This October, the Donor By Design team is tackling spooky situations in development. Join us this month for hair-raising stories and cautionary tales of frightful fundraising!
A key to fundraising success is an urgent and compelling case for support. Nonprofits should not only be able to answer the question “why?” but also “why now?” What is at stake it you don’t move forward? What opportunity will be lost if you hesitate?
Keep in mind that as you create your urgency, there is a fine line between “the time is now” and “all is lost.” A case too dire can scare a donor, making them feel helpless or even shamed into giving. Equally frightening, you run the risk of portraying that your organization doesn’t really have it all together.
A few (perhaps a little exaggerated) examples:
- Scary: Our dilapidated building has dark, unsafe hallways and years of water damage have caused our ceiling to collapse in a number of our program rooms. Please support our capital campaign so we can renovate our building and keep children safe while they are in our care.
- Not-so-scary: We are proud of the work we are doing for the children and families who take part in our life-changing programs. But we know we can do more. Our building, built for a previous generation, is showing its wear and is in urgent need of updates. Please support our capital campaign that will allow us to create purposefully designed spaces that will ensure we are providing an environment that not only serves the needs of today, but will be viable for future generations.
- Scary: Without your help, we will no longer be able to offer after school programming to the children in our community. As government funds are cut off, we will need to close our doors to the at-risk youth who count on us for an after school snack – possibly their only meal that night – and the homework help they aren’t getting at home. Without our program, their future is bleak and their likelihood of dropping out of high school and a life of crime increases. Please give today.
- Not-so-scary: We provide after school programs in 25 schools in at-risk neighborhoods across our city. In these safe environments, we inspire learning, build character and give students the essential support they need to succeed in school and beyond. Government funding cuts have put a serious strain on our ability to serve the number of students who rely on us each day after school and we face the possibility of closing a number of locations. Please consider a gift today that will ensure the children in our community who need us most will continue to have a chance at a brighter future.
While I took a bit of liberty with the “scary” examples, we’ve all seen pleas for help that made us feel guilted into giving or have us wondering if the organization (and its building) is hanging on by its last thread. These are hardly ways to inspire your donors to feel good about giving to you and your bigger vision.
A less frightening approach is to assure your donors that you are doing good now, but need their help to do more. Today.
