Do you Know What You Do?
Please. Don’t be offended by that question. It’s one we all need to ask about our efforts, at regular intervals.
Too often, we just focus on the things we do. A brand new website. A constantly updated Facebook/Instagram presence. An e-newsletter that is trackable, uses a lot of pictures, and links to your blog. And your phone calls happen at regular intervals. All in all, your audience sees the key highlights of your work and the faces of the people whose lives are changes with your work.
But if your donor sat in on a planning meeting, would he or she get that same “put together” sense? Would they get the clarity out of your internal conversations that they get when they experience your created communications?
To most effectively fundraise for your impact, you need to be able to answer these four questions in clear, concise and consistent terms. We’ll list them here, but we’ll also elaborate on them in future posts, so stay tuned!
What problem do we exist to solve?
How do we solve this problem?
How do we measure success?
How do we present this to an outsider?
The only way for your donors - or partners - can catch on to your vision is when you clearly answer these questions, and what you say matches what you do. If you’re unclear, outdated, without measurements, or unfocused, your donor can follow you so far toward the impact. If it’s not clear, they will become passive or, worse, give up.
So take some time to answer the questions. Make it the topic of a day’s session with your team, or a series of conversations at staff meetings. When you do start to answer those questions, watch out for these warning signs that you need to keep working or make some operational changes:
Your programs resemble an office supply drawer...a few paperclips, Post-It notes of various stack heights, pens low on ink and perfectly sharpened pencils. And that one screw that’s been hanging around forever, just in case. Each program may be useful, but are they all optimal and mission-driven? Is funding appropriate? Have any run their course? Are there “sacred cow” programs that no one’s been bold enough to examine?
The way you describe a program on your website is not the same as what happens when the program takes place. Perhaps you are more focused, or a little scope creep took place because a need arose. Either direction is an easy natural progression, and the key is to keep up with making sure it’s still clear and propelling you to your goals.
You can’t clearly state and measure what is happening as a result of the work. True, people attend. They love the experience. But is that the outcome you intend? Or is there more?
It’s time for a kickstart. And it is worth the time. Once you and your team go over these questions, have a trusted donor read over your results and give you pointers on whether or not they are compelled to give. Better yet, ask if they feel equipped to - and willing to - share with a friend who has never heard of your work. If yes, then you’ve done your job. If no, time for more work!