What are your new year's resolutions?

Last week Esta Magazine (a Dutch glossy) published an article on three ‘professions of the future’. And guess what? According to them ‘fundraiser’ is one of these professions. A journalist approached me (and my dog) for an interview on what it’s like being a fundraiser. Her questions made me think: if this profession can contribute to a better future, in what way can I do my bit? And, since we’re at the beginning of a new year, which new year’s resolutions do I have to make in order to reach this goal?  

For the curious ones amongst you: the other two professions of the future were ‘fertility doctor’ and ‘geriatric medicine specialist’. To me, ‘fundraiser’ was somewhat of an odd addition to this list. But hey, who am I? Seeing ‘fundraiser’ in the list felt as a great compliment. A great compliment for all of us fundraisers.

The journalist’s questions inspired me to think of the impact fundraisers can have in creating a better world. My first thought, was that we’re just the ones that raise money so that other people can change the world. Those other people should get credit for it, not the fundraisers. But then again, without financial means changing the world is pretty difficult. In Holland we say this is a typical ‘chicken and egg’ situation: which one came first? So I decided to consult fellow fundraisers.

Elsbeth Takkenberg, senior fundraiser at VUmc Cancer Center Amsterdam and 101Fundraising blogger, said: “With the euros I raise, changes can be made every day. So I don’t see ‘fundraiser’ as a profession of the future, but a ‘profession of the present’. And, as I think of it, it’s not the fundraiser who changes the world. It’s the donor.” Han Valk, head of fundraising and marketing at KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, added to this: “I wonder if the role of the fundraiser will be the same in the future as it is right now. If it’s up to me, fundraisers will be connected to specific organizational goals in stead of an organization itself. That they’ll be part of a network of stakeholders and donors who – as a group – want to solve a problem or improve a situation. Not just the ones who ask for money, in order to let the organization solve the problem.” 

Back to the new year’s resolutions. Before I wrote down some of my own, I asked app. hundred Dutch fundraisers in my network to think of theirs as well. Five turned out to be the most popular (in no particular order):

·         Focus on better performance

Although ‘better performance’ was several times explained as ‘raising more money’, it was also explained as ‘being continuously eager to improve our service to donors’. This resolution was often combined with the second one:

·         Downsize organizational costs

The amount (or: percentage) of money that’s really spend on the cause, is a recurring topic in Dutch media. Most fundraisers who replied to my questionnaire, pointed out that this not only a matter of spending less money on organizational costs. It’s also a challenge they face in communication with donors. Therefore most of them said it’s also important to:

·         Be more honest with donors

Off course it’s important to share the successes of your organization with donors. But next to that, several fundraisers pointed out that (in 2013) they also want to involve donors more in the challenges (as in: difficulties) the organization faces.

·         Build sustainable relationships with donors

Intensifying the relationship with donors is a new year’s resolution every fundraiser mentioned in reply to my e-mail. Except for Reinier Spruit, because he ‘only’ ;-) wanted to:

·         Share more knowledge with fundraisers

And since I really appreciate his efforts in doing so with 101Fundraising, I’m more than happy to help him promote his new Facebookpage for Dutch fundraisers.

My experience with new year’s resolutions is, that the longer you make your list the harder it will be to achieve all of your goals. So, this year my list consists of only one resolution. My mission will be to promote the power of friendraising. I passionately believe that the time has come for NGO’s to stop having a monologue with their donors and to start a dialogue. As you might know, I already shared some of my thoughts on this topic in this blog and I published a book about friendraising in The Netherlands. To me ‘friendraising’ is a holistic approach, and not only ‘building relationships’. If I live up to my resolution, chances are high that you’ll be hearing more about friendraising in 2013.

So, now that we (Dutch fundraisers) have shared our new year’s resolutions with you, we’re very curious what yours will be. Challenge yourself and share your resolutions with us in the ‘add your comment’ box below. Let’s create a better (fundraising) future!

A very big ‘thank you!’ goes out to Elsbeth Takkenberg, Han Valk, David Heyer, and Agmar van Rijn. They not only sent me their resolutions, but also took the time to share their overall view on fundraising in the future.

Charity Crowdfunding: what's in it for you?

As a fundraiser you’ve probably heard it before: crowdfunding. Did you know that in 2011 almost $ 1.5 billion was raised through crowdfunding platforms worldwide? And the sky seems to be the limit with this fundraising technique.
Experts expect the total funding volume to grow with 91% (!) in 2012. Approximately half of this volume is to be raised through charity crowdfunding. Or: donation-based and reward-based crowdfunding, the two most common ways for charities. Charity crowdfunding is not only a great way to raise funds, but also a very smart way to raise (and involve) friends.

For those who’d like to fresh up their memory first, let’s start with an introduction of this fundraising technique: crowdfunding is a collective effort of a group of individuals who network and pool their resources for a specific project initiated by other people. This is usually done via or with the help of the Internet. Single projects are financed with small contributions from a large number of individuals.

Before you decide to jump on the crowdfunding train, it’s good to know what’s in it for you as a fundraiser. That’s why I’ve asked Ronald Kleverlaan to provide you with some answers. Ronald is a crowdfunding specialist and co-founder of WEBclusive, the leading crowdfunding software company in Europe. Their software raised millions of euros for more then 500 successful crowdfunding campaigns.

