Do Your Donors Feel Appreciated and Part of a Worthwhile Group?

I still have the notes posted on my desk.

"Worthwhile member of a worthwhile group."

"Pride of association."

I took these notes early in my fundraising career — back in the late 1980s. As an executive director with the March of Dimes, I was being coached on moving to more relational fundraising by a retired higher education advancement professional.

A short time later, I added a third quote to the card:

"I will smile at friend and foe alike and make every effort to find, in him or her, a quality to praise, now that I realize the deepest yearning of human nature is the craving to be appreciated." — Og Mandino

Our office library has literally hundreds of books, DVDs and other resources on fundraising and nonprofits — boards, planning, leadership and more. Our computer server is full of references and samples.

I also have attended decades of Association of Fundraising Professionals and other professional association meetings and conferences and participated in countless courses.

But after all these years, these three quotes remain.

They are reminders of the personal and individual nature of fundraising. They are reminders that people don't most often give to a great cause if they don't believe it is a great group. I've seen board members, donors and volunteers flee nonprofits with great missions because of poor (and unethical) leadership.

Yes, our donors — and we are, of course, donors — want to change lives. Make a difference. Change the community ... change the world.

But so many of us also have internal needs to be met. Most people have a pride of association — they want to be part of a winning cause.

I remember when I first moved to Nashville. You seldom saw Tennessee Titans gear until the team began to win. Then it seemed everyone was a fan!