiser. One story.
If you search online for “fundraising” you get bombarded with a pile of “fundraising companies” websites.--schemes to sell chocolate and t-shirts, formulas for fundraising that promise instant success. Fundraising professionals know that real fundraising can’t be found there either.
So it’s no wonder there is fundraising fear.
It’s simple. Fundraising is giving a person an opportunity to do something good. Anyone can buy more stuff. It’s a lot harder to change the world with your money. Having asked for money for years in every role from frontline canvasser to top management, I know when I have done my research that it’s a good fit for the donor. Donor centric fundraising, based on prospect research, is about bringing the donor an opportunity that should thrill them. Asking becomes easy. The most common awful misperception people have about fundraising is that they will need to ask their friends. They will need to twist the arms of the people they care about.
What we need to do is ask those who already have shown interest in your cause. I feel like saying that a few times because it is so simple, so central, and so often overlooked. Sure one of those people might be your friend. But half the ask is knowing WHO to ask. It’s called Prospect Research. It’s a whole profession. Check out www.aprahome.org if you don’t believe me. Often this part of good development work is hidden from Board Members. Even Development Officers feel embarrassed about Prospect Research, when there is no reason to feel that way. Smart institutions, universities, hospitals, museums have veteran Prospect Researchers identifying EXACTLY who to ask and often for how much. This is a highly ethical and above board practice and profession. They operate in the world of public information. But just like misinformation persists about fundraisers, much misinformation persists about Prospect Research.
Any institution can afford Prospect Research. If you can’t afford a full time staff person, consider a part timer, if you can afford that role then look for a freelance prospect researcher. If your institution doesn’t have it, you’re at a great disadvantage in individual fundraising.
But medium and small institutions overwhelmingly DON’T have prospect research. Why? Why do they let their Board Members ask their friends, or why do they stay away from individual major gifts fundraising and stay only in foundation fundraising? Well often you’re going to find an institution laboring under the same misconceptions about fundraising. That fundraising itself is a sneaky, dubious practice and that it’s somehow “dirty”. Most haven’t heard about Prospect Research and if they already think poorly of fundraising, well, Prospect Research carries even more scary misconceptions for those folks as well.
Sadly most small and medium institutions would love to fundraise more. What organization doesn’t love more revenue? The tragedy here is the effective one’s that can’t grow without growing fundraising numbers. If someone has an effective model, for example, for fighting teenage tobacco use in their community, one that needs to be expanded, but they can’t afford to because their board/leadership is terrified of fundraising, well then simply and brutally put…kids won’t be reached because of that fear. That’s tangible, like that paper wall I talked about earlier. Real lives, right now. Time to get over it.
I don’t want people to accept fundraising like an awful medicine we took when we were kids; I want people to love it. Crazy I know. Perhaps I have been to Disneyland too much.
I have seen new life saving treatments found, because the researchers were funded, whole school districts turned around because of fundraising, homeless children graduate summa cum laude from an Ivy League school because of fundraising. Fundraising is beautiful.
Too many people who aren’t fundraising professionals think only of solicitation. Instead think of what’s called the “Fundraising Cycle” of which solicitation is part. Identification, Qualification, Cultivation, Solicitation and Stewardship.
Some think that’s what you have a staff person for, but there is a big board role in every part of the cycle as well as great staff work. When thinking of staffing know that asking corporations for money, writing foundation proposals, running a major gifts program, running an annual giving program, running a Planned Giving program I submit is often too much for one person. At least one person to do well. The different jobs often require different type of personalities. Sometimes you can find effective one person development shops, but it’s much easier to find nimble and smart 3-5 teams raising new revenue every year.
So consider a small team tailored to where the money is for your institution. All of this work has to be well guided and advised by prospect research. Why waste precious staff time? Know your best shot for big checks. Real fundraising is board members helping staff approach the right people. Real fundraising is cultivating the right people. So when you do ask, it’s natural, expected and your prospects are ready.
When it comes to asking for money you can rely on your Development Officer or learn yourself how to do it. Either way. Asking for money is a yes, no or maybe. Nobody will burst into flames if you don’t get the answer you want.
So earlier when you thought I was crazy because I wanted you to “love” fundraising don’t focus on the process only, focus on the result as well. If you truly believe in your institution, then think of what new solid supporters could do for it. You as a nonprofit leader can be someone who moves the needle, changes the world.
Help us dump “fundraising fear” in the past where it belongs. Help us teach what fundraising is really all about. Some of our best minds and best hearts work in the nonprofit world, only through new levels of funding can these minds and hearts do so much more good for our world!
If this headline seems incongruous, then it’s great you’re reading this piece. Ask yourself why that phrase sounds odd. I thought about what every nonprofit Board Member should know about fundraising, so this is addressed directly to that relatively small group of people. Our historic problem with fundraising is that most Board Members and non-development leadership, like ED’s, Presidents’ fear and dislike it.
They carry around a pile of misconceptions about fundraising. Worst of all are those who are quite convinced they “know” fundraising and do not. I wish we could make this “fundraising fear” tangible, something people could touch. What would it be? I think of a paper screen, or wall that separates our organizations/institutions from the financial resources it needs. I use the paper wall analogy because it’s fear, and it should be easy to break through it.
