Share Post

Leading the Donor Dance | Choreography that Translates into Deeper Relationships and Increased Funding

Filed in Relationship Advancement — March 10, 2020

In our blog we’ve pulled back the veil on our approach and methodologies through  largely ‘plug and play’ resources and Masterclasses so you can skillfully engage the funding partners your mission deserves.

Black Fox Global

Welcome to the Blog

Black Fox Fundraising Handbook

open source download

Categories:

 

A great deal of the underpinning of this approach to engaging funders was borne out of my years engaged with the Sandler Sales Institute methodology, integrity, and win-win-based sales approach. It has been adapted to the impact sector in consultation with the Sandler Sales Institute.

 Designed for Institutional Funders & Individual Funder Prospects

This process increases the odds of great outcomes through a system that connects you deeply to future funders.  This choreography will reveal your funder’s emotional link to your mission, build your and your organization’s credibility, and develop lasting relationships that make the necessary work of fundraising more fulfilling.

Note that the document is intended as a “cut & paste” and “plug and play” resource for the novice to the more experienced fundraiser, including board members. 

Craft your approach based upon your understanding of the prospective funder’s giving history and known priorities, and with openness and curiosity to learn what would expand and deepen their giving to include your organization.

Cull the questions and add more questions to create a bespoke choreography for each respective funder based on your experience and personality as a fundraiser; your lived experience should inform and enrich this living document.

Note:  The spirit of this document is to help reveal the funder’s strategic approach, and their “why”/heart for the issue area.  Sharing your own ”why” you care deeply is also important as you discern if a deeply aligned collaboration makes sense from both sides. While one-off gifts are fine, the ultimate goal is to develop deep, effective, and sustainable alliances that are based on a shared vision.

The following are foundational rules to consider as you craft your approach:

Rule #1:  Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood (Covey).  Whether in conversation with the decision making funder, or someone from a larger decision-making team, be genuinely curious about their story, and appreciate their philanthropic journey to date. When you ask your questions, deeply listen to their responses. Listening, not pitching, is the pathway to deeper engagement for both sides, resulting in greater emotional investment in you and your organization that often translates into greater financial investment and advocacy for your organization.

Rule #2:  Know Your Funder.  Foundation giving priorities are easily uncovered via the internet; however, obtaining a giving profile on individuals is harder to come by unless you or your “connector” has insights.  Go in with at least two nuggets of information to show the funder that you’ve done your homework, and that you are focused upon them and that you are genuinely exploring if their heart and priorities are a fit with how you approach progress. 

Rule #3:  Lead the Donor Dance with QuestionsThe funder should be doing the majority of the talking, but it is up to you to lead the dance in a way that helps them arrive at the outcome that is for the highest good of all.  The suggested questions in this document can be omitted or altered, mixed and matched, to reflect the personality of the development person and the donor.  Tailored questions should not exceed one page, and many will be abandoned based on conversation flow.

Rule #4:  Don’t react immediately. Take Notes.  The answers they provide are specifically telling you how to engage them as your funding partner, but do so elegantly and at the right time.  It may be in the initial meeting; it may be a much larger task that requires additional meetings, a formal written request and/or presentation, and other decision-makers.

Rule #5:  Reflect back their vision and tie their vision into your Case for Support. Reflect back to the funder what was shared as the key reasons for giving (“Let me see if I’ve got this right….”  “Did I miss anything?”).  Then, if aligned, share how your organization matches its giving profile.  Don’t add on what is not necessary; just because you think it’s a great feature of your work doesn’t mean the funder cares.  In fact, it could pull attention away from what the funder most wants to focus on in your work.

Rule #6: We’re being cheeky 😉 Ben Zander says it best here. (Don’t take yourself so seriously!)

Jumping into the choreography, the following outline is meant to be crafted based upon your personality while stretching your comfort zone. Callings call for us to grow into them, so lead into discomfort as you adopt this methodology.            

