A Few Steps to Grow Your Relationship Building and Fundraising

Simplifying your fundraising into daily and weekly actions.

Meeting with a client and going over their fundraising plan.

A lot of great information, strategies, ideas.

A broad picture of what their relationship building and fundraising will look like in the next year.

Too broad.

In many cases, those in fundraising, especially those who feel like they are struggling in efforts to connect with donors and increase the flow of vital funds, want a quick, specific suggestion.

It could also be a reminder of something they used to do in the past, and for some reason have stopped.

Meetings, board needs, lack of leadership, keeping staff, a budget that isn’t supported by anyone, consistently feeling overwhelmed, more meetings: all of this makes it increasingly difficult to fundraise, and actions we have done in the past become distant memories.

Self-doubt starts becoming a regular visitor. Then imposter syndrome.

It’s time to get back to what you know works.

Here are a few actions that always have worked for me in building and growing my fundraising efforts:

First, connect with a donor today. You know how best to do that, whether it’s a text, call, or email. While you’re reading this you may even be thinking about who you know you want to call!

Next, pull a list of donors who donated last year but who have not yet given this year. You can even go back two years, lokoing at donors who didn’t donate last year. We call this a LYBUNT report.

Spend some time with this. I will typically keep a copy of it on my desk, or make a PDF of it easily accessible as a link on my desktop. Looking through this list will bring you many ideas and reminders of who you can start connecting with.

Lastly, meet with those working in your programs, the people doing the direct work with whoever you serve. Ask them about their day, about their challenges, and their impact. Being in relationship with those on your program teams is wonderful for you, your donors, your organization, and those you serve.

We know these three simle actions work. Let’s start here, then move on to more. I’ll write about those soon!

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Take a risk. Be of service. Support your friends and colleagues. Be kind.