Is “Donor” the Best We Can Do?
My father died last week. I rarely share personal details and especially not this personal. I’m doing so now because he was a donor, though he’d never refer to himself that way.
That begs the question of whether the “donor” label is so superficial as to be not only useless but counterproductive. What if part of the reason our sector has so little understanding of our supporters is because we think we’ve done the work of understanding by slapping the activist, volunteer, donor (insert other generic label here) on people?
He was a father who gave to the local parks and recreation because his kids played sports and benefited greatly from the experience.
He gave to the library because we spent valuable time there as kids and he went on to read to children there as an empty nester.
He gave to child sponsorship charities because of his Parent Identity.
He went to three universities as a student and never gave them a dime. Why? They rarely asked and when they did, they used their similarly weak Identity – Alumnus – and an even weaker rationale, annual fund.
He gave a substantial amount to a university, the one where he taught for 35 years. His connection to that University ran deep as a Professor and equally, a rabid sports fan. Those two Identities and his intrinsic connection were the motivating force for giving, not the weak-tea outreach from the University.
People often give despite the soliciting, not because of it. If you don’t dig deeper on the why you’ll forever leave money on the table. And there is no such thing as one ‘why’ for your supporters. Get to two ‘why’s’, make these your two segments. Change the journey and comms accordingly and you’ll have undergone a sea change in performance.
A final lesson he can impart. He was far smarter than I. He taught graduate level statistics at a University and as a one-man consulting business doing the same for companies. He had a voracious appetite as a learner. As smart as he was, his greatest strength was his humility in knowing the vastness of what he didn’t know.
The number of consultants in this fundraising profession parading around with a thimble full of knowledge and mistaking it for an ocean is vast. Have some humility. There is always someone smarter. What you don’t know will always dwarf what you do. Learn more, dig deeper.
Kevin
13 responses to “Is “Donor” the Best We Can Do?”
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
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I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
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Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
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Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
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There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
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I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
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Wow!
Thank you, Kevin.
so sorry Kevin about your dad, thoughts and prayers are with you and your family!
My dad was like your dad, always learning and I’ve taken that to heart. I certainly agree with your last statement… always be learning… Erica
Kevin, I’m so sorry for your loss.
Thank you for the reminder about the danger of taking shortcuts. Yes, using the term “donor” is a shortcut that exists for the benefit of the fundraiser rather than the person giving the money. When fundraisers think more deeply about “donors,” it has the potential to benefit everyone.
You, like your dad, share knowledge and challenge us to do more, learn more. Thank you for being an apple that in this way has not fallen far from the tree.
People are givers in spite of what we do as practitioners and in other cases because of what we do. But the striving to be better means something even if we come up short. I follow you because you help me in my pursuit to improve. Thank you! And with your post today, having lost my giant-hearted father to a heart attack less than a year ago, it reminds me of how we all are trying to make some kind of mark in life. In little and monumental ways. The striving matters.
Kevin, losing a dad is like losing an arm. It’s a loss that you adapt to, but that never fully goes away. Hang in there. Remember, I’m sure you buried one heck of a guy.
Your reflections were brave and well placed. Thank you.
I’m sorry for your loss, Kevin – and thanks for sharing so much about your dad. And as always, thanks for the insights you share with us.
Thank you for sharing your dad, Kevin. And thank you for the painful, prickly, perfect observations. And, much as it becomes a bird call after awhile, I am sorry for your loss.
Kevin, I’m very sorry for your loss. What a heartfelt tribute to your dad, as well as a good reminder that people often give to nonprofits because they have a connection to that cause.
Kevin,
Very thoughtful and well said. A fitting tribute to your father… and extraordinary advice to us all, lest we stop being constantly curious about the causes of all things.
John
Kevin – I wish I had known your father. He was a giver in so many ways. You should be really proud of that. John
What a fond tribute. And some great insight as well.
Thank you for sharing this with us.
I wasn’t anticipating or thinking about all the warm, positive and generous comments when I wrote the post and therefore couldn’t anticipate how good and proud they would make me feel about my Father. An unexpected gift, thank you very much.
May your father’s memory be for a blessing. And may these lessons from your father spread far and wide.