A.  BONDING/ RAPPORT

Build trust through shared experiences and shared vision around advancing your mission. Share why this is yours to do.  Trust is something that is partly earned because your passion and your commitment to the mission is clear.  Sharing your personal “why” you care deeply about the mission builds trust and loyalty. Refer to the “Crafting Your Why” worksheet to uncover key messages that make you come alive.

In short, to be most effective, you need to share your deep care and commitment to your mission so that you can connect to the funder in a heart-centered way.  From that space, you build your relationship with the idea of linked arms, vs. hand out.  You are in it together – as equals but coming from different angles – to solve the issue(s) you all care about.

If rapport is strong right away and you intuit that it is safe to go into personal territory, then pose the question: “I can’t help but be curious; is there something in your personal journey that inspires you to care this deeply about (issue area)?”  If rapport evolves over the course of the meeting, then you can bring this question in later in a natural way. It allows you to step out of your ‘roles’ and into a more richly textured conversation about a vision you both care about.

B.  UP FRONT CONTRACT

Loosely translated, let’s show an appreciation for one another’s time, and set the tone as equals exploring joining together to solve an issue.  Set expectations.

  • What inspired you to invest this time together in exploring mission alignment?
  • We’ve set aside an hour; what are some of the things you hope to learn to feel confident this was a great use of our time together?
  • I take a deep dive with our potential partners to understand their impact journey and approach to progress. Are you comfortable with my asking a number of questions to get clear on your vision and approach?
  • After we’ve invested this time, we can decide together to move forward with the exploration. If we do decide to move forward, we can discuss next steps at the end of our time together. Does that sound like a good plan? 

C.  DISCOVERY STEP (SEEK TO UNDERSTAND)

Before presenting your organization, uncover the funders’ giving priorities and the “why” behind them.  As they share insights don’t jump in with “we do that” or anything that shines the light back on your work. Instead, wait.  You’re gathering information now that will inform your presentation/case for support at the right time.

For each question, if you feel there is more to uncover that is important then you can explore it further with “Tell me more…”

INDIVIDUAL FUNDERS

  • You have a rich philanthropic journey; tell me about your gift to XX – what is it about the organization that inspired your engagement?
  • You’ve also been incredibly generous with XX organization. What is that inspires that level of investment?
  • The more I learn about you and your giving, I’m struck by the level of intention involved. What do you typically look for in an organization in order to feel confident making a sizable investment?
  • What do you expect of the organizations you support (and/or serve)?
  • Based upon my understanding of your priorities,(insert your issue area) is core to your giving – Is that accurate? If yes, “Tell me more.… and/or How did you arrive at this strategy?” Or If no, “What is at the heart of your giving?” “What inspired that approach?”
  • What is your greatest funding amount given to other organizations, and what are they doing that inspires that level of investment?
  • What does a typical financial gift look like when you engage with a new organization? What would inspire you to make a stretch gift?
  • Under what circumstances do you sunset funding an organization?

Other:  Bring in additional questions that tie in your organization’s strengths with the funder’s priorities.  For example, was gender equality important, peace building, economic prosperity/poverty alleviation?  Examples include:

  • To what extent is peace building/economic prosperity/food security/clean water/sanitation an aspect of your giving strategy?
  • In light of the political landscape, peace building has gained important momentum in the social sector – is this something you’ve considered in your giving?
  • In light of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, Gender Equality, being core to achieving all 17 of the SDGs, to what extent is achieving a gender-equal world part of your giving priorities?
  • Is there anything I may have missed?

INSTITUTIONAL FUNDERS

  • The approach of ________ Foundation has evolved with such intention over the years. Tell me about how you arrived at centering your focus upon _____ (name an element of their mission that dovetails with your mission).
  • Your investments in realizing this vision have been significant. Tell me about your gift to (name a peer organization they fund) – what is it about them that inspired your engagement?
  • You’ve also been generous with XX organization. What is it about them or their work that inspires that level of investment?
  • What does a typical financial gift look like when you engage with a new organization? What inspires _______ Foundation to make a stretch gift as a first investment?
  • Under what circumstances do you sunset funding?

