“I’m not going to ask anyone for money!” This is a statement often made by organizational leaders and executives. The strong resistance to “asking” is real. It prevents finding fun in fundraising.
Engaging someone in a relationship for the purpose of money, typically, isn’t what we do. Even building professional relationships for the purpose of money is not easy. When we ask someone for money, commonly, there is an exchange. Like buying a sweater. I give the salesperson money. The sweater is reciprocity for the money. If the sweater fulfills my expectations, I will buy again from that company. It is about the sweater, not the money.
When you ask a person to make a gift for an organization, and she does, saying, “Thank you” does not feel like enough reciprocity. The person “asking” can feel as if she owes the donor for making a gift. When feeling responsible for reciprocity, the "Asker" doesn't like asking. The “Giver” can feel good in the agreement and then forgotten. This transaction process of asking can be re-framed. I can support fundraisers if they would like to try making this relationship change.
The Mission Centered Fundraising (MCF) system allows the donor’s and the asker’s experience to change. MCF brings the fundraising team together for the purpose of the mission. Raising money becomes the means to serve the mission that all people involved have a belief and a commitment to support. MCF recognizes that everyone is a donor and on the same team. When the asker and giver are on the same team, there is reciprocity in belonging, being meaningfully connected, and sharing in service. With mission at the center, good feelings and happiness are real and renewal becomes the choice.
Mission Centered Fundraising is about donor relationships and renewal. It is a 3-part system, developed to support the fundraiser, organization’s staff and board members to meaningfully join donors as partners to serve the mission. Asking is actually an invitation to unite in partnership serving community.
MCF delivers a repeatable process to be managed by the fundraiser supporting all current donors to have awesome giving experiences. To explore the MCF system and how it would work in your organization, get in touch with me to being a conversation. penny@renewablephilanthropy.com