I’m reminded each day that a fundraiser’s job is to be eternally hopeful. Fundraising is not for the faint of heart. I joke in my board class that the subtitle of the seminar should be:
How to be Insulted, Rejected & Ignored by Friends, Family & Strangers. It’s amazing to me how many excuses people can find to turn you down for money. The most common reason is, of course, “it was someone else’s decision.” No one really wants to be the one to say your cause is not as important as something else. Fair enough – it’s human nature not to be the bad guy.
In the face of all this, fundraisers wear the ‘never say never’ badge. A goal is still a goal until the fiscal year is over. (Or, until the event has passed or until the program is over). A prospect is still a prospect until the day they die. (Literally). I recently ran into two situations where success was snatched from the jaws of defeat. Exhibit A: a corporation had given us the run-around to avoid a decision and passed us to a colleague in what seemed like a dead-end. The dead-end became a devoted fan/sponsor. Exhibit B: a sponsor who had seemed tapped out, called us out of the blue to ask about other opportunities for sponsorship at the same event.
This is a story that fundraisers hear time and time again when they gather. The donor that gave again. The gift that seemed doomed, yet the money somehow emerged. Development careers have been built on the unanticipated and providential gift. This, of course, flies in the face of thoughtful planning, strategy, and cultivation, yet seems to be more common than uncommon in arts organizations. I would argue it’s because of the hard work and giving environment that exists that the donor became inspired to give the unexpected gift. Other may argue it’s just luck. I’ll take a little bit of both and call it a day.
Labels: corporate giving, development, donors, fundraising, giving
