There’s no big data behind my claim that raising money for small and mid-sized nonprofits – faith based included — is getting tougher by the day. But that’s what I’m hearing from the development folk with whom I consult. Their experiences mirror the depressing finding that for “every 100 donors gained in 2017 was offset by 99 lost donors through attrition (source: 2018 Fundraising Effectiveness Survey). It’s a safe guess that follow-up studies for 2018 and 2019 will tell us more of the same.
Most of the slippage comes as first-time gifts aren’t followed by a second (and others after that). More often than should, new donors drift away, unnoticed, unmourned, and underappreciated.
If a long-time friend of the cause walks, however, it’s a different story. A major donor: A VERY different story. Organizational heads and fundraisers take those departures personally. There’s pouting, self-pity, even anger, but almost never an attempt to find out why.
Which is sad, as much can be learned by talking and listening to donors who take their giving elsewhere.
Granted, the conversations may not be easy. There’s a chance you’ll hear things you’d rather not, but that you should for the good of the cause. Best-case scenario, you could discover that your organization still holds a special place in the donor’s heart, just not in their giving – at least for now.
NEVER BURN BRIDGES
To paraphrase a recent HBR management tip of the day:
Don’t write off a departing donor or get angry about their decision; use the departure as a learning experience. Schedule some time to sit down with the person, and ask about their plans as well as about why they’re leaving. Their answers may reveal organizational issues you weren’t aware of, which could help you retain other donors. You should also talk to them about how they contributed to your mission. Highlight specific examples of good work and contributions that were particularly valuable; think of your feedback as a farewell gift. It’s a good idea to maintain positive relationships with departing donors, both because they could be a networking resource later on and because it shows you care about them. (italics indicate changes made by me)
You can hope these sorts of tough conversations will be few and far between. But if it happens that a donor feels led to give elsewhere, CELEBRATE their past generosity to your organization and what it accomplished, PRAISE their continued financial support of Kingdom work (albeit elsewhere), and HOLD THE DOOR OPEN for their possible return. As the author of the HBR management tip promises, “When you give offboarding the same care and consideration as onboarding, your . . . organization is better positioned to thrive.”
After all, God’s generosity is sufficient to enable all of God’s people to do God’s work as it needs to be done. So say that grateful good-bye and trust God for the rest.