Faith-Based Fundraising Campaigns

Donors do not give to organisations.They give to stories. To trust. To evidence of impact. And strategic communication is what builds all three. I have worked closely with development organisations and feminist NGOs long enough to recognise a pattern that is quietly costing them funding: They do extraordinary work. And they communicate it ordinarily. Programme reports filed. Social media updated. Newsletters sent. But no coherent narrative. No intentional donor journey. No communication strategy that treats funding relationships the same way a business treats a sales pipeline. Here is what strategic communication actually does in the development space: It moves a prospective donor through three stages: AWARENESS → They discover you exist and understand what you stand for. TRUST → They see consistent evidence that you deliver on your mission. COMMITMENT → They give and they come back. Each stage requires a different type of communication. And most organisations only invest in one ,usually the last one, when they are already in a funding conversation. Strategic communication starts much earlier. It is the impact story shared six months before the proposal is submitted. The thought leadership post that positions your Executive Director as a credible voice in the sector. The newsletter that keeps a dormant funder warm between grant cycles. The annual report designed not just to account but to inspire. None of this is accidental. All of it is strategy. And here is the part that most programme teams resist hearing: You cannot separate your communication strategy from your fundraising strategy. They are the same document. Or they should be. The organisations that fund consistently are not always the ones doing the best work. They are the ones telling the story of their work in the way that makes funders feel something and then believe something. If your organisation's communication strategy and fundraising strategy live in different folders this is the sign to bring them together. #DigitalCommunication #StrategicCommunication

My kids' school sent me 10 reminders about early dismissal because keeping my children alive is my most important job. Your nonprofit sent your donors 2 emails this year and wonder why they're not engaged. If I need 10 touchpoints for the most important thing in my life, what does that tell you about donor communication? Let me walk you through what those 10 school touchpoints actually looked like: Three emails over two weeks. Two text messages the day before. One automated voice call that morning. Another text message two hours before pickup. A final email one hour before dismissal. For a three-hour schedule change. Meanwhile, here's your donor communication strategy: One appeal letter in November. One "final reminder" email in December. Radio silence for the other 10 months of the year. Then you wonder why only 15% of your donors give again. You're afraid to "bother" your donors with regular communication. But if my county school system knows I need constant reminders for my most important responsibility, what makes you think your donors - for whom your nonprofit is one of many priorities - will remember you with two annual touchpoints? Your donors aren't thinking about you every day. That's your job, not theirs. The organizations with 70%+ retention rates don't just send better appeals (even though they might). They send consistent communication that builds trust over time. Monthly impact updates. Quarterly leadership insights. Personal stories that show donor investment at work. They understand that staying connected isn't bothering people - it's serving them by keeping your mission front of mind when they're ready to give. You're not competing with other nonprofits for donor attention. You're competing with their mortgage payment, their kids' college tuition, and their vacation plans. Stop apologizing for regular communication. Start providing value through consistent connection. Because in fundraising, donors give to organizations they hear from regularly, not organizations they hear from desperately. See comments for full show

The First Commandment of Advancement: Show Don’t Tell A donor once shared with me why he had given so generously to an oceanographic institute on the far coast rather than to an equally renown one in his own backyard. The leader of the closer one, he said, told him, “If enlightened philanthropists like you don’t step forward to make up for cutbacks in our federal funding, our oceans will become increasingly imperiled”. In contrast, a group of scientists from the farther one invited him to join them for a dive to assess the health of several coral reefs. They swam from a healthy area to depleted area and then to a vast expanse of dead reef. The scope of the environmental degradation was profoundly sobering. “When I got back up to the surface,” the donor said, “I knew what I had to do.” The institute farthest from him had won his support by adhering to basic law of communication, “show don’t tell.” This law applies to every area and aspect of advancement. Fundraising is so much more effective when we let donors see for themselves, whether it is a social ill that we are trying to lessen or a cultural enrichment we are trying to create. When we do this well, we can in many instances obviate the need to solicit. The donor will ask, “What can I do to help.” The most effective ways of attracting and engaging new donors and raising the sights of existing ones is not to entertain them or bombard them with propaganda but to draw them into the inner workings of our organizations and allow them to interact with our most impressive mission advancers. A hospital in the Canadian Maritimes tried the usual ways – galas and golf tournaments - which generated spotty turnout while consuming massive amounts of staff time. However, when they began offering onsite lectures and interactions with top docs, they were overwhelmed by the response. The most popular of all turned out to be a talk on “gut flora” from a gastroenterologist. A donor I recently interviewed said, “the only thing that nonprofits should be auctioning are experiences.” Indeed, especially experiences that show donors who your organization serves and why it does what it does. Enterprising stewardship officers find ways to show donors how to see the impact of their giving, whether it is through tours of facilities they funded, by hearing results produced by people they empowered, or with meeting with beneficiaries of programs they have underwritten. Talented advancement writers don’t rely on amped-up promotional prose, they “show” using fact and example to demonstrate current impact and to project greater potential. The most effective proposals don’t urge donors to give; they provide donors with the information they need to draw their own conclusions. Show does not mean put on a show or show off. It means to “allow or cause something to be visible.” What we want to be more visible is mission at work. Show don’t tell. Provide experiences that money can’t buy. That’s advancement at its best.

