Are You Too Timid?
When is the last time you — or your nonprofit — seized and implemented a really big fundraising innovation?
If an example jumps immediately to mind, I hope you’ll share it through us with other Agitator readers.
If you’re struggling to come up with an example, read these two recent articles by fundraising consultant and SOFII leader Ken Burnett.
In the first piece, Carpe Diem, Ken asserts:
“Clients are timid, frightened creatures in the main, too often unable or unwilling to grasp real opportunities for fear that this might render them liable to criticism, or that the suggested initiative might fail. Or that it might entail extra work and inconvenience or, … well, whatever.”
Sounds like Roger’s post yesterday. The only quarrel I have with Ken’s statement is that it applies to many fundraising consultants and agencies too! Clients don’t hold a monopoly on timidity!
In his second piece, Reckless opportunism versus the dead hand of risk-aversion, Ken discusses the fiasco of global warming advocacy group 10:10 UK. You might have heard about or — worse — seen their bloody exploding people video adverts.
Says Ken:
“This aberration is not an excuse to hide behind, to keep our collective heads down, to duck taking carefully assessed risks. It doesn’t in any way justify our sector’s indefensible propensity for continuing with the status quo.
Somewhere between the two extremes is the right way for all of us. But for goodness sake charities, get more seriously adventurous and stop being afraid or unwilling to test and take reasonable risks. There’s too much need in this world for what you do, to accept anything other than a creative, determined policy of pushing the boundaries. And that demands the courage, willingness and ability to continually take appropriate risks. And to be able to justify taking those risks, to anyone.”
“The dead hand of risk-aversion” … well put Ken!
Tom
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