In all my years of fund raising, both doing it and teaching it, every successful experience comes down to understanding 5 fundamental truths or axioms. They are:
- People only give to people.
- People give to your future.
- People give to success.
- People get something from giving.
- People don’t give unless they’re asked.
Here’s what #5 means:
People don’t give unless they’re asked. Why do churches and religious institutions get so much of the philanthropic pie? Because they ask you to give, they ask often (weekly and sometimes more) and they create a “habit” of giving. Too often I hear of organizations that have long-standing relationships with potential donors on their mailing lists, wondering why they have not supported the organization at all, or in a larger way. Often the simple answer is that they didn’t give because they weren’t asked. Speculating why Ms. Plentybucks or Mr. Deeppockets hasn’t chosen to support you’re the program that he or she has always talked about serves no purpose unless you’ve asked them in a way more involved than your annual fund appeal.
Remember these truths as you develop your fund raising plans and strategies. They will guide you to more donor-centered thinking, improving your success in the future.
