When we decide to give someone a gift, we usually try really hard to get a gift that is meaningful to the person we’re giving it to. Makes sense.
When we seek to succeed with our philanthropic investors, unfortunately, a sort of organizational narcissism often kicks in.
“How?” you say.
By thinking of what we value rather than what our donors value.
When I was serving a college back east, I had the privilege to work with a donor with nine-figure capacity. He’d expressed an interest in endowing a degree program. That was fine, but my boss, the president, told me that what he really wanted was a new science building.
Now both were in the capacity of the donor to accomplish. I pointed out that the donor wants a degree program, not a science building. By realizing the donor’s dreams now, we will be in a much better position to realize the college’s later.
Fortunately, my boss took my advice.
The natural laws of philanthropy but the power directly in the hands of the investor. For us to capitalize on that power, we must adjust our thinking, then apply the proper solution.
The end of the story? Yes, the president got his science building as well.
- Categories:
- Donor Relationship Management

Larry believes in the power of relationships and the power of philanthropy to create a better place and transform lives.
Larry is the founder of The Eight Principles. His mission is to give nonprofits and philanthropists alike the opportunity to achieve their shared visions. With more than 25 years of experience in charitable fundraising and philanthropy, Larry knows that financial sustainability and scalability is possible for any nonprofit organization or charitable cause and is dependent on neither size nor resources but instead with the commitment to create a shared vision.
Larry is the author of the award-wining book, "The Eight Principles of Sustainable Fundraising." He is the Association of Fundraising Professionals' 2010 Outstanding Development Executive and has ranked in the Top 15 Fundraising Consultants in the United States by the Wall Street Business Network.
Larry is the creator of the revolutionary online fundraising training platform, The Oracle League.
Reach Larry on social media at:
Twitter: Larry_C_Johnson
LinkedIn: larryjohnsonmegrace
Facebook: TheEightPrinciples