Road Work Ahead🚧

I was headed to Florida*, excited to meet with prospects and donors. My schedule had come together well.  There was one active giver in particular, that I was really looking forward to meeting.  Dan and his wife, Louise, were currently giving $25,000 annually to our cause.  Prior to our meeting, I completed some online wealth research which indicated their giving capacity could increase to ten times greater!  I set about preparing to ask them for a $200,000 gift.

After presenting my proposal, I noticed that Dan had a bemused expression.  He asked me, “J. Paul, did you use one of those online wealth database tools to research our financial capacity?”  I was caught...and immediately ‘fessed up.  Dan said, “Let me take a look at the report.”  I pulled it up and turned my laptop to his side of the table.

“Yeah,” he said, “this is about 50% correct.  You need to understand that much of this information is an extrapolation of Louise’s family’s wealth…and there is no guarantee that we will have access or influence on that wealth.”

Lesson learned.   Wealth data research alone is not the best way to determine an appropriate amount.  I had unnecessarily thrown up my own “Road Work” obstacle.

What roadblocks do you encounter in major gift fundraising efforts?  While some are unavoidable, a handful are rooted in misconceptions or overlooked dynamics that can stall fundraising progress. Let’s explore three of the most common avoidable roadblocks along with good practical suggestions to address them.

FIRST:  The Misaligned Ask: Focusing on Capacity Over Relationship

‍It is so tempting to assume that a prospect’s wealth profile alone qualifies them for a large ask. This is exactly what happened when I met with Dan. It’s easy to get caught up in wealth research tools where you identify someone with high net worth and then prepare for a big ask. However, financial capacity without relational depth is a recipe for losing the relationship. Fortunately my relationship with Dan and Louise was able to overcome my gaffe.

🚧Navigating the Misaligned Ask road block:Rather than focusing solely on capacity, assess your Strength of Relationship (SToR) with the individual or family. If you answer “no” to most of these questions, it’s likely more cultivation is needed. Research confirms that givers are more likely to increase generosity when their passion aligns with the nonprofit’s mission and a trusted relationship is established. By focusing on building a deeper rapport, you’ll be ready to make a well-timed and successful ask.

SECOND:  Fear of Rejection: Holding Back from a Bold Ask

‍None of us want to hear “no” when we ask, and sometimes this can cause us to hesitate or ask for too little. For me, this fear is often rooted in a belief that a failed ask reflects on my inadequacy or that a giver who says “no” is not interested. In reality, “no” may not be a rejection, but rather an invitation to deeper conversation or future engagement.

🚧Navigating the Fear of Rejection road block:To overcome the fear of rejection, shift your mindset from transactional to relational. Sometimes it’s great to swing for the fences and ask boldly when the relationship is solid.  Even though my initial ask was not realistic, the strength of our relationship allowed for a productive conversation and eventually Dan and Louise doubled their giving.

THIRD: Lack of Connector Activation: Failing to Leverage Networks

‍Every successful major gift fundraiser knows they can’t do it alone.  Oftentimes we fail to activate the connectors - those individuals who understand the cause and are well-connected to potential givers. Nonprofits often overlook this valuable network, assuming that only existing major givers can help. Many connectors who are not yet major givers themselves can play a pivotal role in building relationships with affluent prospects.

🚧Navigating the Lack of Connectors road block:Develop and nurture an activated connector network of 5 to 10 people. Ideally they are deeply invested in your mission and connected to others who can give. Because they are respected in their communities, it’s a huge win when you can enlist them as passionate storytellers of your cause. Treat them as partners in your fundraising efforts. Provide them with regular touchpoints to keep them engaged, and encourage them to facilitate new introductions. Here’s a 1 pager to help you get started.

The key to successful major gift fundraising is recognizing and overcoming these roadblocks: focusing on relational depth rather than wealth alone, asking boldly when appropriate, and activating connectors to help grow your network. Here are some additional resources to keep in your tool kit:

🔦Relational Fundraising by Ken Burnett - Ken has great insights and advice to help you to build deep, meaningful relationships with givers.

🔦Donor-Centered Approach - Paul D'Alessandro underlines the importance of donor-centered approaches.

I appreciate the good and hard work you all are doing and praying for great responses!

* This is a true story with locations and names changed

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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,