And don’t forget to think of what’s in it for your donors. So, let me help you with that.

1. Increase donor involvement

Ronald: “With charity crowdfunding, it’s all about earmarked giving. I understand that, for a lot of organizations, this will be a bit of a challenge. But in order to be successful, you need to pick a specific project, or a series of projects. You also need to set up a time frame in which the funds need to be raised. In my experience donors want to be involved with an urgent case, not ‘just’ an organization.”

Vera: “For charities, crowdfunding can be a great way to act as a ‘matchmaker’ between donors and the subjects (or: projects) they care about. Donors often experience the digital platform as the gateway to direct contact with project leaders and/or beneficiaries. Providing information to donors on a project basis beats the effect of a general newsletter, by far. You can send your donors updates about the preparations of the project, the ongoing activities, and the results as well.”

2. Gain trust via (financial) transparency

Ronald: “Being (financially) transparent as a charity is very important to gain the trust of your donors. Raising funds on a project basis creates the opportunity to communicate about the results of a single project. For charities, this is often easier than measuring and showing the effect of the overall work of the organization.”

Vera: “It’s pretty simple, actually. More and more often, donors want to know where their money is spent on by a charity. They want to be assured that this money is put to good use. Lots of crowdfunding platforms show financial results of single fundraising projects on a daily basis, as well as the number of days that are left to raise the money, and the total amount needed per project. How transparent can you get?”

3. Connect donors to beneficiaries

Ronald: “People give to people. Not to mission statements, or to well written fundraising strategies. But not ‘just’ people; they like to support people with dreams or ambitious goals. Charity crowdfunding platforms provide the chance for donors to get in contact with project leaders and their dreams and to support the people with similar dreams.”

Vera:  “But that’s not all. This online fundraising platform is also a great way to (digitally) introduce your friends to the projects (or: dreams) you have as a donor. Think of all the prospecting chances you have as a charity, when you provide an online platform for these friends to copy your donors’ philanthropic behavior.”

4. Direct support

Ronald: “I often hear charities talk about the struggle they experience with connecting donors on a long term basis. Well, the thing is: I’m afraid this won’t get any easier in the (near) future. To me, charity crowdfunding is the perfect solution for both the charity as the donor. As a charity you have the opportunity to introduce project after project. Which – funny enough – provides a chance to stimulate structural giving, in a sense, after all.”

Vera:  “Whether it’s about major giving or regular giving, more and more often I hear donors say that – whenever they’ve decided to donate – they want to see the impact of their gift; the sooner the better. And this is exactly why charity crowdfunding is booming business. To these donors, charity crowdfunding provides a platform of numerous short term, easy to measure, soon to be activated projects. And this is exactly what they need.”

5. Return on involvement

Ronald: “I hear organizations talk about Return on Investment. Well, with charity crowdfunding I’d rather talk about Return on Involvement. To explain this, I often use this model (see picture below).

With a crowdfunding campaign it is important to think about what people want in return for their support. In general three different categories of returns can be identified: social return (good feeling), material return (pre-sales of a product) or financial return. Although charities normally only focus on the social return, it can be really interesting for them to look into other type of crowdfunding models, like reward-based crowdfunding (small or special gifts as return) of social loans (a loan with 0% interest)."

Vera: “It’s true. Sometimes people are triggered to donate (more) by the option of receiving rewards. They don’t want you begging on your knees to thank them, or bringing them flowers personally. But receiving behind-the-scenes tickets for a band repetition, handwritten letters of beneficiaries, or a phone call from a project leader can add just that little bit extra to the feeling that you’re really connected to a project, as a donor.”

Most charity crowdfunding projects are based on an all-or-nothing strategy; if the financial goal is not reached, the project won’t be activated. Although this can be experienced as a risk for the charity, it’s often seen as a chance for the donor. Most of the time it stimulates both the charity as the donor to walk the extra mile, to make sure the project goals will be reached. And, isn’t this what we all want, in the end?

Need some charity crowdfunding inspiration? For some Dutch examples, check:

• www.voordekunst.nl (rewards)
• www.1procentclub.nl (donations)
• www.pifworld.org (donations)
• www.getitdone.org

For European (non-Dutch) examples, check:

• www.justgiving.com (donations)
•  www.ulule.com (rewards)

For US examples, check:

• www.kickstarter.com (rewards and pre-sales)
• www.kiva.org (social loans)
• www.causes.com (donations)
• www.indiegogo.com

Ronald Kleverlaan founded the Dutch Crowdfunding Roundtable and speaks and writes about crowdfunding at international conferences. Ronald has lived and worked in The Netherlands, Brazil, Malaysia and Vietnam. He is also co-founder of the European Crowdfunding Network.

Dit blog is ook gepubliceerd op 101fundraising.org

7 ‘Big bummers’ for charitable trusts and foundations

Or: 7 ways to improve your foundation fundraising skills

“Why is it, that so many nonprofit organizations send in applications to foundations, without even taking the time to find out where these foundations stand for?” I was having a conversation with Jos Verhoeven, managing director of the Dutch Start Foundation. He continued: “I just don’t get it. About 25% of the applications we receive as a foundation, have nothing to do with the mission we stand for. I mean, if you need a mortgage, you don’t go to the supermarket to get one, do you? So why send in applications to foundations that don’t match with your mission?”

