Lowering Expectations
Have you noticed a trend towards lowering fundraising goals? Have we all decided it’s better to have bartered our mission’s goals rather than go gently into that good night? The last time we looked, the need had not disappeared. Students still need assistance to attend college; nonprofit hospitals still need grateful patients to ensure access to care for those less fortunate; the number of hungry families in the world, including America, keeps increasing. What’s a nonprofit to do?
Look at who’s winning and who’s losing – and who’s lowering expectations. There are nonprofits who are surpassing their unrevised goals. And there are those giants who are struggling locally. It’s not hard to find the differences in approaches. What are you doing internally to move your nonprofit forward? Try some of these tips:
- If you are a prospect researcher, find the pockets of prosperity in your prospect’s backyard – look into the local economy of your prospect for the signs of what’s doing well there.
- If you are on the frontline, soliciting, ask the questions which will provoke honest and realistic thinking on the part of your prospect or donor. If you don’t explain what is needed and how they can help, you will not get a gift. Period.
- If you are in outreach, use various methods of public awareness to build advocacy. People, especially now, want to hear how you are meeting needs and solving problems. They’ll help you if you make it easy to do.
- If you are in administration, and having to cut back on expenses, ask your staff to brainstorm on “stop doing” lists. Time is ever more valuable these days, and it’s best to be efficient, but only if you are doing so in the right areas. Ask yourself, “Where should our priorities lie?”
Please feel free to share comments on how we can all work to raise expectations and, most importantly, raise more money!
October 21, 2009
· 
LoriAndDavid · 
No Comments
Tags: Campaigns, Fundraising, Major Gifts, Philanthropy · Posted in: News of Note
Leave a Reply