Wish Lists - Opportunity or Complaint?

As fundraisers, we are challenged by funding requests.  There are times when you are not included in the process of setting a goal and are just given the end document that states that $10,000,000 is needed to build a sewer system and this could be a naming opportunity!  (Okay, I'm overstating a little in making my point).  What do you do when that happens?

I've been tempted to complain that the people who authored such a thing are not "fundraisers" and that their request is not well thought. But I choose to stop that line of thought and flip it, to think that this is an opportunity to help colleagues and the people who benefit from their work.  It makes planning, implementing and collaborating a time to teach and to help people outside our fundraising professional family to get understanding of the wonderful things that can happen when true fundraising meets opportunity.

My Company

I want to empower the people around me.


To provide fun, fulfilling work that helps the world

I want it to be nimble, quick, human centered

I want to enjoy the spiritual leadership from the gut as we hear from GOD

To give people enriching, rewarding lives

I want to avoid taking on someone else’s legacy
I want to work with people with the right Spirit and start from scratch to build something unique

Everyone well trained, engaged and knowing what others do and who to go to for help

“What a person does on his own, without being stimulated by the thoughts and experiences of others, is even in the best cases rather paltry and monotonous.” Albert Einstein

Want people who like to share, be generous with their arts and talents and who talk to each other.

Want people who enjoy providing ideas, solutions and willing to jump in and implement with no thought of status or ego because they love what they do.

Create an environment to allow exceptional people and ideas to reveal themselves.

I want to work with people who are real.

People who care about others, without getting into personal zones they shouldn’t intrude into.

Friends.

A Team that can produce unprecedented outcomes.

Who aren’t afraid to try.

Who aren’t afraid of failure, but who see failure as another step to success.

Who don’t give up.

People who consistently SAY what their outcomes will become

People who can pass through my company on to other things and who will appreciate what the business and experience has given to them and be able to keep blessing their history with me.

Givers, generous, who look for ways to give

When it gets too big (around 50 people), split it and make associate level people the directors of the new companies

Being the only one in the world like it.

Amazing Outcomes

Did you read the Chronicle of Philanthropy articles on St. Jude's in Memphis?  Amazing!  Led by David McKee this organization raised nearly $700,000,000 last year.  (I counted the zeros... this is not a typo!). 

What would it take for your organization to reach the greatest amount raised yet? 

There are a few keys:

1. Make the "donor experience" with your organization the central point of your focus
2. Have a lot of conversations
3. Listen to your donors
4. Thank them more than ask them, but....
5. ASK!

Please take the poll on this page and let me know what you consider the most effective way to raise a lot of money very quickly.

Task Forces

When there is a job or task to do around your shop, I encourage you to use a task force.  Task forces are created to do a specific thing, then they disband and the members can be utilized for something else that is meaningful.

Create task forces for evaluation of existing fundraising methods, to try out new things, and to build streamlined systems for your best practices.

Find great people and turn them loose!

The Fundraiser as a Philanthropist

Many of us have heard that the "fundraiser should give before asking someone else to give."  However, do you do that?  My wife is one of the most generous persons I've met.  We look for ways to give.  I give to causes within the institution I serve.. 

However, recently I did a study on stewardship and had opportunity to look at giving records of fundraisers for an institution.  Only a small percentage of them gave significantly to their cause!

If you aren't giving to your own cause, why would a potential donor want to give? 

I hope you are generous.  If not, figure out what holds you back from being generous.  Givers look for ways to give.

Make It Rain!

First, consider this... are you as a fundraiser, also a philanthropist?  We have often been taught that we are "first to give our own gift, before we ask someone else to give."

Are we so moved by the cause for which we are fundraising that we are glad and excited to support it?  Or, do we feel obligated or under compulsion?

Please consider your cause.  Is it huge?  Does it provide beautiful solutions?  If your cause is well articulated and if it is truly worthy, I believe it will stir you to give.  Givers are unique, rare people (as shown by the fact that only 2.6% of Americans give to charity).  Be one of them.  Find or develop your cause to move you, to touch your heart.  I encourage you to give generously.

Most Important Hire

Have you ever thought what personnel you would need in an ideal shop?  Say you have 10 employee spots.  What types of job descriptions would you need?

You be the Chief Development Officer.  Next what about hiring 3 major gift fundraisers?  A good major gift program is essential for fundraising.  It is the most effective way to raise money according to most benchmarking services.  Next I would want an estate planning professional, then I would look for 2 in the annual fund area to develop and implement our annual fund and to manage a "signature" special event or two. 

What are we up to in our count?  7 in our ideal shop!  I would like to hire two executive assistants - to manage the administrative, the filing, data entry, receipts, mailings, publications, so these people would really have to be excellent quality people.  They are like having communications people as well as administrative professionals.  One BIG part of their job would be to call potential donors for appointments.  They would help our major gift officers to stay in the field where they should be!

What about grant writers, prospect researchers, web design and communications?  I would like to have the latter in our ideal shop.  The first two could be hired as vendors, consultants, etc. 

So that gives us at least something to ponder, doesn't it?

Think and act from abundance, not lack!