When you hear people who aren’t fundraisers talk and joke about what our profession does it’s often described in awful terms. “Begging”, “Arm twisting” and “Putting the screws to someone”.
Fundraising is beautiful. It’s the sheer power of public good. It’s the power of strangers to help others. Many ethically questionable businesses are lauded, tolerated and supported by the public. Raising money for greed is somehow good, to paraphrase Gordon Gekko of the movie Wall Street, but raising money to help people somehow isn’t. When we turn on the TV we can hear long stories about dirty fundraisers and fundraising, mostly tied to politics. When is the last time you saw a story about a heroic fundraiser, a staff person? There are many fundraising heroes , but I can think of only one story in my 30 year career in a small publication which told a great story about the courage of one fundraiser. One story.
If you search online for “fundraising” you get bombarded with a pile of “fundraising companies” websites.--schemes to sell chocolate and t-shirts, formulas for fundraising that promise instant success. Fundraising professionals know that real fundraising can’t be found there either.
So it’s no wonder there is fundraising fear.
It’s simple. Fundraising is giving a person an opportunity to do something good. Anyone can buy more stuff. It’s a lot harder to change the world with your money. Having asked for money for years in every role from frontline canvasser to top management, I know when I have done my research that it’s a good fit for the donor. Donor centric fundraising, based on prospect research, is about bringing the donor an opportunity that should thrill them. Asking becomes easy. The most common awful misperception people have about fundraising is that they will need to ask their friends. They will need to twist the arms of the people they care about.
What we need to do is ask those who already have shown interest in your cause. I feel like saying that a few times because it is so simple, so central, and so often overlooked. Sure one of those people might be your friend. But half the ask is knowing WHO to ask. It’s called Prospect Research. It’s a whole profession. Check out www.aprahome.org if you don’t believe me. Often this part of good development work is hidden from Board Members. Even Development Officers feel embarrassed about Prospect Research, when there is no reason to feel that way. Smart institutions, universities, hospitals, museums have veteran Prospect Researchers identifying EXACTLY who to ask and often for how much. This is a highly ethical and above board practice and profession. They operate in the world of public information. But just like misinformation persists about fundraisers, much misinformation persists about Prospect Research.
Any institution can afford Prospect Research. If you can’t afford a full time staff person, consider a part timer, if you can afford that role then look for a freelance prospect researcher. If your institution doesn’t have it, you’re at a great disadvantage in individual fundraising.
But medium and small institutions overwhelmingly DON’T have prospect research. Why? Why do they let their Board Members ask their friends, or why do they stay away from individual major gifts fundraising and stay only in foundation fundraising? Well often you’re going to find an institution laboring under the same misconceptions about fundraising. That fundraising itself is a sneaky, dubious practice and that it’s somehow “dirty”. Most haven’t heard about Prospect Research and if they already think poorly of fundraising, well, Prospect Research carries even more scary misconceptions for those folks as well.
Sadly most small and medium institutions would love to fundraise more. What organization doesn’t love more revenue? The tragedy here is the effective one’s that can’t grow without growing fundraising numbers. If someone has an effective model, for example, for fighting teenage tobacco use in their community, one that needs to be expanded, but they can’t afford to because their board/leadership is terrified of fundraising, well then simply and brutally put…kids won’t be reached because of that fear. That’s tangible, like that paper wall I talked about earlier. Real lives, right now. Time to get over it.
I don’t want people to accept fundraising like an awful medicine we took when we were kids; I want people to love it. Crazy I know. Perhaps I have been to Disneyland too much.
I have seen new life saving treatments found, because the researchers were funded, whole school districts turned around because of fundraising, homeless children graduate summa cum laude from an Ivy League school because of fundraising. Fundraising is beautiful.
Too many people who aren’t fundraising professionals think only of solicitation. Instead think of what’s called the “Fundraising Cycle” of which solicitation is part. Identification, Qualification, Cultivation, Solicitation and Stewardship.
Some think that’s what you have a staff person for, but there is a big board role in every part of the cycle as well as great staff work. When thinking of staffing know that asking corporations for money, writing foundation proposals, running a major gifts program, running an annual giving program, running a Planned Giving program I submit is often too much for one person. At least one person to do well. The different jobs often require different type of personalities. Sometimes you can find effective one person development shops, but it’s much easier to find nimble and smart 3-5 teams raising new revenue every year.
So consider a small team tailored to where the money is for your institution. All of this work has to be well guided and advised by prospect research. Why waste precious staff time? Know your best shot for big checks. Real fundraising is board members helping staff approach the right people. Real fundraising is cultivating the right people. So when you do ask, it’s natural, expected and your prospects are ready.
When it comes to asking for money you can rely on your Development Officer or learn yourself how to do it. Either way. Asking for money is a yes, no or maybe. Nobody will burst into flames if you don’t get the answer you want.
So earlier when you thought I was crazy because I wanted you to “love” fundraising don’t focus on the process only, focus on the result as well. If you truly believe in your institution, then think of what new solid supporters could do for it. You as a nonprofit leader can be someone who moves the needle, changes the world.
Help us dump “fundraising fear” in the past where it belongs. Help us teach what fundraising is really all about. Some of our best minds and best hearts work in the nonprofit world, only through new levels of funding can these minds and hearts do so much more good for our world!
