Never ask for a donation

April 21, 2011

Filed under: Fundraising — Tags: — jonathanpoisner @ 3:34 pm

Sometimes it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking about fundraising as an ask.

Indeed, that’s the language I often use when I’m creating a fundraising plan or counseling somebody — “you have to get out and make more asks.”

Yet, at a fundamental level, fundraisers for nonprofit organizations aren’t asking.  They’re inviting.

They’re inviting people to participate in an opportunity.

What the opportunity is varies wildly by organization.  It could be as broad as “help us save the planet” to as narrow as “help us build a house for a family.”

The donor isn’t making a gift — the word gift implies a transfer of something of value with zero obligation on the part of the receiver.  But in the nonprofit organization context, the receiver has an obligation — to fulfill the mission of the nonprofit organization.

There’s an exchange going on.

And what a great exchange it is for the donor.   In exchange for your money, you get to help make a real difference in the world and feel great doing it.

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