I have to admit, I’m writing from a bit of frustration this morning. I’ve been hearing from a number of fundraising professionals who are lamenting that their major gift program is not producing like they need it to, and they’re blaming every outside source they can think of, except themselves.
This usually starts happening in December, because panic starts to set in on some development directors who feel they may not make “their numbers.”
Here’s what I’m hearing:

“Our revenue is way down this year because we just came out of a capital campaign last year and our donors are tapped out.”
“This new tax law I fear is really going to mess up our December. I’m anticipating we’ll be well down in revenue.”
“These DAF’s are driving me nuts! I know we’d bring in more revenue from our major donors if our donors weren’t pouring money into them.”
“What is up with these board members? They know their minimum obligation is $10,000 a year, yet they only want to give $1,000… this is one reason why our major gift program is down this year.”

The problem with every one of these statements is that it’s placing blame on something or someone else, while not considering that you may actually be the problem.
Here are some questions I’d like to ask you:

  1. Are you establishing relationships of trust with your donors, and do you understand their passions and interests?
  2. Do you have a cultivation, stewardship and solicitation plan for every donor in your portfolio, along with individual revenue goals?
  3. If you’re in a campaign, have you planned a well-thought-out strategy to start cultivating a donor who has two years left on their pledge – so that when the campaign is over, you’ll be able to move them into a higher level of ongoing giving?
  4. Are you listening to your board members? Are the expectations clear to them? Have you taken the time to understand why they may not be giving?

I wouldn’t hear any blaming from you if you were doing all four of these things with your donors. In fact, those organizations that really know their donors and listen to them are not worried one bit about the new tax laws or DAFs, or whether or not they are coming off a capital campaign. (Tweet it!)
Why?
Because they are doing the work. They are not doing the “blame game.” They’re doing the hard work, day in and day out. That’s all they can do, and all they can control.
Do that. Let the blaming go.
Jeff

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