If I Had A Dollar for Every Silver Bullet…

“Our pipeline of new prospects is anemic!”

I empathized with my friend as she lamented about her most pressing pain point in fundraising: Finding new givers to help grow the mission and increase their impact of the cause she is leading. It’s a consistent complaint I hear, and legitimately distressing when you have to slow program growth or, worse yet, cut programs because of a lack of funding.

Almost always, a point comes up in conversation about pipeline woes where leaders will query me on the latest “silver bullet” they heard about at a conference, workshop, vender pitch, etc. These shiny solutions are shrewdly marketed as quick fixes for building a steady stream of new givers. They look quite promising on the surface, but used as a quick fix you’ll discover they rarely deliver. Imagine trying to make a delicious meal out of parsley, truffle shavings, and olive oil. While these garnishes might make an ordinary dish extraordinary, they lose their appeal (and effectiveness) quickly without the main entree.

Here are top three silver bullets I hear about often:

1. Wealth Research
   Wealth research tools have their place in your toolbox, but they cannot be used as a standalone strategy for pipeline development. Charity leaders and fundraisers sometimes pour extensive time and money into databases, thus expecting them to reveal a perfect list of prospective givers. These tools may indicate capacity, but they alone will not build connections or lead to meaningful relationships. A wealth score can only go so far unless you first cultivate genuine engagement and rapport to back it up.
2. Over-Reliance on Board Networks
   Leaning heavily on the networks of board members sounds like an efficient and reasonable tactic. My experience, however, has shown that it takes time and coaching to help board members turn strategic relationships into active connections. Board members don’t always have a proclivity for networking, and when they do, their connections often need thorough cultivation before  becoming active supporters. As my Texas friends would say, you’re “pushing a rope uphill” when you and your board chair lay down an edict that “every board member must introduce the leadership to five new connections” in the coming year. This isn’t going to bring the desired outcome.
3. Large Event Fundraising
   The idea that a single large event can drastically boost the pipeline often falls short. Events are great for exposure and sometimes bring in high-level prospects.  But keep in mind that large events require significant resources and usually attract one-time gifts rather than sustained commitment. Expect the follow-up work after the event to be the main event. This is where relationships take root, and without a system in place for this, events alone don’t fill a pipeline in a meaningful, ongoing way.

So then, how do you build a pipeline properly?It’s not complicated, and yes, it is hard work. I’m reminded of a scene in one of my favorite movies, ¡Three Amigos!, where the Amigos* realize they’ve got to create a more elaborate strategy to solve their problem. Dusty Bottoms (Chevy Chase) says, "I guess we're going to have to use our brains," to which Lucky Day (Steve Martin) and Ned Nederlander (Martin Short) respond, "Dammit."

Building a successful pipeline requires a labor-intensive and disciplined approach. Here is a proven system I use which is centered around a focused and intentional relationship-building strategy.  Begin with the Connecting Strategy Worksheet. This tool lays out a structured way to identify, activate, and maintain relationships with people who have agreed to help you connect with major gift prospects. The worksheet breaks potential connectors into three categories:

1. Activated Connectors: These are individuals who understand your cause and are motivated to help introduce you to others in their circle.
2. Non-Activated Connectors: People with influence who haven’t yet engaged with your cause.
3. Dream Connectors: Highly influential individuals who have visibility in the community and would be great endorsers of your cause.

When you are able to get 7-10 connectors activated you’re in great shape for building a sustainable pipeline! Start with the relationships you already have. Strengthen them by engaging meaningfully, demonstrating impact, and showing how their connections can make a tangible difference. Through this, not only are you expanding your pipeline, you’re also building a network of advocates who genuinely believe in the mission.

‍It really does work. About nine months ago a new client came to me feeling the strain of an empty pipeline. He was stressed, his energy was low, and his organization was struggling to find new high-potential givers. He dug into the Connecting Strategy Worksheet and three months later he was practically a different person when we reconnected. My client was able to identify eight new prospects and form two solid connector relationships outside of his board. By committing himself to the work, and resisting the lure of silver bullets, he is well on his way to building a meaningful foundation of relationships and getting a huge boost of hope and motivation.

We so badly want silver bullets that are quick solutions! I understand. But really they are potential starting points for building and growing sustainable solutions. If you’re serious about building your pipeline, make the Connecting Strategy Worksheet your anchor tool. It’s about quality rather than quantity - and the results will speak for themselves.

‍🪇The Amigo Challenge🌶️

‍* (It brings me endless joy to use the movie ¡Three Amigos! to make a point about major gift fundraising and I’m sure there are more - I’ll offer 2 free coaching sessions to anyone willing to write a guest blog on the financial development principles gleaned from it!)

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UPDATE: Congrats to Jameson Tomlin for winning the Amigo Challenge and co-authoring a blog post with me!

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If you haven't taken advantage of some of the resources I've created to help major gift fundraisers, take a look now!  Initial calls with me are free and "no strings attached".  Sometimes folks feel like they need to wait and not 'bother' me until they have a pressing issue.  No need for that...just make the call. 🕺

‍Here's where you can access a lot of content for free:

‍* Follow me on LinkedIn - You'll get short pro-tips and reflections on major gift fundraising every day between 5-7am pacific.

* Breakthru Newsletter - As you've seen here, these are longer weekly posts (audio and written) sent directly to your email.

* Breakthru Blog - the newsletter from the previous week gets posted here each week for everyone (so email subscribers get it a week early).

* Breakthru Podcast - Interviews with high net worth givers about how we as fundraisers can get better at inviting them to the party.  And audio readings of Breakthru Blog posts.

‍Before getting to the PAID stuff: My opinion is that no small ministry with a tight budget should be spending more than $3-5k (total) for major gift coaching/consulting.  Most of you will be good-to-go spending far less than that.  This was a major issue for me when I was a frontline fundraiser - major gift consultants were an expensive 'black-box-of-confusion' for me.  That stops now.

‍Here's the PAID stuff:

‍* Online Catalyst Course - This is a full brain dump of my 28+ years of experience - good, bad, ugly.  It's built around the fundamentals, the sacredness, and the fun, of major gift fundraising.  It's infused with Henri Nouwen reflections.  Many people can take this course and they will be 'cooking-with-gas' and not need any additional coaching from me on the core systems.  I'm grateful that this course has gotten *great* reviews.

* Live coaching with me - I refer to this as "brain rental".  The ROI on live coaching, as you might imagine, is extraordinary.

Finally, be sure to connect with my colleague Ivana Salloum.  She's super awesome and can help with scheduling and access to resources, etc.

I look forward to hearing about your good work!

Blessings,