Most of my fundraising-related posts and blog entries are positive and upbeat. Today I will break with the norm since I feel the need to vent.
As a fund development consultant my job is to work with charities and organizations to strengthen their resource-generating capabilities so their work has a greater impact on the communities they serve. Many rely heavily on core funding from governments, United Ways or other institutional benefactors.
A majority of funders impose stringent rules on how their money is allocated which results in organizations scrambling to raise funds to cover critical expenditures like rent, utilities, staff travel and insurance. Tedious and time-consuming reporting requirements also impede the amount of time and energy staff are able to direct towards the needs of their consumers.
Hence, it is perfectly rational that non-profits should take ownership of their fundraising destinies by developing structured fund development strategies that produce committed and sustainable bases of donor support. Yet for some reason, a frustrating number of organizations resist this concept.
While they agree in principle that robust fundraising practices can significantly reduce their reliance on core funders AND empower their organization with greater latitude regarding how funds are directed, far too many are unwilling to take the necessary steps. The list of seemingly endless excuses as to why “fundraising won’t work with our organization” include:
· “Many of our people are on fixed incomes and should not be asked”;
· “We don’t know any rich people”;
· “We don’t want to be a nuisance to anyone”;
· “The state of the economy is weak, so people won’t be donating as much”;
· “We are a small agency, so no one wants to support us”’;
· “Our cause isn’t compelling enough”;
· “We lack connections with big business”;
· “None of us are good at sales”;
· And so on . . .
Some that are initially apprehensive do eventually appreciate and embrace fundraising. However, for no justifiable reason, numerous organizations I encounter remain obstinate in their reluctance to pursue a sustainable fund development campaign of any scale. Regardless of any words of encouragement or cautionary tales we impart, steps we strongly advise should be taken or anything we suggest, sadly there are charities and non-profits that cannot be helped.
Whether its an intrinsic hostility towards fundraising, fear of “making the ask”, unapologetic shyness, poor organizational self-image, imposter syndrome, general apathy or most likely a combination of many factors, some charities are their own worst enemies. Board directors and lead staff are simply uninterested and/or extremely hesitant to embark on the process of building a passionate base of support.
Undeniably, getting started on building a passionate and engaged donor base that is fuelled by a long-term fund development system is no easy feat. The path to sustainability is fraught with rejection, frustration, heartache, failure, budget overruns and missed financial targets. Worst of all is it requires excruciating levels of hard work and sweat equity up front.
However, summoning the fortitude and energy to traverse our way through the early phases can yield highly desirable outcomes. Dependency on core funding decreases, passion for the mission builds, limitations on how funds are used dissipate, participation in fundraising activities spreads, program and service capacity expands and a stronger sense of ownership of your charity’s direction emerges.
If only all leaders within the charitable sector understood and dedicated themselves to transforming these possibilities into realities, our society would be in a better place. Personally I believe the federal government approves charitable status for far too many organizations that lack the knowledge and resources to survive long enough to achieve any meaningful impact.
Startup organizations should be required to demonstrate at minimum a fundamental understanding of fundraising prior to receiving charitable status. Beginning their journey towards fulfilling their mission should include an expectation among a charity’s leaders that a fund development strategy will be established. Board and staff must devote themselves to cultivating an engaged and enthusiastic base of donors who aspire to contribute what they can to advance the cause. Solutions like this are not foolproof, but they are a start.
In the interim, many organizations presently doing amazing things in the short-term unfortunately will shut their doors for good because they don’t want to fundraise. At this risk of sounding harsh, perhaps this isn’t a bad thing. Few organizations using resources effectively to achieve maximum impact is better than several charities recklessly utilizing people, space and equipment to deliver negligible results. No charity simply has a “right to exist”. What matters most is they employ resources in a manner that creates the change needed to enhance the well-being of the community.
All we can do as consultants and development staff is provide the guidance, knowledge and expertise that we know make charities thrive. It our duty to work tactfully and patiently with organizations to convince them how following our recommendations places them on a clear trek to sustainability. Ultimately, we can lead many horses to water, but not all of them will drink.
