When I explain my theory of change related to improving the world of nonprofit fundraising, I find that I am often using "dating” or “cocktail party” examples. These seem to work better than examples related to sitting in front of someone asking for money. Why? Simple — these are very common examples of people wanting to connect with other people, ideally in an authentic manner.
As valuable as it would be to have a donor who inquired with a fundraiser about their personal, I believe it takes a level of vulnerability to share. Especially depending on the donor that has been placed in your portfolio to have a meeting with. I've had donors/prospects that I was forced to have meetings with regardless of whether or not they shared in alignment with certain topics. There is a moment where someone may ask, "What happens if I share too much" or "more than I need to." I believe a helpful framework to share would be: encouraging leadership to develop a pathway of trust with fundraisers to the organization to establish trust with donors. This sounds very much like therapy work I'm sure. Still, there are a lot of fundraisers of a variety of backgrounds struggling with their own identities within this work, which unfortunately makes the conversations trite and the relationship transactional. Not saying this is the right way to handle things, but acknowledging this as a place of transformation.
As valuable as it would be to have a donor who inquired with a fundraiser about their personal, I believe it takes a level of vulnerability to share. Especially depending on the donor that has been placed in your portfolio to have a meeting with. I've had donors/prospects that I was forced to have meetings with regardless of whether or not they shared in alignment with certain topics. There is a moment where someone may ask, "What happens if I share too much" or "more than I need to." I believe a helpful framework to share would be: encouraging leadership to develop a pathway of trust with fundraisers to the organization to establish trust with donors. This sounds very much like therapy work I'm sure. Still, there are a lot of fundraisers of a variety of backgrounds struggling with their own identities within this work, which unfortunately makes the conversations trite and the relationship transactional. Not saying this is the right way to handle things, but acknowledging this as a place of transformation.