An insightful Board Member once said to me: ‘Donors are looking for the next shiny thing’.
Her message? The ‘need’ for your project is not enough. To be successful, the fundraising campaigns we’re selling must also be engaging, attractive and make that all-important emotional connection.
This dynamic was at play during the whole Ice-Bucket Challenge of 2013-14. Practically no one before (or after) could tell you what Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis was, or why it should matter to them.
But that wasn’t the point. The ALS Society succeeded in capturing the imagination of millions of people and converting a percentage them into donors.
I’ll tell you right now: Your charity is not going to become the next ice-bucket challenge.
But if you focus on developing the most interesting and achievable project possible and getting your message out to enough people (individuals, corps, foundations, service clubs, local businesses, extended family, etc., etc.), then good things will happen.
