Fundraising With LEGOs

This approach to fundraising is akin to upending a box of LEGOs, spilling the contents onto a table and then one by one putting pieces together that "fit." The result — either a structure, which has strength and beauty, or a conglomeration of plastic blocks that is nothing less than an unholy mess. Unless you've thought through the big picture in advance, it's usually the latter.

I counseled Taylor to think of fundraising as a journey for donors rather than a set of semi-independent fundraising programs all with their own goals, objectives and methods — proverbial LEGO blocks.

Make no mistake, donors set both the direction and force of fundraising. No matter how good or effective your work in the community, it's really not about you or your programs. Principle 1 of The Eight Principles of Sustainable Fundraising® is Donors are the Drivers^TM. Donors drive philanthropy through their values and visions.

So, how does this high-minded concept work in the front-line world of fundraising? What's the nitty-gritty when generating sufficient revenue represents success or failure?

Instead of fitting donors to your programs, focus upon creating a seamless path for donors to grow in your organization. Identify and reinforce those donor values that support your efforts. Help your investors to give as it is appropriate for them. Encourage them to invest as it fits their particular situations in life — whether that's general cash giving, higher cash giving, gifts of assets ("major gifts"), planned gifts (simply "major gifts" that have an additional external donor motive along with a deferred payment schedule) or even through a capital campaign.

This paradigm sometimes goes under the name of "all source funding."

This may sound like a subtle — even a trifling — change. I can assure it is not. Thought through, such a change will infuse every fundraising effort, every donor communication, every press release, every telephone greeting to donors when they call. Think about it.