Overcoming the Fear of Major Gifts Fundraising is Jim Eskin’s take on how staff members, board members and volunteers deal with the unknowns when raising charitable dollars.
I thoroughly enjoyed leading the advancement programs of three institutions of higher education in the San Antonio area. This gave me the profound privilege of working closely with many of our community’s most respected and accomplished business and community leaders.
I was struck by the depth of their commitment to the belief that education is the surest path to prosperity and a brighter future, but also too often a near crippling fear of fundraising. While virtually fearless in the rest of their professional, civic and personal lives, they are terrified of raising money for causes they are so devoted to. The larger the amount, the greater the fear, especially in face-to-face settings crucial for major gifts. Time after time again, they said they would be willing to contribute to success in just about any other way, but not resource development.
This deeply rooted fear and reluctance intrigued me. So much so as I pivoted to my dream of going out on my own, I decided to focus on this challenge and this challenge only. The past six years have provided the opportunity to work with non-profits of all different sizes, sectors and parts of the country. This exposure to a much broader slice of the non-profit sector served to deepen my understanding of the challenges and opportunities related to fear of fundraising.
After leading more than 250 workshops, webinars, podcasts and board training sessions, I’ve reached conclusions on how professional and volunteer non-profit leaders can and should confront fear of fundraising which is holding back the progress and potential impact of their organizations.
Overcoming the Fear of Major Gifts Fundraising – Jim Eskin
My perspective on the meeting this challenge can be summarized in the following 10 touchstones:
- More than anything else, non-profit leaders suffer from a fear of the unknown: The stark reality is that too many haven’t experienced a genuine solicitation for themselves. They are much more familiar with the passive act of receiving gifts self-directed by donors themselves. While getting these gifts this way is better than no money at all, it is far different than intentionally and strategically soliciting donors by asking for a specific amount, purpose and timing.
- Passion for the mission is a superpower: More than any elaborate print or digital collateral material, nothing influences an outcome more than the power and conviction of those making the request. This necessitates that the solicitors make personally significant gifts themselves. The board and staff from their daily engagement are strongly equipped to articulate why their cause is compelling. Fundraising is an extension and natural conclusion of such passion.
- Successful resource development is the result of much more than asking for gifts: Board members, non-development staff and volunteers can play hugely essential roles by simply identifying prospects from their networks, breaking the ice and introducing them to the mission, and profusely thanking donors for their generosity. Making thank you calls to donors with no other agenda than expressing gratitude is a terrific way to introduce reluctant individuals to resource development work. When it comes time for making the ask, other leaders and professional staff skilled in this role can step in and do so. Most of the challenge is gaining the donor prospect’s time and inspiring them in recognizing how their personal values, priorities and visions of a better world align with the mission of the non-profit.
- Like in other disciplines success depends on learning new processes, practicing and rehearsing: It’s crazy to step into any high stakes venture without being adequately prepared. Yet all too often non-profits wing it. While a word for word script might not be required, leaders must go into a solicitation with a keen appreciation for time management. absolute clarity on who is going to say what and particularly make the ask. For precisely this reason we practice role playing solicitations in our training programs.
- Another high return activity is having board members and volunteers new to fundraising accompany those who are competent: This pulls the curtain back giving a bird’s eye view of the flow and chemistry of an effective solicitation meeting.
- Cogently define what sets your non-profit apart from all the other good causes: Never for a moment overlook the dilemma facing donors who are forced to make excruciating decisions not between the good and the bad, but between the good and the good. What can your non-profit say about how it touches, improves and saves more lives that America’s other 1.5 million non-profits can’t?
- Fundraising and good communications are seamless: In other words, you can’t tell where one stops and the other begins, Be wary of overwhelming others with facts and figures. To a growing extent, stories make the difference in conveying the personal impact of your non-profit on men, women and children.
- Prudently invest in training: For sure, I’m biased on the subject, but training pays handsome returns. It’s a big part of being prepared. Consider bringing in an outside specialist. Management, board, staff and volunteers should all receive training. This builds on the reality that it takes an entire non-profit village to champion and reach its true advancement potential.
- Reject the notion that negative responses mean gifts won’t be possible: The donor prospect in turning down the request might be implying not at this time, not for this project, and not for this amount. You continue communicating and cultivating so that you can return with a re-crafted request based on the feedback received.
- Being turned down is far from the end of the world: Successful fundraisers are used to hearing “no.” You can’t solicit gifts without risking donors declining. It is never personal, and when necessary, you move on to other donor prospects knowing that you made the best possible effort to champion your cause. I heartily disagree with the notion that people can’t take rejection. Leaders in all fields to produce desired outcomes are going to risk being turned down. Hardly a day goes by in which I don’t hear “no.”
Here’s the bottom line: Fundraising is part science and part art. The better you know science, the more creatively you can practice the art. Fortunately, there is ample research, data and case studies to guide us in fruitful directions. I’ve observed countless professional and volunteer non-profit leaders overcome fear of fundraising by their commitment to learn, practice and continuously become more comfortable and confident. They understand that much the stakes are more profound than their personal egos. As a result of their courage, patience and diligence, each and every day, the world is improved, and much needed assistance is provided, especially to those who are struggling.
Overcoming the Fear of Major Gifts Fundraising was first posted at Major Gifts Ramp-Up
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After a successful career leading advancement programs for three institutions of higher education, Jim Eskin’s consulting practice, Eskin Fundraising Training launched in 2018, builds on the success of his more than 250 fundraising workshops and webinars and provides the training, coaching and support services that non-profits need to compete for and secure major gifts. He has authored more than 150 guest columns that have appeared in daily newspapers, business journals and blogs across the country, and publishes Stratagems, a monthly e-newsletter exploring timely issues and trends in philanthropy. Sign up here for a free subscription. He is author of 10 Simple Fundraising Lessons, which can be purchased here and will be releasing his second book, Scoring Your Non-Profit’s First or Next Million-Dollar Gift, in Fall 2024.
Jim Eskin
Founder
Eskin Fundraising Training
10410 Pelican Oak Drive
San Antonio, TX 78254-6727
Cell: 210.415.3748
E-Mail: [email protected]
www.eskinfundraisingtraining.com
