Did the Donor Decline? Or Did You Decide For Them?
- Chris B.
- May 7
- 2 min read
There’s always a reason to say “no” to a solicitation.
For example … Timing. A lack of interest. A lack of resources. A poorly worded ask. A lack of alignment with the mission. A lack of trust. Changing philanthropic priorities. And probably a hundred other valid reasons an individual might say “no” to your fundraising outreach.
But there’s a common – and frustrating – reason that persists in the nonprofit space.
It happens when fundraisers decide that a donor cannot – or should not – make a gift.
It’s an easy trap to fall in to (I should know – I’ve made this mistake, too).
It shows up most often during difficult times (a recession, a pandemic, the fascist dismantling of the rule of law, etc.). We look at the world, look at our donors, and say something to the effect of
“It’s not a good time to ask Donor X to give”
It’s not a good time because of the uncertainty, or the stock market, or the war, or whatever else our fear is telling us to say.
So, we remove a name from a mailing list, or change a solicitation meeting to a cultivation meeting, and we adjust our expectations. And we do all of this without talking to the donor.
While some people might not be ready to give because (fill in the blank), recent research suggests that many donors are more loyal than we think.
At the recent AFP ICON Conference, I attended a session that reviewed the data from The Missing Middle Part Four: A Cross-Vertical Study of Midlevel Donors from Sea Change Strategies and EDGE Research Group.
Amid tons of great insight, this jumped off the screen at me:
“The recent and continuing turmoil in the world appears to have had little effect on donors’ reported giving. Huge majorities say that in the past two years, their giving stayed the same or even grew in the face of political and cultural polarization (94%), global instability (94%) and economic uncertainty (87% of donors).”
So, now what?
During difficult times, our fears / anxieties might push us to withdraw. But we need to extend. We need to have open and direct conversations with our supporters instead of deciding for them. If you find yourself making assumptions about donor behavior or reaction, try the following:
Check your sources: are you reacting to something the donor said? Or something you feel?
When in doubt, talk to the donor: jump on a quick call with the donor. Be curious. Be direct!
Return to the mission: what does your mission actually need at this moment? Do you need the support of your community? Or do you need avoid a tough conversation?
If you’re ready to do more for your mission – even in difficult times – let’s set up a call and see what we can do together.
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