Are fundraisers outside the circle of trust?
Watched a movie this weekend… Meet the Fockers. After being an idiot, Ben Stiller found himself outside the “Circle of Trust” of his fiancée’s family.
That’s where fundraising professionals are increasingly finding themselves when it comes to donors. Annoying fundraising techniques, aggressive soliciting and a great resistance to designated giving mean that donors don’t trust fundraising professionals (or the nonprofits they represent) the way they used to.
I had lunch the other day with someone who works at one of the big banks. They are in the business of helping clients make philanthropic plans and determine who to give to and through what means (of course one way is through the bank’s own foundation). The recent Canada Revenue Agency extension of tax savings for gifts of stock to private foundations is going to encourage giving in ways that can easily leave nonprofit organizations out of the relationship, except as the recipient of the cheque.
It is a tough trend for fundraisers and nonprofit managers who want to build personal and direct connections with donors and prospects. It is increasingly difficult to be part of your donors’ lives if all you do is follow old fundraising formulas.
Related Posts:
- Trust me, I’m a NGO worker
- Tip of the Week: How to evaluate major gift fundraisers
- Pet peeve: fundraiser wanted, must have car
- The power of a multimedia case for support
- Tip of the Week: Handy tax credit calculator
