What's Generous?

You may be surprised.

The entire fundraising industry presumes upon the generosity of others.

To encourage that generosity, A great deal of focus in the business of fundraising (and it is a business, despite when some may think), is on the “ask.”

Countless books, webinars, training sessions, and entire conferences are built around what it is and how to do it effectively.

The “ask”, however defined, is touted as the ONE absolutely critical task in fundraising.? It’s even enshrined in the popular lexicon:? “If you don’t ask, you won’t get.”

Although there’s some truth in that statement, like all popular aphorisms there are boat load of qualifiers that should go along with it.

The typical fundraising ask is, by definition, selfish.? It usually goes something like this:? “My mission is so (urgent, important, noteworthy) that your support is (needed, required, demanded—yes, demanded).

One way.? Its resources moved from THEM to you.

Even when there’s an attempt at making it about the recipients of the “good work” it’s usually done in a ham-fisted sort of way which trivializes the beneficiary even as it dehumanizes the investor?

Remember Principle 1 of The Eight Principles?:? Donors are the Drivers?.? They are in the driver’s seat.? Always.? No exception.

They seem themselves as investing in a future.? A vision.? Their future and vision.? Their closest held (personal) values.

When a charitable organization OFFERS to help their investors REALIZE those values and visions, something quite remarkable happens.

It becomes GENEROUS not SELFISH.

One more thing:? When you change the focus from YOU to THEM you generate a good deal more philanthropic revenue that you would have otherwise.? Revenue that’s largely permanent.? And for a cost that’s much less than other approaches.

Here’s the hard part:? Being generous requires that we get over ourselves.

The upside?? A tremendous sense of relief.? You’re no longer ASKING you’re OFFERING.

Think long and hard about that.

Want to know how to make this shift with your own fundraising? Arrange a time to speak, and I’ll explain.

To Your Fundraising Success

Larry

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Larry C Johnson, is the Founder of The Eight Principles?, providing nonprofit leaders with the ability to generate sustained, growing philanthropic revenue. He is a Marquis Who's Who World Humanitarian and will be featured in an issue of The Wall Street Journal later this year.