Impact is the Only Lasting Foundation for Long Term Funding
We believe relationship is the medium of financial giving, but it shouldn't always be the motivation. It's possible to begin partnership motivated simply by a relationship, but we want that motivation to mature.
So what, ultimately, should drive the motivation for financial partnership? In a word, impact. Impact is defined as the long-term difference you make in the lives of people. Impact is the crowning piece of your solution, which is built upon outcomes, outputs, and inputs.
CHANNEL OF FINANCIAL PARTNERSHIP
So many times people think their struggles with fundraising are with the tactical aspects - basically the medium of financial partnership.
How often should I ask?
What's the best way to use social media?
Should I send a year-end appeal?
All of these questions are important and are included in the tactics of quality fundraising.
MOVE TOWARD IMPACT
However, the much more fundamental questions involve the motivation of fundraising and your impact. This is where alignment between the solution you offer and your fundraising is SO very important. Like the difference between a comfortable and convenient car interior and the performance of the car's engine - it might feel good to ride in, but if you're not going anywhere, it quickly becomes a big waste of time.
Instead, make sure you have clear and vested answers to these questions:
What problem is my organization/effort trying to solve?
What am I specifically doing to solve this problem?
How do I measure success?
How can I simplify this problem-solution-metric "package" so that anyone can understand it?
The answers to these questions will form the foundation of your impact which you can clearly communicate to others. This communication step is crucial to establishing funding from others.
There are a scores of effective ways to engage with people and fundraise. But the fundamental questions concerning your impact which provide the motivation for others to partner with you is your unique advantage. In the end, that is the engine that will continue to drive partnership success for the long term.
Kiley Hawkins, Co-Founder