One of the simplest rules-of-thumb that still works in fundraising... and life. Why “You” Matters More Than “I” Debbie Meyers shared this wisdom in her DPP Lunch Analysis presentation. Nonprofit fundraisers spend a lot of time and effort crafting messaging to appeal to donors and encourage their support. 🌋 However, the language we use in these communications often focuses too much on “us”—the organization—rather than “you”—the donor. To truly engage donors and inspire them to give generously, we must adopt an outward focus. When writing for donors, avoid starting sentences with “I,” “we,” or “our.” 💡 Instead, address the donor directly using “you.” For example, rather than saying “We awarded 10 new scholarships this year thanks to your support,” try “You made it possible for 10 deserving students to receive scholarships this year.” This subtle shift places the donor at the center of the impact and helps them feel personally connected to your mission. 💡Ask open-ended questions to engage the reader For example, say “How can we work together to help even more students access higher education?” However, be sure to provide context for your questions. Donors want to understand the challenges and opportunities, not guess at them. Follow up your questions with compelling stories and data that inspire them to act. 💡 Show how donors are part of the solution, not just funders of your organization. Highlight the change they are making possible in people’s lives. For example, say “You gave John hope for a brighter future” rather than “Your gift supported our youth programs.” Capture the human impact and emotions to forge a deeper connection between the donor and your cause. 💡 Conversational, authentic language also helps to focus outward. Use an active voice, contractions, and vary your sentence structure. Write the way you would talk to a friend. While a formal tone may seem respectful, it creates distance rather than fostering intimacy with the donor. An outward focus requires empathy, listening to understand what motivates your donors to give and framing communications around their interests and impact. When donors recognize how they can transform lives through your organization, they will become loyal champions of your mission. So, keep “you” at the heart of your messages—it’s the key to donor participation.

The paradox of fundraising: If you want to raise money, don’t ask for it; at least not in the way you think you should. When I meet potential donors, I never directly ask for financial commitment. Everyone with resources has a million ways to spend them, and just as many people asking. To stand out in a hyper-transactional world, you need to genuinely care. Instead of pitching, I ask questions and listen. And if I talk, I talk only about what we really need: - Someone with experience - Their time and willingness to share that experience - Further resources as a logical consequence Notice how money isn't explicitly mentioned. That's intentional. Really successful people can tell if you're only in it for the money. It even shows in how you walk into a room. When someone with valuable experience invests their time, that’s an enormous gift. Financial support often can be the obvious next step, but they must realize that for themselves. My approach: I establish upfront that if they don't believe in what we're doing and in our team, they shouldn't support us and rather focus on things they truly believe in. This shifts the dynamic from transactional to relational. The key question I always ask: "Do you believe in us?" If yes, I usually get a follow-on question like: "What do your donors give?" or "What's the price tag?" My approach: Instead of transactions, build relationships. Every meeting where I've deviated from this approach has been terrible. The most effective fundraising conversations are ones where I barely speak. I set the framework, ask questions, and let them express ideas in their own words. When they articulate the challenges and solutions themselves, they become part of our team. And that's the most valuable thing we could ask for.

Here's what happens when you treat every donor like a major donor... But first, let's talk about what it means to treat every donor like a major donor. How do we actually do that? It's not about sending a major gift officer to meet with every single donor who supports your organization. That's not the goal. Here's are some of the things it does mean: 1. Respect their humanity and treat them like a real person, not just a funding mechanism for your organization. 2. Increase the levels of personalization in your communications, bringing your supporter and those you serve closer together in the process. 3. Shift from an "always asking" model to one where solicitations are thoughtfully balanced with impact reporting, appreciation, relationship cultivation, and engagement communications that don't always ask for money. 4. Prioritize long-term partnership over immediate response. 5. Invite them to invest in large-scale, vision-focused opportunities instead of just meeting your immediate needs. Here's what happens when you do this with your supporters: Example 1: Several years ago a ministry partner approached us asking for help. They felt like they were asking donors to give too frequently. We kind of agreed. So we helped them test this, acknowledging that if they didn't ask, there would be an immediate decrease in revenue compared to the prior year. That turned out to be true. In the first 90 days, the ministry lost $30K compared to the prior year. But at 12 months, the people who got this modified treatment with a few "no ask" mailings had a 39% higher retention rate. They were more likely to take a meeting with a gift officer than the control group. And within 18 months, this group gave $230K more than the control group! Example 2: This year we helped another ministry overhaul their entire direct response fundraising program to bring more personalization, more thoughtful segmentation, enhanced impact reporting, more robust offers, and enhanced stewardship. AND...we tested it against their traditional approach. In an head-to-head test this new approach delivered more net revenue to the ministry, increased donor value (+20 points compared to control), AND, donors in the test treatment gave almost 10% more (+ $3 million) year-over-year compared to the control group. There's a better way to fundraise. I know, because we built it.

One of the biggest misconceptions in fundraising is that people only give to solve a problem. They don't. Not entirely. They also give because of who they become in the process. Here's what I mean: In faith-based giving, the transaction is never just financial. The donor isn't just funding a cause. They're fulfilling an obligation. Building their character. Investing in something that extends far beyond the recipient. They give because generosity is an act of worship. Because they want to fulfil a responsibility. Because they want to draw closer to God. Yes, the project matters. The impact matters. But so does the transformation of the donor. And when you truly understand that, your fundraising language changes completely. You stop leading with need alone. You start leading with vision. With purpose. With the opportunity to be part of something greater than yourself. I've found that the organisations that raise most effectively don't see fundraising as collecting donations. They see it as inviting people into the mission. