Community-centric fundraising: It goes beyond the gift
By Emma Michel
As we approach the end of the year, we will be asking, and be asked, to give time, treasure, and talent to worthwhile causes. This time of the year is filled with mail appeals, follow-up emails, and thank-you calls. Another meeting, another envelope, another email. How do we stand out? How do we ensure our cause is effectively communicated?
First, let’s pause and ask a simpler question:
Are we approaching these gifts and conversations as a transaction—or an invitation? How can we change our approach?
Community-centric fundraising is “a movement to evolve how fundraising is done in the nonprofit sector.” Its ten principles ask us to re-examine fundraising philosophy and taught practices to move into active social justice work. This is the second article in our Community-centric fundraising series—read the first one here.
To look beyond the gift, and prioritize transformative engagement, we will focus on the 8th and 9th principles.
Principle 8: We promote the understanding that everyone (donors, staff, funders, board members, volunteers) personally benefits from engaging in the work of social justice—it's not just charity and compassion.
Principle 9: We see the work of social justice as holistic and transformative, not transactional.
Source: Community-Centric Fundraising
First, let’s call out the myths.
We are churning out materials, asks, and updates—challenging our teams to bring in more donations, more connections, and to expand programs. As soon as one ask is out the door, we begin crafting another. This fast-paced work can easily become reactional and transactional. This approach, while streamlined, does not create the lasting social justice changes that we need.
How can we slow down? How can we refocus our role in bringing about transformational change?
We need to name and debunk the myths around giving.
Community-centric fundraising calls out these myths:
Myth 1: Charity and compassion are the catalysts of social justice. Fundraising’s go-to approach appeals to crisis, immediate needs, mercy, and compassion. The crisis marketing strategy is effective but isn’t always the most sustainable invitation. It is the benefit of giving that sparks the desire to give.
Myth 2: Giving is transactional. Giving benefits both the recipient and the donor. But our choice to give time, treasure, and talent goes beyond a transaction. Impact is bigger than a receipt or report. Our involvement is transformational for every person, and cause, involved.
So, let’s start doing this together.
Principle 8: We promote the understanding that everyone (donors, staff, funders, board members, volunteers) personally benefit from the work of social justice – it is not just charity and compassion.
Social justice is fueled by far more than charity and compassion. When injustice catches our attention, our choice to act on that need for change becomes personal. The investment of time, treasure, talent—energy—in the work of social justice benefits every player in the game.
We are all active in the work of social justice. Our time is active in the fight for change. Our financial support is active in the fight for change. Our words, conversations, and voices are active in the fight for change.
We are all needed in the work of social justice. The staff, volunteers, funders, board members, and community play an essential role in moving toward a just and equitable future. Organizations cannot move their mission forward without the full team.
Further, we all benefit from the work of social justice. Our belonging and interconnectedness are elevated by the work of social justice. Every contributor, partner, and recipient benefits from won change. We are catalyst and recipient in the same moment.
It is crucial that we shift our gaze away from reactional charity and compassion, and towards lasting partnership, authentic connection, and beneficial action.
Then, we can all see this work as holistic and transformative.
Principle 9: We see the work of social justice as holistic and transformative, not transactional.
Philanthropy is not meant to be a transaction. In fact, fundraisers spend much of their efforts to make sure giving is not transactional. Fundraisers are focused on getting a second, third, lasting commitment from donors and partners.
It takes effort to move past transactional giving, because we are, statistically, transactional givers. (Blackbaud’s 2019 giving report showed that only 24% of new online donors will make a second gift in the next 12 months.)
But we don’t want to believe that when we make a charitable donation. We want to see where our donation is, we want to get the annual impact report, and we want to know the immediate change that was made possible by our gift. This approach is flawed.
Impact on a cause is bigger than one gift and one organization.
Financial support impacts the whole; all elements of support are needed.
When you choose to give your time, treasure, and talent to a cause aligned with the work of social justice it is no longer transactional. You are investing in long-term impact, which means you are in the work now.
Going beyond the gift strengthens our approach to change. By focusing on the holistic, all-benefiting, work of social justice we can look up, invite support inward, and create lasting impact. Let’s rethink our approach to, and benefit from, social justice.
How can we implement this?
Reframe your asks from charity to partnership.
Be honest. Don’t overpromise on impact—focus on the benefit of being active in transformative change. This will help your fundraising approach become mission-driven before donor-driven.
Avoid pity and despair in your messaging. Focus on positive language and lasting impact. Help your donor see how your need directly relates to their values.
Move from transactional to transformational asks.
Be transparent and holistic in your financial reporting. Avoid language that promises 100% of a gift will go to programmatic focus because of the generosity of another donor. It is okay to use language that acknowledges that it took more than one donor to make an impact. Report with a holistic approach.
A great example is: “Your $1,000, combined with the funding from grants and other donors, along with support from volunteers and staff, helped us serve 300 kids this year.” (CCF website).
Elevate donors to partner with every level of your organization. Every gift has an impact, and covering overhead costs empowers your mission forward. Your mission needs to last for your impact to continue; invite donors to partner with your growth. This will help donors to see your role in driving change and creating longevity in their investment.
Emma Michel
Emma began her nonprofit career at San Francisco City Impact. She is a Coordinator, Client Services at Aperio.