Answer: always! That's according to well-respected fund developer Simone Joyaux in a series of articles for Nonprofit Quarterly this past spring, and I'm inclined to agree with her. Like so many things in life, a donation is rarely just what it appears to be: the transference of money from a person or organization to another organization or person. It is a transaction, but one imbued with a variety of subtleties and hidden meanings. Remembering that those meanings are always under the surface and are motivating gift giving is part of the key to fundraising successfully.
People, on the whole, don't just let go of money randomly. If they did then charitable causes would be on equal fundraising-footing and it would just be a matter of which organization was most tenacious in going after funds--a sort of early bird gets the worm scenario. Rather people are shaped by their experiences, beliefs, and values and these factors motivate their giving. Ms. Joyaux writes that "[F]undraising helps people follow their own interests, express their values, and advance their own aspirations" so that, ultimately, the act of fundraising should be about the "emotional fulfillment" of the donor.
Does the emotional fulfillment of your donors (and potential donors) guide the way you conduct fund development? If not, maybe it's time to start thinking about what the donation is really about and how to connect with the hidden meanings that guide each and every person when they make a gift. One way to get started--and with a willing and eager participant!--is to begin thinking about interests, values, and aspirations that have been expressed through your own giving. Consider how a fund developer might get to know you better, then let this personal insight help to guide your interactions with potential allies to your cause.
People, on the whole, don't just let go of money randomly. If they did then charitable causes would be on equal fundraising-footing and it would just be a matter of which organization was most tenacious in going after funds--a sort of early bird gets the worm scenario. Rather people are shaped by their experiences, beliefs, and values and these factors motivate their giving. Ms. Joyaux writes that "[F]undraising helps people follow their own interests, express their values, and advance their own aspirations" so that, ultimately, the act of fundraising should be about the "emotional fulfillment" of the donor.
Does the emotional fulfillment of your donors (and potential donors) guide the way you conduct fund development? If not, maybe it's time to start thinking about what the donation is really about and how to connect with the hidden meanings that guide each and every person when they make a gift. One way to get started--and with a willing and eager participant!--is to begin thinking about interests, values, and aspirations that have been expressed through your own giving. Consider how a fund developer might get to know you better, then let this personal insight help to guide your interactions with potential allies to your cause.
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