Respectful Relations with Potential Donors
by Kelsey Luffman

    Simone Joyaux, fund-raising consultant and co-author of Keep Your Donors: The Guide to Better Communications and Stronger Relationships, asserts that there is a right way and a wrong way for organizations to approach a potential donor – especially when the individual has had a previous relationship with a board member.

    Many organizations will request that board members provide a list of their personal and professional contacts, and then draft a letter of solicitation to be signed by each board member and distributed to all contacts. Joyaux says that this is the wrong approach – this mass-appeal is actually “trespassing on personal and professional relationships,” and it will most likely make contacts feel uncomfortable. Often the solicitation will yield some funds, but usually these are motivated by the donor’s felt obligation to help a friend. Unless the individual shows any genuine concern for the organization’s cause, Joyaux says, organizations should not expect repeat gifts.

    Joyaux writes that board members should instead be asked to contact only individuals who they suspect would have a real interest in the organization’s mission. Then, rather than asking donors to blindly shell out funds, the organization should reach out to these contacts and make an effort to learn about their concerns and educate them about the organization’s vision before any funds are solicited. These efforts will serve both the organization and the potential supporter in future relations.

 

Information taken from:

Hall, Holly. “The Wrong Way to Find New Donors.” http://philanthropy.com

Back