Fundraising is a relationship, not a transaction [COMMANDMENT 7]

A ten-week series on things you should know about fundraising.

Fundraising is a relationship, not a transaction.

We track success of fundraising campaigns by transactions (donations). That’s why it’s easy to forget that those transactions don’t just happen.

Every donation is the result of a connection between donors and the nonprofit. This is why getting a first-time donation is so difficult, and why the majority of first-time donors never give again.

No relationship.

Fundraising becomes profitable from repeat giving. And repeat giving comes from a relationship between the door and the nonprofit.

Relationships are reciprocal. Both sides benefit.

Our ways of reciprocating:

• Thanking donors: promptly, and with emotion.
• Reporting back on the impact of their giving on a regular basis.
• Listening to them, inviting their thoughts, making it easy for them to communicate.
• Asking them in ways that are relevant to them.

Relationship fundraising is the way to get the revenue you need.

The rest of the commandments (so far).