In a recent trip to the Art Institute in Chicago, I was captivated by the work of a modern artist who seemed to be playing with the concepts of boundaries and definition. When I read her bio, she said she drew her inspiration from a Zen quote: "We cannot know something until we forget its name."
As a father of an extraordinary child who has what we call disabilities, I experienced a deep resonance with the quote. In order to make sense of the world we need to categorize things--name them, classify them. Yet, it has been my experience that as soon as we do, we risk losing touch with their true nature. We make assumptions and our understanding of them becomes obsolete because change is constant--and many things never really fit neatly into our categories anyway. I'm not suggesting that we shouldn't categorize because it is a very useful and valuable tool. But, if we are too reliant on our boxes, if we don't acknowledge their limitations, we lose the essence of what we put in them.
I was inspired to write today when I read an article about the changing view of "doctor" and "patient." Due to the disruptive influence of high medical costs and pervasive information on the internet, patients aren't behaving. They are stepping outside the box of "dependent-recipient." And doctors are relinquishing the role of omniscient authority. As one doctor recently told the Wall Street Journal: Each patient is is like a Rubik’s Cube, and must get an individual solution.
I'll bet you're wondering how I'm going to relate this to the nonprofit sector. Well, here goes... As the extraordinary growth of the nonprofit sector and the dramatic expansion of information technology smash into the recession, organizations are looking for scalable, efficient fundraising solutions. The challenge is that those scalable solutions risk widening the gap between the organization and the donor. By their nature, they make broad assumptions and sometimes use generic tools to reach people cheaply.
I think we can define two types of fundraising: motivational and inspirational. Motivational fundraising depends upon "burning bridge" appeals that tug on people's heart strings and their sense of obligation. Inspirational fundraising taps into people's values and how they want to make them explicit in the world. Motivational giving is for a charity. Inspirational giving is for a cause. Motivational tools are usually more scalable and may appear more efficient. Yet, motivational giving can lead to donor fatigue--I'm hearing with surprising frequency how people are tired of being solicited. People are often tired because they are not connected to the cause; rather they are acting out of obligation to help a nonprofit.
By contrast, inspirational giving leads to donor excitement. People want to support causes they care about through organizations they trust. Inspirational tools require more resources, but not necessarily financial. What they do require is people, time, and strategy.
Inspirational fundraising is relationship fundraising--we have to get to know people. And inspired donors are the most generous and loyal--our best donors, our core donors. Inspirational fundraising taps into an individual's unique Rubik's Cube.
The challenge is daunting. How can we possibly have relationships with all of our donors? This is where strategy comes into play. And part of the strategy is "don't fix what ain't broke." But, do pay attention to the shifting sands. Plan for impending change. Begin to introduce new strategies and approaches. Redeploy board and staff time and energy toward building relationships with your best donors. Use lessons learned from facebook to take advantage of relationship building technology. Borrow from trends in the for profit sector where companies are leveraging the “friend factor” and using random acts of kindness to touch people. Don't just talk to people, have purposeful conversations.
The idea is that each moment throughout the day we can listen and learn and respond--and take notes. And members of our boards become a critical component of this process. Not to ask for dollars, but to connect to people and build authentic relationships--even if it's a brief conversation. We all remember those who care and forget those who pretend.
By connecting authentically with our donors we learn their stories, their values, and their reason for being engaged with our cause. We get to know them and understand how their Rubik’s Cube world of values, beliefs, motivations, and dreams fits with ours. Then we tap into the creative force each brings to life. And we discover how together we can change the world.
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