Am I Doing Enough?

That nagging question.

Ironically, for me, it usually presents itself the moment I’ve had a chance to take a deep breath in peace.

At 8:30pm, when the school bags are unloaded and the next days lunches are made.

The folders are emptied and the morning coffee is set.

The workout plan is made and the pre-dawn alarm is scheduled.

Somewhere between the mental checklists and reminders, it’s always there.

“Am I doing enough?”

It’s hard to know, because there’s always more to be done.

But at the end of the day, when it comes to our families, our clients, or (ahem) ourselves, the truth is, we’re all just doing our best out there.

As we enter one of the most intense, all consuming, in your face seasons of philanthropy, I think we can all agree - we’re asking a lot of our donors.

“Give now!”

“Give more!”

“Finish the year strong!”

“Don’t fall behind!”

And the truth is, when met with the overwhelming barrage of issues, worries, and fears, your donors might be wondering the same thing.

“Am I doing enough?”

Now, more than ever, it's important to remember that your donors aren't just entity IDs and names in spreadsheet - they're real people, facing the same challenges as you and I.

Whether they're raising families, climbing the corporate ladder, or trying to balance their mental, emotional, and physical well being, chances are they’re already asking themselves this same question.

For them, it might sounds more like this:

“Am I supporting the right cause?”

“Am I giving enough?”

“Am I moving the needle at all?”

Or, perhaps the most heartbreaking (for us exhausted parents and for our donors):

“Am I even making a difference?”

How we can - as donor communications - change the narrative?

How can we empower our donors to be the leaders and change makers we need without overlooking their contributions to date?

As we all struggle to slow down and wind down, here are a few tactics to keep in mind:

1. Understand and Acknowledge: We all want to feel seen and heard, and your donors are no exception - and recognizing that they have (plenty of) choice in where they lend their time, talent, and treasure is part of that. Acknowledging the competition and asking donors to make space for you organization - in whatever capacity they can - is always more effective than relying on guilt or obligation.
2. Paint a Big Picture: Do we want to change the world? Yes. Do we want to improve lives? Yes. Do we want to create better outcomes? Of course. But change takes time, resources, and collective impact. Drive home messages that paint a big picture for your donors, reminding them that gifts of all shapes and sizes point towards achieving our common goal - whether it's $5, $500, or 5 hours of your time - it's all part of the big picture. It all matters - today, tomorrow, and everyday!
3. Say Thank You: ...and then say it again. And again, and again. I promise, you can't say it enough. I'm sure you have year-end numbers to hit, and I'm sure you're frantic with year-end deliverables, but try to remember the reason for the season (so to speak). Your donors are the lifeblood of your organization - the ask is important, but so is the acknowledgment. Schedule time for stewardship, reminding these vital audiences that you couldn't do it without them!