Fundraising Reimagined: Connecting Passion with Purpose
Just a few days ago, I heard the statement I have heard over and over since I began working as a fundraiser. “That is such a hard job. No one wants to ask for money.”
That is why, soon into my tenure in development, I started introducing myself like this:
“My name is Angel Brunelle, and I connect good people with good work.”
This simple reframe can shift the mindset entirely. I am not ‘asking people for money’, I am introducing them to an organization that just may be fulfilling a wish they have for their community or meeting a need they are aware exists but aren’t sure how to help.
The Connection Mindset: Linking passion and purpose to fundraising
When I first started in a Development position, I read a ton of resources about best Development practices, major gift fundraising, and how to ask for donations. At the time I worked with an organization that specializes in creating effective teams through relationship building.
The resources I was reading that spoke to me the most were those that focused on building relationships between an organization and potential supporters. Yes, there is an art to asking for donations, but it is made so much easier when the solicitor sees the supporter as a person with lived experiences, passions, and priorities - and not as an ATM!
I decided then that my approach to fundraising would be to start by building relationships with the organization’s supporters and potential supporters, and building the relationship between them and the organization.
If you can see potential supporters (this includes foundations) as people who may feel a deep connection with the work you are doing, the work of fundraising changes from asking for money, to facilitating the change someone wants to be in the world.
Cultivating Community: Lessons from the Garden and Beyond
I recognized the power of this approach years ago when I did some reflecting on the organizations in my own community that I felt drawn to. One such organization was dedicated to urban gardening, creating community gardens and school garden programs. Not only were the folks who ran this organization lovely people who I got to know at community events, but the work really resonated with me. At first, I thought it simply was the fact that I love to garden that drew me to them.
Then, one day I was thinking about the time I lived by myself in a new city. I am very shy, and meeting people was very hard for me. The city started a community gardening program, which I got involved with right away. For several summers, a couple times a week I would walk two miles or so to my garden, tend to the few plants I had success with, and connect with other gardeners. Sometimes I just soaked in the feeling of being part of something so communal. Being part of this community garden helped me feel connected during a very lonely time in my life. This feeling of connection helped me appreciate the mission of the organization, and want to be part of their success.
I applied this to my own work by always asking supporters what inspired their gift, what they were drawn to at the organization, and/or what experience they had with organizations like the one I worked with. Often what they shared was completely different from what I may have assumed.
Actionable Insights: Building Genuine Donor Relationships
Here are some ways you can connect good people with your good work:
Spot the Spark: Identifying Genuine Interest- Sometimes this starts with building awareness and paying attention to who responds to your story. These folks are telling you they are interested in your work - they have some connection that is resonating with what you are sharing.
Show Them You Care: Acknowledging Every Interaction- Connect with those folks that are telling you they are interested. Let them know you see their interactions (i.e. respond to comments made on your social media posts as if you were responding to a friend, or perhaps following up with comments provided on a survey).
Dig Deeper: Discover What Drives Your Supporters- When you have a chance to connect, find out why your organization appeals to them. Avoid the urge to immediately tell them more about your work, instead ask more questions. Show that you are interested in who they are as a person, not just what they can do for your organization.
Stay Connected: Nurturing Ongoing Conversations - Through the donor journey process*, continue to show that you see them by sharing programs or updates that are specific to their interests. This doesn’t mean that each donor has a newsletter tailored to them, but when something happens in your organization, you think “Oh, this person would be excited to hear this news.” and share it with them.
Empower Action: Guiding Supporters to Make a Difference - As I mentioned in the blog post Fundraising is not about asking for money, you do need to eventually make the ask. If you are actively developing a relationship with your supporters, the time to ask will feel natural, and often they will open the door by asking you how they can help.
When Connections Don't Click
It happens that some folks enjoy supporting your organization, but don’t want to develop that relationship further, and that is okay. Some folks might indicate that they have passion for other organizations, and that is okay too. Acknowledge and respect this. If you spend your time trying to ‘win them over’ you may be missing out on those folks who are telling you subtly that they want to build a relationship with your organization.
*Join me to learn more about creating a Donor Journey
Are you interested in learning how to develop a Donor Journey for your organization? I will be offering a free workshop in March that will provide actionable steps to create your own Donor Journey. Join my mailing list to be the first to know when registration opens!
