Celebrating Your Volunteers

A dependable revenue stream that grows — ah, paradise!

Have a fundraising challenge you want to crack? Weary of doing the same old, same old yet hoping for different outcomes? Do you want the over-the-top results that come from superior strategy?

Email me with your particular problem, and I'll arrange a quick consultation offering you a practical solution you can implement. I may even use your situation to share with my readers. Names are changed, of course!

Heads up! This is a feel-good story. No deep drama or cliff-hangers precipitated by organizational dysfunction. Whew, what a relief.

Chuck reached out to me last week just to share with me how much he loves his work and especially his efforts supporting a cadre of volunteers.

Chuck is the development officer for a youth charity in the West. One of his tasks is the management of about 40 volunteer solicitors. This organization has a long tradition of using volunteers to personally reach out to donors as a part of its annual fund.

It's been a while since I encountered such an organization. Having been bred on volunteer fundraising in my own career, I strongly believe that the best way to raise money is with committed volunteers reaching out to others. Not that employing volunteers doesn't carry certain risks. More on that at a different time.

In Chuck's case things are going relatively smoothly. Many of his 40-plus have participated in this annual ritual for more than 10 years. It's that longevity that was the subject of our conversation.

When you've done something year-in and year-out, it eventually becomes automatic, even second nature. It can also become mechanical and devoid of passion. Get the gift. Move to the next person. Make the goal.

Without a focused interest in the prospective donor as a person, seeking gifts for your favorite cause can easily become a lot like bill collecting. After all, you're prospective investors have likes, dislikes and passions all their own.