Other: Bring in additional questions that tie in your organization’s strengths with the funder’s priorities. For example, was gender equality important, peace-building, economic prosperity/poverty alleviation? Examples include:

  • To what extent have you considered peace-building/economic prosperity/food security/clean water/sanitation part of your giving strategy?
  • In light of the global political landscape, peace-building has gained important momentum these past years, and ________Foundation has been a leader in this. What is your funding strategy that has been effective thus far? Where do you experience frustration?
  • In light of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, Gender Equality, being central to achieving all 17 of the SDGs, to what extent does funding women-led organizations factor into your giving strategy? To what extent do you prioritize funding to organizations that incorporate and embody equality (and/or DEI/B, or whatever your organization’s focus is)?
  • Is there anything I may have missed?

D.  VISION

People engage – to a large extent – based upon emotion, which is why identifying vision and/or pain points is so important in the courtship stage.  This applies to all funders, whether a grant-making institution or individual. Without identifying and addressing the emotional link to your mission, the likelihood of an investment dramatically decreases. Help the funder realize the gap between where they are, and where they want to be, through curiosity and probing questions:

    1. What is your ultimate vision for (the issue area you both seek to solve)?
    2. What frustrations have you encountered in realizing that dream?
    3. What has been your greatest success story thus far in realizing that dream? To what do you attribute this success? (Seeking answers that inform your case for support/presentation, such as great leadership, excellent execution, etc.)
    4. What would be the ultimate contribution you see yourself having in realizing that vision?
    5. What’s at stake if the vision is not realized?

E.  DECISION STEP

Your time is precious and a limited resource, so it is important to qualify or disqualify the funder candidate. Are they true prospects or just suspects? Does the funder make decisions on their own? Do they get help from colleagues, or a board, or in the case of engaging individuals, do they collaborate on decisions with a spouse? Do they think things over, are they data-driven, can a decision be made now? The goal is to uncover the following:

  • Who is involved in the decision? Who makes the final decision?
  • What is the decision-making process?
  • What is the timeline?
  • What will they base the decision upon (a lot of this content should have been uncovered in the Discovery phase)?

Sample Questions:

    1. If not published, ask: How do you typically arrive at a decision about what organizations to support? Do you get input from your spouse/family? Do you gain input from others, such as a board or colleagues? (Note: when husbands and wives give together, the checks are typically larger.)
    2. If I were to ask you today to make the transformational gift of $XX, what would you need to know to say yes?
    3. We are launching a project in the community of X in February that focuses upon X. We’d love to partner with you on this; what do you need to know by December to work with us as a partner on this project?

F.  THE FUNDER-CENTERED CASE FOR SUPPORT

Weave in things they’ve shared, demonstrating you heard them and are tuned in to what is important to them in their giving.

Use visuals!  65% of the population consists of visual learners.  “Do you mind if I show, not tell?”  Have a slideshow with your live narrative (auditory learners), highlighting how their vision ties into your work.  You can also use a video.  In both cases, talk about the people in the slides/video.  Tell behind-the-scenes stories of the people you are serving so the listener can connect with the human element while anchoring in your mission through storytelling.

Note:  Many funders respond well to deadlines.  It focuses on their passion and why you are doing what you are doing.  Example:  Now that the program has been a proven success since 2014, the vision is ___________  by 2028, a 3-year plan that needs a financial anchor now, someone like you who also cares deeply about (issue area).  You could go further with:  “I thought of you specifically because of your deep commitment to ________, and __________.”

Paint a picture of how their specific gift will make a difference.  The arc of that narrative should include:

*  We share in the pain of how things are. We share your vision of ________________ (example:  lifting millions out of poverty in East Africa).

