Yearly Archives: 2024

"...Do your work, then step back. The only path to serenity..."This week, I am reading quotes from Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu from his various works.Reflection questions:Are you watering your fundraising appeals with worry and desperation?  Or, are you watering them with kindness and optimism?During a busy fundraising season, how are you embracing the saying, “do your work, and then step back. The only path to serenity”?Reflection on Quote:In the United States, we have trained our donors to give between November and December, which means that a prepared fund development professional has already finished their year end letter.  Or maybe not.  Yes, when we enter a busy season of fundraising, it can be very stressful and that stress can leak out into the appeals we send.How we write our appeals to donors does affect the outcome.  We can approach the writing with worry, fear, desperation.  And, our appeals will reflect that fear and worry.  And, our donors will react - some by giving out of fear, but others will choose not to give at all.  Or, we can approach the writing with confidence, kindness, optimism, and solutions.  And, our appeals will reflect that kindness and optimism.  These appeals attract donors because they give…

"...Consistent with social learning theory, individuals tend to carry beliefs about money and money skills learned in childhood into their adult lives..."This week, I’m reading selected quotes from Money Beliefs and Financial Behaviors by Bradley Klontz, Sonya Britt, and Jennifer Mentzer, published in 2011.Reflection Questions:Have you spent time thinking about your childhood and the beliefs around money you were raised with?Which money script have you been operating in and how might you break those patterns?Reflection on Quote:Earlier this week, I was talking with a person with new fund development responsibilities.  She talked about her fears with asking for money.  Like almost everyone I’ve met in the field, her fears were directly related to her childhood.  It’s a reminder that often we have to unpack our own beliefs around money before we can discuss generosity with our donors. As I read this research, I immediately recognized correlations to fundraising.  Those with money avoidance scripts can struggle to ask for donations. Those with money worship scripts tend to engage in magical thinking around one major donation.  Those with money status scripts can find crossing wealth classes intimidating when building a relationship with a more wealthy donor.  Those with money vigilance scripts may find fundraising…

"...The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause..."This week, I’m reading from Citizenship in a Republic, a speech given by Theodore Roosevelt in 1910.Reflection question:How will you let the dust, sweat, and blood from last week go and look forward to daring greatly this week?Reflection on Quote:Earlier this week, I attended the grand opening of our local library.  The capital campaign had been delayed and had faced many obstacles and criticisms.  Despite of all this, the volunteer members of the fundraising committee persisted. And, the joy at the grand opening was contagious all because these volunteers decided to keep going. Too often we are distracted by obstacles and criticisms. Our work is hard, dust, sweat and blood.  We make errs and we will come short at times.  But, we are spending ourselves for a worthy cause and we are daring greatly. And, when we persist in…

"...Acknowledging that one does not know is a humble kind of ignorance, one that is, in fact, filled often with the joy of discovery and wonder at what is discovered..."This week, I’m reading a quote from Imposed Ignorance and Humble Ignorance - Two Worldviews by Paul Heltne, published in 2008.Reflection Questions:Are we building structures and processes in our work that demand certainty or are we building those structures and processes to encourage discovery and wonder?Are we willing to be honest and humble with donors when we need to make a course correction?Reflection on the QuoteEarlier this week, I was coaching a client through the process of asking for a corporate sponsorship.  She knew that this was an area that she knew little about, but instead of being defensive, she embraced this ignorance with openness and curiosity.  It stuck me.  How am I approaching my ignorance whether it’s about a donor or a fundraising technique or a trend in the field.This also applies to generosity.  We can approach donor relationships with certainty, with standard practices, and yet we may never find out the true reason a donor is giving to our organizations.  In the face of our certainty, the donor may feel foolish…

"...The brain is stirred. The emotions may be provoked, desires clarified, the imagination stretched...."This week, I’m reading a quote from The Paradox of Generosity by Christian Smith and Hilary Davidson. 2014 edition.Reflection questions:Will you choose a cause other than your own where you can meet with their staff or volunteers to listen with imagination and have your horizons expanded?Will you intentionally reach out to an organization that you wouldn’t typically support in order to be exposed to a different community of people?To purchase this book: The Paradox of Generosity by Christian Smith and Hilary Davidson. Copyright: Oxford University Press 2014. Reproduced with permission of the Licensor through PLSclear.What do you think?To explore fundraising coaching deeper and to schedule an exploratory session, visit ServingNonprofits.com.Music credit: Woeisuhmebop