Everyone always talks about fundraising as having to do with raising money or providing funds for an organization. I think that it could be worth our while to expand this idea to include activism in a more general sense such as advocacy and community activism. Volunteers and community members can be such incredible ambassadors for an organization.
I’d like to advocate that “development” or “fundraising” should be focused more on raising supporters than raising support. Why? Because I think fundraising is about developing people (see All Donors as Major Donors) not farming money. I also believe that if you can raise the community profile of your organization the funds will follow. If fundraising is relationship building and changing then I need to spend more time thinking about the donor than thinking about their donation.
Do you think that fundraising should include activism? Does your organization do any activism? Many times we limit activism to what happens in local and national government. But really activism can simply be the spread and the discussion of an idea. I’d love to hear from you as to what you are doing and if your organization is involved in activism, please leave a comment below.
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I definitely think that approaching development work as friendraising rather than fundraising is healthier and more beneficial to all parties involved.
I’ve worked in development in three different settings and I can honestly say that I am happiest in my current position with an organization that is very much about community building. Unlike many nonprofits, my current organization is also on better financial footing than one of my previous employers.
I think it’s a matter of organizational culture. When your support base–be they donors or volunteers–feel like they are really part of an organization, like they have ownership of that organization and it is working on their behalf, then they are likely to stay involved for the long-run.
I currently work for an activist foundation and I find that we are held accountable in a way that we must practice what we preach at all levels (internally and in the community). Because we are activists and progressive, we have to be accountable in a way that mainstream organizations do not. (Similarly, a certain presidential candidate has set a higher ethical bar for himself and will likely be held to account in a way that others have not.)
Jason,
Great post. You surely have a nack for business wisdom and people skills.
All too often, I find that non-profits are in a reactive mode with respect to their donors. “We need $$XXXX by next week of the lights will be shut off”.
Raising donors takes the long term view regarding your relationship with the donor. By having a rich dialogue with our donors (a form of activism according to your post), they will feel valued and the relationship (including the money) will naturally grow from there.
Some specific ideas:
1 – The Corporate Bagel Summit: This is where you host a light breakfast at your non-profit to discuss issues around your cause, welcoming the corporate donor as an active participant and problem-solver.
2 – Corporate Guest Blogger: Invite your corporate sponsor to write a post for the blog on why they support your cause AND how the relationship benefits their business.
3 – LinkedIn Dialogues: Invite the donors key executives to mention your non-profit within their LinkedIn profile. Ask them to talk up your non-profit (and why they support your cause) to other business leaders within their 1st degree network.
-FYI: I’m working on a piece called “7 Ways Non-Profits Can Leverage LinkedIn”
Take care,
John Haydon
http://www.CorporateDollar.Org