Nobody knows exactly how many foundations are active in The Netherlands. Some say there are hundreds; some say there are thousands. There’s no (complete) database. What we do know, is that 106 foundations support nonprofits with € 215 million each year. And that’s only the tip of the iceberg. You would think that, with so many foundations to ‘practice’ with, Dutch fundraisers are experts in foundation fundraising. In order to find out of this is true, I called several people who represent Dutch charitable trusts and foundations.

I learned two things:

• Although most of them receive lots and lots of applications, many foundations still struggle to find projects that really match to their mission.
• And most importantly, I learned that a lot of nonprofits still have to improve in writing their proposals.

So, the question is: how can we improve our foundation fundraising skills? In order to do so, let me share 7 ‘big bummers’ with you that foundations experience when receiving applications.

Bummer 1: ‘One size fits all’
Foundation fundraising is not about producing applications like it’s confection. “I immediately notice it when I receive a standard application,” says Henk van Stokkom, who represents several Dutch foundations. “Sometimes nonprofits just create one proposal, and send it to lots of foundations. Like ‘one size fits all’. The thing is, we support about 230 nonprofits each year and receive even more applications. It’s a hell of a job to get in contact with all of those nonprofits, that just didn’t read our conditions.” Rick Wagenvoort, managing director of the Association of Foundations in the Netherlands, agrees to this. “Rejecting applications is like a day job to a lot of foundations. It can be made so much easier for them, if non-profits take the time to make sure their application is a good match.” Tip 1: make sure you’re application is tailor-made to the foundation you’re sending it to.

Bummer 2: Withholding the (hired) fundraiser
Some nonprofits chose to hire a fundraiser to write applications. Because of a lack of time, capacity or specific expertise. Not every foundation is happy with this. “To some foundations it’s ‘not done’ to support those nonprofits,” says Luuk van Term, who used to be PR manager at the VSB Foundation. “They don’t want it, that a part of their money will be spent on the fundraiser.” At the Start Foundation, they think differently. Jos Verhoeven says: “It’s not that I don’t like it, that nonprofits hire fundraisers to do the job. I know that this is how it works. But please, don’t keep it back from us. If we’re interested in supporting your organization, and we start building a relationship, sooner or later we’ll find out anyway.” Tip 2: be honest about working with external fundraisers, and the financial agreements you make with them.

Bummer 3: Ignoring deadlines
Actually, this third bummer can be compared to the first one. It’s all about (not) reading the terms and conditions of the foundation you’re sending your application to. Did you know that one of the most important reasons to reject an application, is because the nonprofit sent it in too late? Tip 3: check the deadlines for sending in your application, and make sure you meet them.

Bummer 4: Unrealistic budgets
When I spoke with foundations about the budgets that are mentioned in applications, they thought they’re either too high or too low. Henk van Stokkom: “I sometimes chuckle about the applications we receive. For instance, some organizations send proposals to 35 foundations, in order to raise ‘only’ 30 thousand euros. Are they that insecure about receiving money for their projects?” Michel Nivard of Fonds1818: “In my experience, nonprofits sometimes ask for more money than they need. I think they do this on purpose, because they don’t expect to receive the total amount from us.” Luuk van Term thinks differently: “If it’s up to me, nonprofits often are too modest when asking for money. They tend to save on hourly rates of their staff, or suggest to buy secondhand computers in stead of new ones. Life is expensive these days, and foundations should know that.” Tip 4: be specific in what you need, and realistic in the costs you have to make to get it.

Bummer 5: ‘Show me the money!’
“Most fundraisers are focused on only one thing: getting our money,” says Henk Van Stokkom. Building up a personal relationship with foundations is very important, if it’s up to him. “What’s so difficult in picking up the phone and get in contact? Nonprofits often forget, that this is not only good in order to get to know each other a bit, but also to receive future gifts from a foundation.” Luuk van Term adds to this: “Foundations know each very well. When in personal contact with one, you can ask if your project matches the mission of another. I know for sure that a lot of foundations are willing to help.” Tip 5: put effort in friendraising, next to your (foundation) fundraising.

Bummer 6: ‘Say what?!’
Lots of applications tend to be long-winded and full of jargon. Most of the foundations I spoke with, mentioned this. The Dutch Skanfonds, stimulates nonprofits to ‘test’ the application text first. One of their ‘how to write a good proposal’ tips is: “Before sending your proposal to us, ask a colleague or friend to read it. Is it clear to them what you ask for, and is the proposal appealing to them?”. And I like to add another tip to this. Tip 6: start your application with a summary in plain language

Bummer 7: Incomplete contact information
The last bummer, was a bit of a surprise for me. Did you know, that the contact info on applications often is incomplete? “The biggest bummer for me, is when an application is sent by, let’s say, prof. dr. A.B.C. Jones,” says Henk van Stokkom. “I mean, how vague can you get? Are you male or female, and what is your relation to the nonprofit? And then, when I try to find this out and call the person in question, it appears that he or she can only be reached on Mondays. If that’s the case, say so on your application!” Tip 7: add a – very detailed and easy to find – contact information sheet to your application

Many thanks go out to the people who contributed to this blog: Rick Wagenvoort - managing director at FIN (the Association of Foundations in the Netherlands), Michel Nivard - project consultant at Fonds1818, Stefanie Gerwers - communications consultant at Skanfonds, Jos Verhoeven - managing director at Start Foundation, Luuk van Term - communications consultant at Termae Traiectum (and former PR manager at VSBfonds) and Henk van Stokkom - guide for foundations at VanStokkom. Also results of ‘Giving in the Netherlands’ (Center for Philanthropic Studies at VU University Amsterdam) are used for this blog.

