If you've been reading my materials for a while, you probably know that I have a little urban garden.
This is my third year, and each year my garden is a little more successful.
I've learned so much about the ground, fertilizer, water needed (and not needed), birds, bugs, letting things sit too long (or not long enough), weeding (and when not to weed).
I really thought I could just read a book and have it all figured out, but there are just too many variables to take into account.
Just like in growing a garden, growing contributors has many variables.
Here are some parallels between my experience in the garden and preparing to ask people to invest in our great cause.
1.
Raise Awareness.
First, we need to prepare the ground by adding fertilizer (please don't go down the road thinking about manure and relate that to the message, that's not what I mean).
I see this as related to raising general awareness about the organizations we work with.
If people don't know we exist, the chances of getting a gift from them are pretty much zero.
2.
Share Your Story.
Next we need to plant seeds.
My first year in the garden I only planted what I ultimately needed.
I've learned that planting at least 3-5 times the number of seeds is required (2 for the rabbit, 2 for the birds and 1 plant that actually grows up.
So we also need to talk about our organization to specific people who we think might have the propensity and ability to make a gift.
3.
Share Your Story Again.
Watering and ongoing fertilization is also important.
I equate this to sharing our story on an ongoing basis.
It's also about sharing the impact of our work (sometimes through stories, sometimes with statistics and numbers).
4.
Don't Ask Too Often.
And the last thing I've learned - don't mess with it too much.
A few weeds are fine (especially early on when the root structure is forming).
Pulling the weeds can do more damage than good (Matt 13: 29-30).
The parallel is this: not everyone you talk to is going to want to invest in your organization.
But don't worry about weeding people out too early.
It's next to impossible to tell ahead of time which relationships will grow in to major gifts.
In the same vein though, vegetables can go bad if they sit on the vine too long, so don't wait too long to ask! Major gift fundraising really is as much art as science.
The tools alone - or the instinct alone - can only take you so far.
Those are my thoughts.
What are yours? Take a chance to see how you can grow your donors - and your organization.
And - if you have gardening tips for Kentucky, please let me know!
This is my third year, and each year my garden is a little more successful.
I've learned so much about the ground, fertilizer, water needed (and not needed), birds, bugs, letting things sit too long (or not long enough), weeding (and when not to weed).
I really thought I could just read a book and have it all figured out, but there are just too many variables to take into account.
Just like in growing a garden, growing contributors has many variables.
Here are some parallels between my experience in the garden and preparing to ask people to invest in our great cause.
1.
Raise Awareness.
First, we need to prepare the ground by adding fertilizer (please don't go down the road thinking about manure and relate that to the message, that's not what I mean).
I see this as related to raising general awareness about the organizations we work with.
If people don't know we exist, the chances of getting a gift from them are pretty much zero.
2.
Share Your Story.
Next we need to plant seeds.
My first year in the garden I only planted what I ultimately needed.
I've learned that planting at least 3-5 times the number of seeds is required (2 for the rabbit, 2 for the birds and 1 plant that actually grows up.
So we also need to talk about our organization to specific people who we think might have the propensity and ability to make a gift.
3.
Share Your Story Again.
Watering and ongoing fertilization is also important.
I equate this to sharing our story on an ongoing basis.
It's also about sharing the impact of our work (sometimes through stories, sometimes with statistics and numbers).
4.
Don't Ask Too Often.
And the last thing I've learned - don't mess with it too much.
A few weeds are fine (especially early on when the root structure is forming).
Pulling the weeds can do more damage than good (Matt 13: 29-30).
The parallel is this: not everyone you talk to is going to want to invest in your organization.
But don't worry about weeding people out too early.
It's next to impossible to tell ahead of time which relationships will grow in to major gifts.
In the same vein though, vegetables can go bad if they sit on the vine too long, so don't wait too long to ask! Major gift fundraising really is as much art as science.
The tools alone - or the instinct alone - can only take you so far.
Those are my thoughts.
What are yours? Take a chance to see how you can grow your donors - and your organization.
And - if you have gardening tips for Kentucky, please let me know!
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