Connecting with Your Donors: It's About Conversation, Not Sales

Many executive directors in the nonprofit sector feel uneasy about engaging directly with their donors. The fear of sounding pushy or "salesy" can be a significant barrier. However, it's crucial to remember that your most dedicated supporters often give because someone took the initiative to ask.

Building strong relationships with your top donors doesn't require aggressive tactics. Instead, it starts with genuine conversations. Think about it – these individuals are invested in your mission and likely have insights and passions they'd be eager to share with you.

Consider reaching out with a simple invitation: a casual coffee meeting, a tour of your facilities, or an opportunity to hear about exciting updates and provide their valuable feedback. Sharing the impact of their previous contributions can also deepen their connection to your work.

At Philanthropic Fundraising, we understand these hesitations and provide the support, training, and resources you need to confidently engage your donors. We equip you with the talking points and strategies to foster meaningful connections. If you truly believe in the impact your organization can have with a donor's support, don't shy away from those vital conversations.

Reinvigorating a Capital Campaign: The SUNY Geneseo Story

We recently had the privilege of partnering with SUNY Geneseo on their $45 million "Opportunities Rising" capital campaign. When we joined the effort, they had reached an impressive 90% of their goal. While this might seem like a cause for celebration, it also presented a unique challenge: many of their top prospective donors had already been approached. After five years, the campaign had naturally experienced some fatigue.

Our task was to inject new energy into the campaign. We immediately implemented weekly campaign meetings with key stakeholders – the campaign chair, board chair, and director of development. Our focus remained laser-sharp on the top prospects. These weekly sessions were active moves management meetings, where we strategically assessed the right time for each interaction, whether it was a call, a thoughtful communication, or a formal request. We firmly believe that activity fuels giving, and consistent engagement was paramount.

Through our efforts, including strategic behind-the-scenes discussions with previously unengaged potential donors, we identified several significant six-figure opportunities that might have otherwise been missed. We also provided guidance in navigating engagement with their five-figure donors, essentially scaling the successful strategies they already had in place.

Our role was to support their strong leadership and dedicated team by providing structure, accountability, clear action items, comprehensive notes, relevant materials, and effective talking points. The result? SUNY Geneseo successfully closed out their $45 million capital campaign.

Achieving Capital Campaign Success: The Boys and Girls Club of Washington County

We also had the privilege of partnering with the Boys and Girls Club of Washington County, helping them raise $5 million in philanthropy for their capital campaign in just 18 months – a success that included securing two $1 million gifts.

Our approach began by immediately leveraging the findings of their feasibility study to identify the top $1 million prospect. We presented a compelling and well-articulated case for support, inviting them to consider a significant commitment. Their affirmative response set the campaign in motion.

Next, we looked beyond the initial study to identify other potential $1 million donors. Although it took nearly a year of consistent engagement, we successfully secured a second million-dollar gift.

To achieve the remaining $3 million goal, we worked closely with committee members, providing them with clear materials, effective talking points, and defined ask amounts. We held them accountable and collaboratively addressed any challenges they encountered. The outcome was a successful $5 million philanthropic campaign, complemented by an additional $6 million in government funding. The Boys and Girls Club is now preparing to open their new facility this year, a testament to the power of focused effort and strategic engagement.

Ready to Launch Your Capital Campaign? Start Here.

Is your board contemplating a capital campaign but unsure where to begin? A valuable first step is to download our case for support worksheet, available on our website at philanthropicfundraising.com.

This worksheet provides a framework for discussing crucial questions with your board: If you were to raise $3 million or $5 million, how would those funds be utilized? By working through this exercise, you can ensure that your potential pitch to donors is compelling, relevant, and timely.

Visit philanthropicfundraising.com today to download your case statement worksheet. Once your board has had a chance to review it, we'd be happy to discuss your insights and help you develop it further. We're here to support you in building a successful capital campaign.