This blog is also posted on 101fundraising (crowdblog on fundraising)

6 Things you get with friendraising

“Friendraising is raising money from your friends and family.” This is just one of the replies I got, when I recently asked app. 200 Dutch fundraising colleagues to send me their definition of ‘friendraising’. Well, if this is what friendraising is about, I guess the birthdays of fund- and friendraisers soon will be awfully quiet.

Fortunately, a lot of colleagues used better definitions. Myself, I like to use this one: friendraising is building sustainable relationships with persons, foundations and corporations, in order to get to know them better, and to (co)create a wide variety of ways to support your organization. Of course,
a result of friendraising can be that you receive
money. But if it’s up to me, it can be so much
more. Let me sum up just 6 things for you.

Fun. Friendraising is fun! Not only for us, fundraisers, but also for NGO boards. Often I experience that board members find it difficult to ask for money. They feel like they have to get down on their knees, begging for a gift. As to fundraising, friendraising has a great advantage: it is all about connecting new friends to your organization. Well, that’s not scary at all. In fact, I bet that most of your board members are experts in making new friends. Changes are high that they were asked to join the board, just because of their large networks. So let’s put the fears aside, and start connecting friends to our mission!

Relationships. When fundraising, we often focus on a one-time gift. We tend to put a euro sign on people’s foreheads, and make that the reason for approaching them to support us. But, when we see everyone as a prospective source of money, we ignore what it might mean to have that person as a friend. A friend, who can give us a 2nd, 3rd, or maybe even 4th gift. But friends can give you more: their time, their wisdom, or maybe even some in-kind gifts. Want to know what kind of support your friends can give you? There is only one way to find out. The only way to have a friend, is to be one. So let’s start building relationships with the friends that support your organization!

Innovation. As Marcel Proust says ‘the only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes’. If you take off your fundraising glasses, and put on your networking ones, you will probably find out that you will get in touch with people you wouldn’t have met before. That you will have conversations, you wouldn’t have had before. And that, together with the (new) people you get in touch with, you will come to ideas you wouldn’t have had before. Friendraising creates an entrepreneurial state of mind, so let’s take off those fundraising glasses!

Euros. Okay, okay. Being a warm and good friend, who focuses on building sustainable relationships, and who cooperates and listens to the people he gets in contact with, will be rewarded. Rewarded with a variety of gifts. Like some of the ones mentioned above. And like: euros. That’s why they say that friendraising comes before fundraising, isn’t it?

Network. Let’s get on with the other things you can receive, when you start raising friends. While wearing your networking glasses, you will see that sometimes a new friend carries around something very special. It is the key to open the door of new networks. Because he is a member of a Rotary Club, a business club or he is just a person who happens to know a lot of other people who can be of great support for your organization. All kinds of networks he can get you in touch with. Where he can introduce you, by bringing you with him to a meeting, or by arranging a speaking gig for you. So let’s print some extra business cards and get in touch with those networks!

Dialogue. One result of getting to know people better, is that you will start to have conversations. While having these conversations, you will find out why people support you. What, according to them, is so important about your mission, or about the projects you realize. You will learn if they speak to others about this, if they promote your organization to their network. Very useful information, because it can help you improve the things you do. So let’s stop seeing donors as a number in our database, and let’s start a conversation with the people behind those numbers!

P.s. Feel free to come up with other things you can get with friendraising. Let's try to finish what I've started, and complete the word: R-A-I-S-I-N-G. Who wants to give it a shot?

This blog is also posted on 101fundraising (crowdblog on fundraising) July 6 2012 Dennis de Waard gave it a try to complete what I've started. This is his how he completed the word Friendraising: Real – be real. This isn’t a trick or a play. This is what you are and where you stand for. Always – Friendraising must always be at least at the back of your mind. Pondering away like a little app. Incentive – What’s in it for the friends that come on board? Recognition, member of a group (LI, FB or otherwise) and a lot of good will. Support – be available for your friends and help them where you can to raise more friends. Invest – In a FB page, a corner of your website, periodic open coffee meetups, in a LI group. N – … (can’t think of an appropriate N word right this moment) GO – Just GO and do it! He asked me to complete his work with additional drawings. Well, Dennis, here it is:

Unexpected (?) fundraising tool: your ears as your moneymakers

“Recently a charity asked me if I had put them in my will. I was astounded and felt insulted by this question. After the conversation I immediately went to my notary and changed my will. I deleted all three of the charities that were in there. My kids are once again the only beneficiaries.”

I posted this quote on Twitter about a year ago, after a ‘kitchen table’ conversation with one of the major donors of a charity I work for as a consultant. The conversation was part of a feasibility study for a major gifts and legacies program. A fellow fundraiser has asked me to blog about the subject. Well, here are my thoughts.

