Not long after I published the first edition of Donor-Centered Fundraising, I heard from a donor who had participated in several of our research studies. He was excited (and relieved) to find there was a formula for sustaining donors’ loyalty and inspiring more generous gifts, that the formula was evidence-based, and that the evidence came from donors themselves.
This donor wanted to know which not-for-profits had shifted their fundraising operations from typical to donor-centered. This was back in 2005 or so, and I suspected no one had done so yet as the concept was still fairly new. Undeterred, he bought many copies of Donor-Centered Fundraising over the next several years, distributing them to not-for-profits whose work he admired.
We corresponded occasionally and once I even had the pleasure of meeting him in person. I hadn’t heard from him in some time, so was delighted when he reemerged via email a couple of weeks ago. I noticed a shift in his tone, however. He had become more focused and there was a sense of urgency I had not detected before. Again, he asked for my advice about not-for-profits that were donor-centered. He was seeking to establish a relationship with one or more donor-centered causes – and he was open to any type of not-for-profit or mission.
Being “donor-centered” involves more than just having a positive attitude towards donors. It means committing to a short but specific list of actions whenever a donor gives and doing so in ways that transmit a not-for-profit’s gratitude and respect. Donor-Centered organizations check “yes” in the three boxes below, not just with their donors who give the most money or with those who have been contributing for the longest time, but with all donors.
If you are confident that you do everything on this list, it means you are already Donor-Centered, and I’m sure this thoughtful donor will want to know who you are. We will be happy to pass on your contact information, after which you may hear from him or receive an unsolicited gift. Then you can take it from there. You can provide your contact information to our Director of Customer Service, Kristen Hazell who can be reached at k.hazell@cygresearch.com.
On the other hand, if you review this list and conclude that your fundraising operation is not yet Donor-Centered, there’s no time like the present to move forward. Donors are managing their philanthropy differently and much more confidently today, making some long-standing practices in fundraising less effective. According to donors, these three things capture their attention, keep them loyal longer, inspire more generous gifts, and influence them to prioritize your cause.
If you would like more detailed information on how to adjust your fundraising to be Donor-Centered, you can find it in the second edition of Donor-Centered Fundraising. Among other things, it includes an entire chapter of Donor-Centered thank you letters to inspire your own creative compositions, and strategies to help you help your Board and CEO make good decisions that boost fundraising profit.