Knocked on Your Ask: A Blog about Money

This is my first entry in a series on money, and the things I am learning as a fundraising coach.

I believe that most of us are tripping over our money stories.  I believe that money has power and dynamic properties – but not necessarily the ones many of us imbue it with. When we are making an ask, whether for a nonprofit campaign or a raise, we bring our baggage into the room with us. Trust me on this one: our baggage has real impact.

And it is rarely the impact we are hoping to have.

Here are two examples:

1.       I was at an event this fall to introduce some local candidates – and raise money for the coalition that was supporting them.  I was sitting next to someone I had known as a giver. When the candidates were introduced, and the “asker” stepped on stage, she opened with: “I hate asking for money.” I watched my neighbor cringe when she said those words. Her words landed like a big pile of shameful, stinky poop in the room.  Donors want to feel that their gifts are, in fact, gifts, that they are supporting something that feels like it is regal, like it will have impact.  They don’t want to stew in your ambivalence about your work. 

2.       One of my fundraising teachers told a story about going to visit with a potential donor. This was someone they hoped would be a major contributor to a million-dollar campaign they were working on for an environmental project. She talked about the campaign and made her ask. The donor responded: I’m not giving you one thin dime for that campaign.  Why? Because, the donor told my teacher, she didn’t think a million dollars would do anything to solve the problem they were trying to address.  The problem was a big problem, and she thought a million dollars would be insufficient to move the needle on this issue in any meaningful way. What this nonprofit brought to the pitch meeting was fear and small thinking – and those qualities landed with a loud, empty thump with this donor. Again the fundraisers had impact, but it was unintentional.

Here’s what I know: your impact during your presentation is powerful.  Here’s what else I know: that impact is powerful whether it’s what you intended – or not.

What’s your relationship with money? Is it hindering you? Contact me if you’d like to explore how you can have the impact you want to when you ask for money.