The impact of just saying ‘thank you’
What was the reason for the quoted donor’s frustration? She had been an annual €500+ donor for 8 years and had never received a personal thank you. Yes, she saw these two words on some bank statements and in a letter that also asked her to upgrade her gift. But she never heard those words, because she was never visited or phoned by any of the charity’s employees. Actually, I was the first person she ever spoke to who represented the charity — me, a consultant!

The funny thing was, when I asked if she would appreciate it if I suggested that one of the program managers visit her and tell about what the charity spent her money on, she refused (out of humbleness, I guess). A phone call maybe? A letter? No. That would cost the charity time, and time equals money, and money should be spent on the mission.

A few questions later, I found out what she would really appreciate — an unexpected, genuine and personal ‘thank you’. It could be as simple as a handwritten sticky note (and think of how low-cost and easy that is!). Another few questions later, she agreed that an invitation to tour the charity’s headquarters, or even, to my surprise, an unprompted visit by the previously mentioned program manager, would actually be greatly appreciated by her.

This example is not just about expressing your appreciation for a donor’s gift, about literally saying ‘thank you’. It is also about personally giving the donor the suitable amount of attention. It is about acknowledging the interest and trust that he or she has shown in your cause through his gift(s), and showing in return that you value him or her as a person.

Even a grumpy old man can be your major donor
Normally it’s very easy to set up an interview with one of my clients’ major donors. The CEO of the charity sends an invitation letter, and then I follow up with a phone call to set the appointment. Well, that wasn’t the case with Mr. Big (don’t bother to look him up in the Dutch Quote 500 or American Forbes 400 list, it’s a fictitious donor). Never in my entire career had I needed to use so many arguments to persuade him to meet with me. It wasn’t about him not wanting to welcome me, he just needed to hear why and why him. After a 45-minute phone conversation, he finally agreed to meet. I could visit him at his home office.

But the visit itself proved even more challenging. He really gave me a hard time. He acted like a typical grumpy old man and wasn’t positive about a single thing the charity has done. I can handle grumpy old men; in fact, I like being challenged in a conversation. But never in one of my interviews had anyone been so negative about a cause or charity that he/she had financially supported.

During the interview Mr. Big couldn’t stop talking about how another, cause-related, charity delivered much better work than the charity I was representing. This other charity supplied him only with information he really cared about, and thanked him for his gifts. As a matter of fact: the relationship manager of this other charity thanked him personally, she visits him every year. He could even tell me that they both love to play golf.

Looking back on the 1.5-hour conversation, I think I only asked him 5 questions. There was no Pareto Principle in this interview. If I had filled even 2% of the time with my questions, it would have been a lot. On the drive home, I really thought that I had failed the interview. I knew I had to report this back to my client, but the resistance I felt caused me to put off picking up the phone.

It was only one week later that my client called me. She was ecstatic. “What have you said to Mr. Big? What was your conversation with him about?” An uncomfortable feeling crept from my toes to my stomach. Before I could respond, and to my big surprise, she finished her sentence, “Today we received a €15,000 gift from Mr. Big! Never before has he given this much. Not even his lifetime value approaches this gift level!”

Although this may be a unique experience, I learned a very important lesson. Just being there, and being patient enough to listen to a donor’s story (whether it is a complaint, a compliment or a personal experience), can be enough to move him to give again, or to upgrade his gift. My role was that of catalyst between Mr. Big and the charity. But it could have just as easily been the development officer, the relationship manager or another employee of the charity.

Your ears are your moneymakers
A lot of fundraisers and fundraising consultants have said this before, but the value of a good conversation with a donor is priceless. Taking the time to listen to the personal stories of the people who support your cause, getting to know them, keeping the conversations ongoing by servicing donors in the ways they appreciate most — it all sounds so simple. Still, a lot of charities (or should I say ‘Dutch charities’?) really underestimate the power of listening and investing in it.

So, beloved fellow fundraisers: take a break from investing in major donor mailings or other direct response activities to raise money from high value donors. Instead, get off your chair, jump in that (hybrid) car (or train) and visit the people who support the values of your organization. Have your own kitchen table conversations with your donors and thank them, listen to them, connect to them, and further commit them. Use your ears, and I am sure they will be the best moneymakers you’ve ever had.

This blog is also posted on 101fundraising (crowdblog on fundraising)

Friendraising

Beeld je eens in: je staat op een netwerkborrel en raakt aan de praat met de vrouw die naast je staat. Je vertelt wat over jezelf en over je organisatie, zij doet dit ook. Ze blijkt ondernemer en handelt in state of the art stofzuigers. Het is een onderhoudend gesprek en jullie tonen oprechte interesse in elkaars verhaal. Na enkele minuten zegt ze: “Nou, jij weet nu iets over mij, ik weet nu wat van jou, wil je een stofzuiger kopen? Dat is dan duizend euro.”

De kans dat je op dit aanbod ingaat is gering, schat ik zo in. Maar toch, wees eerlijk, in hoeverre wijkt haar aanpak af van hoe we stiekem het liefste zouden zien hoe de werving van grote giften bij onze organisatie verloopt? Zou het niet mooi zijn om zevenmijlslaarzen aan te trekken en recht op ons doel af te gaan? Laat ik het anders zeggen: bij de vele trainingen en lezingen die ik geef over relatiegerichte fondsenwerving, wordt mij na afloop altijd minstens één keer gevraagd “Ik begrijp nu dat ik tijd moet investeren in relaties, maar wat is de methode om snel grote giften te werven?”.

