We have all been there!

Months of research and planning. Strategising down to the finest detail. Where the meeting will take place. Who will be there to ask. How much we will ask for and how it will be used.

Some years ago, I was chatting with a valued supporter of medical research. I asked her what her reasons for giving were, and I am sure you have heard similar stories. 

I don’t want others to suffer as my loved one suffered… 
I want others to have the opportunities I had… 
This cause is important to me… 

Before we move into specifics, let’s talk about why we want engaged donors.

After all, they are a lot more work, and everyone is pretty stretched for time as it is. We want them because once they are engaged, they are likely to be with you for the long haul.

What does a business really want from me? That’s the million-dollar question for most charities – right up there with ‘is there free food in the kitchen?’ and ‘who stole all the forks?’

Community consultations can get a bad rap. Too many surveys, too many public meetings, too much talking!  If you have ever wondered how to access the people who can’t (or don’t want to) fill out surveys, then the arts may hold the answer.

Growing a new social venture takes time, effort and money. And while you may have an endless supply of passion to grow your enterprise, it’s unlikely that you’ll have an endless supply of cash. In fact, it’s possible that at some stage you’ll need an injection of funds to get your venture off the ground.

Do you hear the words data, machine learning and artificial intelligence and ask yourself what it means and how will it benefit society? Business leaders, futurists and Governments readily acknowledge we are now living in the fourth industrial revolution. Today’s creations will bring massive changes in how we work, communicate and live.

When I answer the question so what do you do, the next question is more often than not, how do you ask someone for that much money…? The truth is, I don’t often do the asking. In most cases our job as fundraisers is done in the months and years leading up to ‘that’ meeting. When it comes to the ask, more often than not I have briefed and trained two others to take on that role.

So, your organisation needs more money. Whose doesn't! Knocking on a prospective donor’s door to tell them to give because you do good things will rarely result in a donation that will be world-changing for your organisation.

In every family you can see the similarities around the Christmas table: the talent for singing, the mops of curly hair or the same lopsided smile. But there’s always the one that’s a little bit different, who doesn’t quite fit the mould and you never know if he’s going to grow up to be an archbishop or arch criminal.