Whose Mission?
Crossing over to a different mindset
"I love it when we're cruising together." — "Cruisin'," Smokey Robinson
When I graduated from college, my buddy Steve and I set out to bicycle across the U.S. Starting north of Seattle with loaded bikes and no support, we pedaled west-to-east, up and over the northern Rocky Mountains, crossing the continental divide several times. I'm not sure I could do that trip today in a car, let alone a bicycle!
That journey over the mountains reminds me of how much I’ve had to grow and evolve as a fundraiser over the years.
Like most of us, I started out my fundraising career passionate about our organization and eager to give testimony about its mission. My belief was so strong that I was even willing to ask people, “Will you help fund our mission?”
But with maturity, there is a “continental divide” that fundraisers cross over. Along the way, we come to realize that people don’t give generously because of OUR mission; they give when the organization aligns with THEIR mission.
Instead of practicing persuasion, curiosity takes over.
Putting the donor’s passion first might be uncomfortable. It’s less controllable, and your timeline is not theirs. That shift in mindset changes how we understand our work. Instead of practicing persuasion…
…curiosity takes over. Your true passion in fundraising becomes the person in front of you, discovering what enlivens and calls them. You no longer feel pressure to be the expert on your organization. Instead you want to know about them. How you ask for the gift will change, too. No more; “Can you put gas in our tank?” Instead there is an invitation: “Let’s go discover the future together!”
Consider how this insight would change what you do and say on a donor visit:
You are centered on your mission vs. You are centered on the donor’s mission
Your mission:“I want to tell you about what we do.”
Their mission: You ask good questions, listen and learn
Your mission: “I’m so excited about this work!”
Their mission: “How would you change this world?”
Your mission: Focusing on campaign literature
Their mission: “It sounds like you care a lot about…”
Your mission: Weaving the donor into the agency’s story
Their mission: The organization is part of their story
Your mission: “Help us get there.”
Their mission: “Can we go there together?
Your mission: “Dear supporter: We are grateful…”
Their mission: “Dear Investor: this is your impact”
Your mission: “We couldn’t do it without you”
Their mission: “We are a reliable partner for you”
Nonprofits whose messages sound like the left column do raise money. Nice people give polite gifts all the time. You can get by doing that.
But once you’ve crossed the divide, you won’t look back. Larger impact, longer legacy and deeper relationships await when you realize it's all about aligning missions—beginning with the donor’s.
It’s not about you.
The editor of this Substack is Kelly Wendell, Coordinator of Communications at South Dakota State University.
Next Tuesday: A thoughtful response contributed by Terry Brandt, Executive Director for the Offutt Family Foundation. Subscribe now - don’t miss it!