Segment Snapshots
FS: What is something that most likely will never change about fundraising marketing to African-American donors?
TW: Education will continue to be a priority for African-American donors. And traditionally, African-Americans have a communal approach to giving, so organizations and fundraising professionals will continue to reach out to African-American membership organizations, professional groups, associations and other similar networks.
FS: List two tips for reaching and engaging African-American donors.
TW: My top two tips for reaching and engaging African-American donors are: 1) Ensure that your donors know how and where their donations will be used; and 2) acknowledge and thank them!
FS: Additional thoughts?
TW: The perception that there's a dearth of high-profile African-American donors is false. We're not passive recipients of philanthropy; we're active donors — you just don't see our stories of giving in the media. Shirley and Bernard Kinsey, Eddie and Sylvia Brown, Sheila Johnson, Reginald Van Lee, Earl Stafford, Anthony and Bea Welters, Alphonse Fletcher Jr., and Roy and Maureen Roberts are among the nation's prominent philanthropists. This is one of the reasons why I created BlackGivesBack.com — to highlight these donors and share their incredible, often untold, stories of giving.
Tracey Webb is founder of the Black Gives Back blog and Black Benefactors giving circle. Reach her at tracey@blackgivesback.com
Christian and Other Faith-Based Donors
by Philip Zodhiates and Matt LaPorta
Fundraising Success: Describe Christian and other faith-motivated donors in three words.
Philip Zodhiates: Altruistically, selflessly motivated.
Matt LaPorta: Consistent, informed, generous.
FS: Aside from churches, which types of organizations are most attractive to these donors?
PZ: Evangelistic groups, humanitarian groups and social activist groups.
ML: The most attractive para-church organizations are the ones that are able to best articulate the goal of the ministry and show real results in accomplishing that goal. Some faith-based donors will be more sensitive to feeding programs for orphans or the poor, while others may be more sensitive to evangelical missions (organizations that are leading people to Christ) — and still others will be sensitive to groups that are framing the political debate in a Christian world view.