*  This is how the communities we serve used to be (Stories/emotional textures of individuals who represent a larger population are most powerful, giving your audience someone to connect to and root for.)

*  Because of partners like you, this is how they look today.  (Stories/emotional textures of individuals who represent a larger population are most powerful.)

*  By collaborating on this together, we can have XX impact within one year/3 years (urgent, tangible).

G.  THE ASK

Quite simply:  “We want to join together in our shared vision of ____________, and invite you on this journey alongside us.”  Make a specific dollar amount ask based on all you’ve uncovered. If you are not confident in a specific amount based on how the conversation has unfolded, an alternative is:

“You’ve shared your heart and vision beautifully, and it’s clear that solving this (issue area) is something you care deeply about.  I would love to invite you to join us, but I’m not sure where to go next in terms of making a financial ask.  Based upon all we’ve discussed, where do you see yourself?”

Another Way:

“It’s clear based on our conversation that realizing our shared vision of ____________ is profoundly important to you.  What would it look like for you to…”:

  • Make an unrestricted gift of $XX
  • Make a 3-year pledge of $XX
  • Leverage a challenge grant of $XX
  • Other: Host a gathering, Jeffersonian Dinner
  • Other: Join our Board
  • Other:?

What they share in their answers are the specific ways in which to engage with them.  The next step would be fulfilling what they need to engage (as long as it fits within your mission and approach, of course).

If the funder cycle is longer and involves a proposal or grant submission:

Send a short follow-up email thanking them for the exploration, and try to include an article of interest or some nugget, something that came up from your conversation that is not about your organization but places focus upon them and what they’ve shared as important to them.

Send a more formal follow-up email after the meeting to recap your understanding of the Funder’s giving priorities. Advise them that this will be the framework for a formal proposal. Ask: “Have I missed anything?”

Recording a voice memo and emailing it is also high-touch, expressing gratitude and warmth for spending time with a kindred who cares as deeply as you do about the vision. Be sure to write in the body of the email that it is a voice memo, otherwise people may be wary of opening the attachment.

Note: Written proposal/grant submission should be based primarily upon these funder priorities unless there is a formal grant format you are to follow.  Your responses in any format should tie in all you’ve uncovered that illustrates deep alignment. 

Regardless of what a person commits at that time, if it feels right (rapport is strong), ask:  What other potential partners do you feel should know about our work?  Who else cares as deeply as we do about ________?

Would you be comfortable with my sharing you suggested we connect? 

If rapport is extremely high, instead ask:  If I were to draft a ghost-written short blurb about our work, would you be comfortable making an introduction?

NOTE:  Customize, add, and delete questions based on the funder and the circumstances.

H.  DECLINED FUNDING RESPONSE

If the answer is no, get clear on why you were invited to meet/submit a proposal, why they declined funding, and what opportunities may still exist in the future.   

Share that you are always seeking to improve, and would like to gain more clarity via a 20-minute conversation. Sample questions:

  • What was the original inspiration behind inviting us to submit a proposal?
  • What was the most compelling aspect of the submission?
  • What aspects of our organization set us apart in a positive way from other organizations you’ve funded?
  • What areas do you feel could be improved upon?
  • What do you feel is the weakest link in the submission?
  • What would have made that weak link stronger?
  • What could I have done differently in our conversation to have arrived at a yes?
  • On a scale from 1 – 10, where did we land in terms of being a fit with _____ Foundation?
  • What would have made it a 10?
  • We are always seeking to improve. What are a few of the core reasons you’re not investing in us at this time?  If we address these things while maintaining integrity with our approach, can we continue the conversation at a later date?
  • Who else in the funding universe do you feel should know about our work? Would you be comfortable with my sharing you suggested we connect?  If rapport is extremely high, instead ask:  Would you be comfortable making an introduction?

Close with gratitude and a timeline for your follow-up communication (ideally within 24 – 48 hours).  

by Natalie Rekstad | Black Fox Global