Choosing the right person to request donations can make or break an organization’s fundraising campaign. In this week’s segment of FUNDRAISING DOs & DON’Ts, we suggest who you should and should not appoint as your charity’s “asker”.
DO select someone with a demonstrated passion for your mission and significant connection with your organization to solicit gifts on its behalf. Regardless of the size of the donation sought, the person who is charged with the task of directly requesting it must be strongly linked to the organization and exhibits a tremendous amount of passion for its work.
Those with a meaningful connection are usually volunteers, past and current board members, former staff, clients, families, community partners and anyone else who have witnessed or experienced your charity’s impact. If the person lacks a detectable relationship with the organization, their credibility may be called into question. Prospects may wonder why a person who is virtually unknown to the organization is representing them in such a vital, high stakes endeavour.
More importantly, the individual you choose to approach others for support must possess a deep affinity for the positive change that your charity aspires to create. The wellness of the people and the community who benefit from your organization’s programs should be the focus of the conversation. It’s crucial for the solicitor to convey a strong emotional connection with the experiences of your beneficiaries and a shared sense of purpose with everyone else involved in the campaign.
When managing fund development campaigns, we must continually view things through the lens of the prospects. What do they see when a representative from our charity engages them in a major gift discussion? Expressing compassion and empathy for your beneficiaries will resonate with them and likely generate the response that you’re hoping for. Askers with thorough connections with their non-profits project cohesion and resolve. Both factors solidify your odds for success.
DON’T appoint someone to approach others for donations who has not (or refuses) to make their own gift to the organization. The adage of “Do as I say, not as I do” doesn’t apply to people involved in fundraising campaigns. When asking others to support their organization, it is paramount that askers commit their own gifts first.
Pledging one’s support to the mission in the form of a feasible monetary gift – whether it is a lump sum, monthly arrangement, or a series of installments – affirms one’s commitment to the charity and the campaign. Informing prospects that we passionately donate and are proud to be associated with such transformative work is a powerful statement. It is certain to make a strong impression on the prospect and absolutely influence their decision.
When the prospect learns that the individual who is eloquently presenting such a compelling and passionate case regarding your organization’s latest fundraising campaign has not given themselves, the request flatlines. It makes the organization look superficial, delegitimizes the mission and hurts the people you serve.
In this situation, an age-old question that definitely applies is “If we are unwilling to support our charity financially, how can expect anyone else to?”.
