If your org is a sometimes presence in the lives of your donors and prospects, that’s a problem. For now, and for the future.
And that means you need to spend money to make money. But while fundraisers usually understand this, it can be hard to persuade the people with the purse-strings that fundraising isn’t only about taking money in… you need to fund it to grow.
Can’t spend on experienced, talented fundraisers
How much money do you need to raise to keep the organization going – and growing? Roger Craver rightly notes that we’re asking fewer fundraisers to do more work. And how much are you willing to spend on talented fundraisers? If those two aren’t in synch, you’re not going to succeed.
But start with great people – and pay them accordingly – and you’ll thrive. It’s simple, really. Would you expect a new nurse to operate on you? You wouldn’t (and neither would the nurse!) Look for talent and commitment, and you’ll raise more money… and keep someone in place. (That’s critical for building donor relationships.)
Can’t spend on good communication
Can just anyone create your fundraising communications? Surely, writing a letter isn’t that hard, right?
Listen, you could do that. And some people are instinctively good at genuine, effective writing. But few people are good at it without training and experience.
Donor communications are different than marketing communications, too. So, handing it off to the marketing team is a gamble.
I’ve worked with Executive Directors who were great at this. But they were rare—ditto for Development Directors. If you don’t have the talent within your organization, think about outsourcing it to a writer with experience—and a track record.
Can’t spend on mail
“Mail is just so expensive! Can’t we just use email? It’s cheap!”
Heard that one before? Does it frustrate you as much as it does me?
Here’s the truth: mail performs better. People spend more time with it, giving you time to make your case. And think about how you interact with email now. How many get deleted before you even open them? We’re flooded with “free” email now. It’s so much noise.
That doesn’t mean email has no place in your program. But depending only on email is a losing proposition. Is mail expensive? Yeah, to some extent. But so is raising fewer dollars.
Can’t spend on good software
Please don’t tell me you’re using QuickBooks… or, yikes, Excel!
A good CRM made for nonprofit fundraising is necessary. Unless you can count your donors on one hand. You need to be able to track much more than dollars. You need to be able to easily capture information about your donors. You need to track all the touches with them. And you need to be able to access that information in reports easily.
If you have one expert whom everyone depends on, think about what happens if they leave. Better if everyone in the department understands the system and can use it.
I’ll be honest: it’s been a while since I’ve had my hands in a CRM, so I can’t recommend one to you. But I can tell you that you should ask for a “sandbox”. That’s a way to actually use and experiment with the system before you commit.
And if your organization is small, you also don’t need a system built for large organizations and departments. Make sure it matches your needs and your size.
It’s true: you do have to spend money to make money
Help the ED or CEO to understand this. And help your board as well. Spending on good fundraising is a long-term investment in your organization’s success. Besides good program people, probably the most important investment.
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