THE KIND OF PERSON

 

Seth Godin recently sat down for an interview about fundraising. At Donor By Design, we’ve always enjoyed Seth’s writing and applied many of his thoughts to our work,* but it was extra special to have him turn his attention to one of our favorite subjects.

One of his main points in the interview was that donors are less motivated by data, or even by personal testimonials, than we might think. What really influences a donor?

Their vision of themselves.

I’m the kind of person who cares about the climate.

We are staunch supporters of our church.

My family has volunteered for this nonprofit’s event every summer.

As a survivor, I’m committed to helping others in the same situation.

While a donor may not think it quite so literally, it still influences their decision.

Do alumni give to their university because the school has needs or because being an alum – and a successful, generous alum – is part of their identity?

Do you tithe, give sporadically, or give at all to your church or synagogue? If so, how does that decision reflect your personal understanding of what it means to exhibit your faith?

Why does one donor give to the United Way and another give directly to a homeless person? Both are motivated to help, but they give in a different way because it says, at least in part, something about how they think of themselves and the world.

What does this mean for you as a nonprofit leader?

  • Look for the tribes in your donor base. Who are your golf-outing loyalists? Who are the families that can be counted on to show up for clean up day? Who’s there for you at the end of the year, every year? Reinforce their decision to give back, rather than trying to force them into a different tribe.
  • Ask why. “You’ve been such a loyal donor over the years, and we’re so grateful. I’m curious, why do you continue to support our mission?” “You’ve been part of this event planning committee from the beginning. What keeps you coming back?” “As you think back over your years in our church community, what have been your favorite moments? The most meaningful moments?” While you can’t ask everyone personally, you can certainly ask any major gift or planned gift prospect, and it’s a great icebreaker for a committee or board meeting.
  • Don’t judge. What motivates you is different from what motivates me and what motivates others reading this. We can’t and shouldn’t want to change that. Instead, we are challenged to present our case for support in nuanced ways, appealing to the head and the heart, telling stories and sharing data, rallying people together and joining them in quiet conversation, offering many ways to engage in our mission.

Foundations are great at this. In their commission statement, they’re clear about what kind of “person” they are, who they will support, and why. Individual donors can be harder to read.

The next time a prospective donor doesn’t give to your campaign as you’d hoped, consider that they may not think of themselves as the kind of person who supports your kind of project or cause or mission. You might be able to change that, but it will require you to ask differently, not to simply ask more.

 

Watch Seth’s interview here.

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*Want to read some of our other blogs on Seth’s work? Check out: Here to There and Flying Lessons

Posted by Lora Dow
Lora Dow

Written by Lora Dow

Since 2006, Lora has helped nonprofits on both a local, state and national level develop a clear and compelling case for support. Effective communications are critical to any organization's ability to inspire donors, advocates and volunteers. Lora's expertise and experience make the process of developing those communications the most effective they can be.

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