by Dawn Miller, CFRE, Senior Vice President
Years ago, Let’s Build Hope CEO Linda Haley and I noticed that we tended to encounter two types of fundraising in our consulting business. Some were out actively pursuing their goals and crushing them. Others sat back at their office, grew frustrated, and couldn’t figure out why donations weren’t coming. When those frustrated fundraisers came to us, our counsel was always the same: Stop waiting for donations to walk in the door. Go get them!
PRACTICE ACTIVE FUNDRAISING
Too many nonprofits run on passive fundraising and mistake it for strategy. A “donate” button on the homepage. An appeal letter with no real ask. A social media post they call a “campaign.” Then they wait, fingers crossed, hoping donations come in.
It usually doesn’t. Passive fundraising assumes donors will find you, feel inspired, and give on their own. A few will. Most won’t. Not because your community doesn’t care, but because people rarely give without being asked.
Passive fundraising simply doesn’t work. Putting something out there and hoping for the best produces weak results along with a burned-out staff and volunteers. “Post and hope” is not a fundraising strategy. The money isn’t in the office or behind a screen. It’s with the donors.
Active fundraising is what actually moves the needle. Strong fundraisers build a plan, then execute it by meeting, cultivating, and soliciting donors. And part of your fundraising job is teaching your volunteers and Board to do the same.
HOW CAN YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE?
There is a big difference between active and passive fundraising. Check out this list of fundraising activities. Can you tell which of them are active and which are passive? (I’ll reveal the answers at the end of this post!)
An e-blast ask with no supporting cultivation or stewardship
A mid-level giving club that includes staff asks, house parties, and Board member involvement
A gala where donors will be inspired and specifically asked to give
Including an ask in a donor newsletter
A direct mail appeal with generic ask amounts
Setting up a webpage for giving day to see what happens
Meeting one-on-one with individual major donors
Posting on social media about a recent success
Selling tickets to an event through social media
Including a donation envelope in the annual report
Online campaigns where staff and Board ask their personal contacts to participate
CREATING ACTIVE FUNDRAISING STRATEGIES
Active fundraising flips the script. Instead of waiting for donors to come to you, you go to them. Adding any of the following strategies to a current fundraising initiative will make them a more active and less passive approach to getting money in the door.
- Personal outreach: Calls and one-on-one meetings with donors, not mass emails that get lost or marked as spam.
- Direct asks: Asking for a specific amount for a specific purpose, instead of a vague “support our mission” message. Otherwise, it feels like a black hole where money goes into the abyss and doesn’t make an impact. Not very fulfilling for a donor, right?
- Peer-to-peer campaigns: Mobilizing your supporters to fundraise within their own networks. They reach out and ask, your nonprofit benefits. If you’re not already doing “treasure mapping” with your Boards, create a plan to do so.
- Events with a purpose: Events, like galas, should be built around an ask, not just awareness. Donors know they are attending a fundraiser, and you need to directly ask for a gift from the front of the room. This is where your fund-a-need or paddle raise can really get a big boost.
- Follow-up with donors: Treat a “no” or “not yet” as the start of a conversation, not the end of one. Get to know your donors and what they are passionate about at your nonprofit. If you don’t talk with them, how will you know what they like to support?
The difference is pretty clear: passive fundraising depends on someone else taking the first step. Active fundraising has a higher rate of return since it is a real person (that’s YOU, the fundraiser!) connecting your cause to the donor’s passion.
YOUR TURN
If your fundraising plan is just a list of giving channels and you’re waiting for donations to come in, you don’t have an active fundraising program. Remember: “fundraise” is a verb. It requires action. What’s one active fundraising step you’re willing to take today?
Write down your fundraising strategies and evaluate them. Which are active or passive? If passive, think about how to make them more active using the suggestions above. Find a free worksheet to help you with this exercise in the Corner of Hope section of our website!
#LBH #ActiveFundraising #GlimmersOfHope #Blog
Are you looking to learn more from Let’s Build Hope? Book our CEO, Linda B. Haley, for a speaking engagement or sign up for our online fundraising Crush Course!
Answers
An e-blast ask with no supporting cultivation or stewardship – passive
A mid-level giving club that includes staff asks, house parties, and Board member involvement – active
A gala where donors will be inspired and specifically asked to give – active
Including an ask in a donor newsletter – passive
A direct mail appeal with generic ask amounts – passive
Setting up a webpage for giving day to see what happens – passive
Meeting one-on-one with individual major donors – active
Posting on social media about a recent success – passive
Selling tickets to an event through social media – passive
Including a donation envelope in the annual report – passive
Online campaigns where staff and Board ask their personal contacts to participate – active