Het is de vraag of de behoefte om snel grote giften te werven reëel is. Of sterker nog: of dit wenselijk is. Immers, friendraising, ofwel: een duurzame relatie aangaan met (prospect) donateurs, is gericht op de lange termijn en levert veel meer op dan een enkele, snel gescoorde grote gift.

Dit illustreer ik graag met een standpunt dat een filantroop onlangs met me deelde: “Ik heb er een hekel aan een ‘prospect’ genoemd te worden. Waarom laten ze de noodzaak om geld te vinden in de weg staan om een relatie met mij op te bouwen? Als ze deze oprecht met me aangaan, komt het geld vanzelf wel. Ik zie het zelf meer als een partnership, want ik heb zoveel meer te bieden dan alleen mijn portemonnee. Zonder relatie, zullen ze nooit weten of ik een mogelijk nieuw bestuurslid ben, een waardevolle vrijwilliger of misschien degene die ze in contact kan brengen met die ene persoon met wie ze al zolang contact willen.”

Welke rol speelt friendraising bij je eigen organisatie? “Friendraising wordt nu ten onrechte nog vaak beschouwd als een transactionele vorm van vriendschap.”, stelt Hildy Gottlieb, Amerikaans specialiste in community engagement. “Als je ons geld geeft, zullen we je vriend zijn. Als je erover nadenkt om ons geld te geven, zullen we je overtuigen om onze vriend te worden. Als je ons geen geld meer geeft, zullen we geen contact meer met je opnemen. Hoe meer geld je geeft, hoe vriendelijker we zullen zijn.”

Dit brengt ons bij de vraag: hoe behandelen we onze donateurs? En: hoe oprecht is de vriendschap die we met ze aangaan? Behandelen we onze €50 gevers verschillend van onze €500 gevers? Natuurlijk kent dit laatste punt praktische gevolgen voor de uitvoering van je activiteiten. Maar daar waar fondsenwerving sterk draait om het succesvol toepassen van technieken, is friendraising vooral ook een ‘state of mind’.

Het aangaan van relaties is niet iets wat alleen bij de leiders van een organisatie ligt, of bij de afdeling fondsenwerving of de grote giftenwerver. Friendraising is iets wat iedere medewerker en vrijwilliger kan toepassen in het dagelijkse werk. Om bij de woorden van Gottlieb te blijven: “Als je een sterke relatie bouwt tussen je missie en de gemeenschap die hiervan profiteert, ontstaat een community van vrienden die je missie nooit verloren willen laten gaan. Het draait dan ook om het creëren van een leger van vrienden, een ‘army of support’.”

Friendraising is voor mij dan ook het bouwen van duurzame relaties. Het aangaan van vriendschappen met een groep die zich – samen met je organisatie - wil inzetten om je missie en idealen te verwezenlijken. Als je vraagt om geld, zul je geld ontvangen. Maar als je focust op vriendschap, zul je ontvangen wat bij een goede vriendschap hoort. Geld is hiervan slechts een onderdeel.

Dit artikel verscheen ook in Vakblad Fondsenwerving

Zelf aan de slag met friendraising? Lees hier meer over de werkgroepen die Nassau opzet voor organisaties die een eigen friendraising plan willen opzetten, aan de hand van het door ons ontwikkelde friendraising model.

De eerste werkgroepen zijn gestart voor lokale en regionale cultuurinstellingen. Interesse in werkgroepen voor je eigen branche? Laat het ons weten! Mail naar vera@nassau.nu of bel: (020) 535 68 33

Grote giftenwerving in NL anno 2011

Al jaren houd ik mij bezig met het werven van grote giften voor non-profit organisaties. Wat ik me meer en meer begon af te vragen, was hoe zij zich (sectorbreed) ontwikkelen op dit gebied. Zijn er bijvoorbeeld verschillen tussen de diverse (CBF)sectoren te bespeuren? Of wanneer de hoogte van de som der baten verschilt? Om dit te toetsen heeft Nassau in het najaar van 2010 een onderzoek verricht onder ruim 50 organisaties, aan de hand van het Nassau scoremodel. Hiermee is er voor het eerst een overzicht beschikbaar van de ontwikkeling van grote giftenwerving in Nederland binnen de gehele fondsenwervingsector en binnen de subsectoren cultuur, goede doelen, zorg, universiteiten en welzijn.

Toelichting Nassau scoremodel
Het Nassau scoremodel analyseert een vijftal gebieden. Ten eerste (1) wordt gekeken naar de strategie van een organisatie. In hoeverre heeft de organisatie de ambitie in kaart om grote giften te werven? Ten tweede (2) wordt voor ‘creatie’ onderzocht in welke mate de organisatie in staat is het strategisch kader om te zetten in een aansprekende case for support. Daarnaast wordt (3) gekeken naar het prospectmanagement van een organisatie. In hoeverre is de organisatie in staat haar doelgroep en (potentiële) donateurs in kaart te brengen? Als vierde (4) wordt gekeken naar de interne organisatie en in welke mate hier kennis en praktische ervaring aanwezig is. Tot slot (5) toetst het Nassau scoremodel in hoeverre een organisatie ook tot actie overgaat en de gemaakte plannen uitvoert.

