Listening & Hearing

It was a simple enough idea.  Invite three donors to a meeting of our Board of Directors to answer a few questions about why they give.  It became my most profound fundraising moment of last year.

The inklings of the idea were rooted firmly in self-interest.  We were gearing up for our big Annual Operating Fund drive and I wanted to inspire our whole organization to dive in head and heart first.  I knew that nothing motivates me more than hearing other people's stories about their giving.  I figured if I wanted help, I needed to inspire.

I invited a major donor I knew well, a long-time donor whose story I did not know, and a couple who supports us through their local business.  I wanted a panel with different perspectives and people who would not simply say what I hoped they would say. 

The rewards came early and often.  Turns out simply inviting people to share their perspectives was one of the best donor outreach touches I've ever made.  Truth be told, I was pretty nervous before I made that first phone call. Somehow this seemed to me like an inconvenience or asking too much.  I was so wrong.

Everyone was flattered and grateful– even those who couldn't participate.  All of the conversations provided a genuine chance for me to say thank you and to ask for their help with something meaningful other than a check.

The panel itself was powerful.  Hearing from real, live donors saying in their own words that they consider it an honor to give was better than any fundraising article I could have found.  Their thoughtful answers were real—including what we wanted and didn’t want to hear.  This wasn't a sugar-coated, staff-constructed "training" for the board.  This was a real look into what it means to work with and on behalf of donors. Board members listened with rapt attention and they heard.

Thanking the panelists the next day also turned out to be a joy.  I found myself in long conversations with each donor as they shared what they learned and I shared what we gained.  It was, I realized, a very deep form of donor recognition.

The impact has been palpable.  I still find myself ruminating about one panelist's answer to why she entrusts our organization with her support every year. I've had numerous conversations in the last few months with Board Members who reference something said that night. 

Much of what was said can be found in good fundraising classes, books, conference sessions, and even blogs.  But here's what struck me as profound:  the simple invitation to listen to our donors transformed our relationship with those panelists and the art of hearing what they actually were saying, I believe, transformed the way many of us see fundraising.  Sometimes you just have to ask – and not just for money.

As a donor, would you like the opportunity to share your perspectives with an organization you support? If so, what would you highlight?