WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM POLITICAL FUNDRAISING
It’s no secret—it’s an election year. But this isn’t about politics. It is about what we, the nonprofit sector, can learn from political fundraising.
I am passionate about the upcoming elections and have donated to candidates I really want to see win. And I will continue to make contributions—despite my growing irritation at the many many—too damn many—emails I am getting and the messaging that is badly backfiring for me.
Political fundraising is NOT the same as nonprofit fundraising. And sometimes the things that are successful for one is an anathema to the supporters of the other. But there are lessons we can learn from politics
Things that we should do but too often don’t include consistency. A sense of urgency. A clear call to action. These are things that most political fundraising does and too many nonprofits don’t. Politicians and their campaigns are not afraid to ask you for money. We, too often, are.
On the other hand, it would be nice if politicians learned a lesson some of us have figured out: the importance of segmenting your list!
As someone who has already donated to a number of candidates, I am committed. And I’m not thrilled that several times a day I’m getting doom and gloom messages that insist I chip in. I have. Let me know you know and tell me how important that is and continues to be. And since I am committed, I’m not the audience you have to scare. I’m already there. But I would like to be reminded of how good things will be when this candidate is elected.
OK, not going to happen in a political campaign. But it is a lesson we should learn.
Donors actually don’t ask for a whole lot from their nonprofits. They want:
1. A timely acknowledgement that their gift has been received.
2. A confirmation that the gift will be used as the donor hopes it will be used
3. And finally, assurance that the gift they made matters in ways that are measurable
Donors also don’t really want to feel that they are being badgered for a gift.
In the 10 or so minutes since I started this article, I have gotten SIX (count them, 6—oops another just came in, so 7) emails telling me what I already know—the world will be disastrous if our side doesn’t win. So won’t I chip in…..
But I have given. And to date, I haven’t heard that my giving matters. I’ve only heard that I have to give more because calamity is about to strike. Which kind of makes me feel that wait a minute, if things are so bad, should I really be “chipping in”? Can’t you use my money better?
That’s a lesson nonprofits must learn: donors give to winners, not to losers or whiners. They want to know that the organization they have chosen to support understands how to use that support to move the mission forward. During this pandemic it has been okay to ask for support to shore up the organization; help to make up monies that have been lost because the show just can’t go on. But even there, a donor wants to feel that you are an organization that has a magnificent mission.
Political fundraising, however, doesn’t usually point out the good of “our” candidates. It simply points fingers at the bad of the other side. That is a lesson we should steer far away from. I mean, can you imagine an end of year campaign that said, “Our organization is so much better than the other organization who is doing mean and horrible things.”? How successful do you think that would be?
Yes, yes. I know it is naïve to think that a positive political campaign has a chance of being as successful as a negative one. That saddens and depresses me. Which is why I am so glad that I am in a sector where the opposite is true. We can learn lessons from the politicians, both because of what they do and, perhaps especially, what they don’t do:
· Be consistent with your messaging
· Be specific with your calls to action
· Reach out often, but no so often that your donors feel badgered
· Thank your donors for what they have done
· Show them the results of their gifts
· Tell them about the impact your work has had
· And the impact their support has made
What I love about supporting the nonprofits I support is that they make me feel good about being part of what they do. Political fundraising, for me at least, appeals to my lesser angels—it tells me how awful the other side is, which instead of making me feel good about my political choices and my vote simply makes me feel that I am making a choice of the lesser of two evils. And truth be told, mainly that makes me want to return to my bed and pull my blanket over my head.
There are so many reasons why what all of you do is important; making us reach toward the sunlight and see all the good th