Resultaten
De gemiddelde score van alle organisaties ligt tussen de 2 en 3 (op een schaal van 0-5). Gemiddeld wordt het hoogst gescoord op strategie (2,65). De onderzochte organisaties hebben grote ambities en er is een groot intern draagvlak om deze ambities te realiseren. Daarnaast valt op dat in veel organisaties het bestuur zich betrokken voelt bij het werven van fondsen en zich wil inzetten.

Het laagst scoren de organisaties op prospect management. Vele beschikken onvoldoende over een databasesysteem waarin zowel kwalitatieve als kwantitatieve gegevens van (potentiële) grote gevers worden opgeslagen.

Opvallend
Bij het analyseren van de onderzoeksresultaten viel ons al snel op dat de verschillende sectoren geen substantiële verschillen laten zien bij het opzetten van grote giftenwerving. Ook bij de indeling naar verschillende som der baten was geen opvallend verschil zichtbaar.

Erg blij was ik, toen ik zag dat bij de meeste organisaties het bestuur en de directie hebben aangegeven actieve steun en inzet te willen verlenen wanneer de organisatie overgaat tot uitvoering. Erg belangrijk, want dit is een cruciale succesfactor bij het werven van grote giften. Daar tegenover staat wel dat de meeste organisaties nog niet tot (proactieve) werving zijn overgegaan. Dus of zij deze belofte gaan waarmaken is nog even de vraag.

Tenslotte merkte ik tijdens de onderzoeksgesprekken dat veel organisaties heel goed weten waarom zij grote giften willen werven en waaraan zij de opbrengsten willen besteden. Echter, of (potentiële) grote gevers de plannen haalbaar achten, wordt nog niet getoetst. Ook of de case for support aansluit bij de belevingswereld en verwachtingen van grote gevers, wordt nog niet bij prospects verkend.

In dit laatste punt zie ik een uitdaging voor de sector: het is nu tijd om de blik naar buiten te richten en in contact te treden met potentiële grote gevers. Vraag hen wat hen aanspreekt, wat hen beweegt, waarom zij de organisatie steunen. Luister goed wat zij te melden hebben, deze gesprekken leveren belangrijke handvatten voor je grote giftenstrategie!

Het volledige onderzoeksrapport is eind mei door Nassau gepubliceerd en via onze website www.nassau.nu te downloaden.

Kijken met de ogen van een major donor

De afgelopen twee weken zijn 17 fondsenwervers in de huid van een major donor gekropen. Tijdens de gelijknamige training 'Kruip in de huid van een major donor', die ik samen met filantropisch adviseur Diana van Maasdijk organiseerde, leerden de fondsenwervers denken, doen, onderzoeken en beslissen zoals grote gevers dat ook doen. Het leverde veel nieuwe inzichten voor hen op.

“Het ‘kruip in de huid van…’ krijgt echt vorm en helpt je de stap te zetten om niet alleen vanuit de eigen organisatie te denken.” - deelnemer

Het doel van de dag was om goede doelen – of liever nog: je eigen organisatie – te bekijken, met de ogen van een grote gever. Zoals Marcel Proust ooit zei: “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” Want, het is best lastig om niet vanuit je eigen doelstellingen, je eigen targets, je eigen jargon te denken. Een opmerking die een grote gever onlangs tegen me maakte, dekt eigenlijk het beste de lading:

“Ik heb er een hekel aan een ‘prospect’ genoemd te worden. Waarom laten ze de noodzaak om geld te vinden in de weg staan om een relatie met mij op te bouwen? Als ze deze oprecht met me aangaan, komt het geld vanzelf wel. Ik zie het zelf meer als een partnership, want ik heb zoveel meer te bieden dan alleen mijn portemonnee. Zonder relatie, zullen ze nooit weten of ik een mogelijk nieuw bestuurslid ben, een waardevolle vrijwilliger of misschien degene die ze in contact kan brengen met die ene persoon met wie ze al zolang contact willen.”

De uitdaging lag tijdens de training dan ook in het letterlijk verplaatsen in de major donor: na het gebruikelijke voorstelrondje werd iedere deelnemer voor de rest van de dag omgedoopt tot de want-to-be-filantropen mevrouw Van der Werf, de heer Akkerdas en het echtpaar De Vries. Aan de deelnemers de schone taak om deze fictieve karakters, met behulp van verschillende opdrachten, hun geefdoelstellingen en –motivatie in kaart te brengen en aan het einde van de dag één of meerdere goede doelen te selecteren die het beste bij hun persoonlijkheid paste.

Deze exercitie leidde tot vele eyeopeners bij de deelnemers, die ik graag ook met andere fondsenwervers deel:
• Het kost behoorlijk veel tijd om als major donor de juiste informatie over een geschikte organisatie of project te vinden, we moeten hen veel gemakkelijker maken en hen beter ‘servicen’.
• Onze organisatie moet veel proactiever in contact komen met adviseurs van major donors, ik heb het belang van deze partijen onderschat.
• Het werven van grote giften is niet alleen iets wat aan mij verbonden is, het ‘delegeren’ van prospectportfolio’s onder collega’s kan tot nieuwe inzichten en betere relaties leiden.
• Nooit geweten dat de 80/20-regel ook van toepassing is op gesprekken met major donors. Het is best lastig om 80% van de tijd te luisteren in plaats van te praten, maar dat ga ik nu zeker oefenen!

