Inextinguishable Fire In The Belly
This post pays unabashed homage to my friend, colleague, mentor and all-time favorite grenade thrower, Roger Craver.
It’s easy to write, because SOFII has done all the work, publishing a two-part interview with Roger in which he talks about political/issue activism and the role of fundraising in fueling change … based on his 50+ years of experience passionately connecting the two.
If you need your fires stoked, read these classic interviews — Part 1 and Part 2 — over the weekend.
As Roger comments, he’s spent …
“…a lot of years spent raising hell and trying to do something for human rights and human dignity. And I’m still doing it after 55 years – the battle keeps going. You don’t realise it when you’re young or a student, but these battles never stay won. Once you win a right there’s always going to be some son of a b**** who wants to take it away! That’s the evergreen aspect of this type of work.
And …
“If you want to be a campaigning fundraiser, now’s the time to be one, because these types of phenomena come in cycles only every 25 years or so. I think we’re right now at the start of a cycle when campaigning is going to be so important and doing it well and consistently will produce huge dividends for the organisations that do it.”
Amen. And thanks Roger.
Tom
3 responses to “Inextinguishable Fire In The Belly”
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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Echoing this. Roger just wrote a fabulous letter for an animal welfare charity here on Cape Cod, kudos and thank you for continuing to show us how to keep the fire in the belly going! cheers, Erica
The interview does not do full justice for the legend named Roger, but does provide a glimpse of the magic he can and still does distribute well past retirement and even nursing home age for many…
Forty years ago when I began in this business, I was privileged to work with some really outstanding individuals — Chris Stagg, Bob Hemmings, Freeman Gosden, Russ Reid. I sat with them, talked with them and learned from them. Today, I learn from those I “speak” with online. Thank you Roger — and Tom — for all you share!