Wil je je ook een dag verplaatsen in de wereld van major donors, zodat je je eigen organisatie en grote giftenstrategie hierop kunt laten aansluiten? Er zijn twee nieuwe trainingsdata geselecteerd, waarvoor je je kunt aanmelden:
• Donderdag 16 juni 2011, 9.30 – 16.30 uur
• Dinsdag 13 september 2011, 9.30 – 16.30 uur

Meer praktische informatie over de training en aanmelden vind je op op deze pagina.

Het belang van middle donors in 2011

Het nieuwe jaar is net aangebroken en we zijn weer vol goede voornemens achter het bureau gekropen. Wat zal 2011 ons brengen? Wat grote giftenwerving betreft, doe ik graag een voorspelling. Kijkende naar de explosieve groei van aandacht voor en uitvoering van dit vakgebied in het oude jaar, verwacht ik zeker een nieuwe wending. Grappig genoeg heeft dit niet direct met grote giftenwerving te maken: ik voorspel namelijk dat het cultiveren van middle donors een minstens zo belangrijke rol zal spelen in 2011.

Het Pareto principe
In 1897 ontdekte de Italiaanse econoom Vilfredo Pareto het patroon van het 80/20 principe. Hij merkte op dat 20% van de Italianen 80% van de totale rijkdom van het land bezat. Deze wet bleek ook toepasbaar op andere landen en zelfs de gehele aardbol. Sindsdien is het vele malen herontdekt in uiteenlopende situaties. Zo ook in de wereld van fondsenwerving.

Kortweg komt het principe erop neer dat een gering aantal oorzaken verantwoordelijk is voor het merendeel van de resultaten. Ofwel: hoe minder tot meer kan leiden. In termen van fondsenwerving betekent dit dat 80% van de inkomsten wordt gegenereerd bij 20% van de donateurs. Tenminste, dat leert de Angelsaksische vakliteratuur ons. In de Verenigde Staten wordt zelfs al van een 97/3 verhouding gesproken. In Nederland gaat deze vlag nog (lang) niet op. Laten we het nieuwe jaar daarom aangrijpen om hierin een mooie sprong vooruit te maken.

Vergeet middle donors niet
Nog niet zo lang geleden richtten veel organisaties de pijlen vooral op direct response fondsenwerving. Met de aangescherpte regels rond de uitvoering van deze technieken, de druk die hiermee op de inkomsten ontstaat én de 80/20 regel in het achterhoofd, zie je dat alternatieve vormen van fondsenwerving aan populariteit winnen. Steeds meer organisaties maken dan ook een flinke ommezwaai en vestigen de hoop op het werven van grote giften. Er worden grote giftenwervers geïnstalleerd, strategische plannen opgetuigd en hoge targets plus dito verwachtingen geformuleerd.

Bezoek een gemiddeld(e) congres of workshop, roer het onderwerp ‘grote giften’ aan en torenhoge bedragen zullen je om de oren vliegen. Laat je hierdoor niet overrompelen, want dit gaat meestal over giften die organisaties verwachten, niet wat ze ontvangen. De realiteit leert namelijk dat een gemiddelde grote gift nu nog rond de € 2.500 schommelt.

Eigenlijk zijn de grote giften van nu, de middelgrote giften van de toekomst. In de praktijk zie ik dat veel organisaties hiervan nog niet geheel doordrongen zijn. Met als potentiële valkuil dat een enorm kansrijke groep prospect donateurs, de middle donors van nu, over het hoofd wordt gezien.

Slim cultiveren is nodig
In een recent artikel benadrukt de Amerikaanse filantropisch adviseur Hilda Vega het gevaar dat hiermee op de loer ligt. In het afgelopen jaar zag zij namelijk dat – zelfs in tijden van economische recessie - het geefgedrag van major donors amper veranderde. Ja, er werd langer nagedacht voordat zij overgingen tot doneren, maar de totale som van grote giften bleef tamelijk gelijk aan voorgaande jaren.

Waar ze wél een grote verandering bespeurde, was het geefgedrag van middle donors. Velen van hen verlaagden hun bijdrage aanzienlijk of staakten zelfs het geven. Om hen niet uit het oog te verliezen, lijkt cultivering van juist deze groep extra belangrijk. Toch zag Hilda dat non-profits hierop niet echt actie ondernamen: cultiveren van major donors bleef de meeste aandacht krijgen. Een belangrijke vijver van prospect grote gevers, ofwel: de huidige middle donors, dreigt hierdoor uit te drogen.

Goed voornemen?
Laten we daarom – zo aan het begin van het nieuwe jaar – onze eigen geefpiramide nog eens goed naast de geplande activiteiten leggen. Want, met het oog op proactieve fondsenwerving: vind je een goed uitgebalanceerde verhouding terug? Zien we het betrekken van middle donors niet over het hoofd?

Ik verwacht, dat het dichten van het gat tussen kleine en grote giften een belangrijke uitdaging zal zijn in 2011. Het invoeren van een middle donor programma kan overigens een gunstig neveneffect hebben. Want, om deze succesvol uit te voeren zullen grote giftenwervers met hun collega's van direct response fondsenwerving aan tafel moeten zitten. Een mooie kans om eindelijk een sprong vooruit te maken naar meer verankering van relatiegerichte fondsenwerving in de organisatie!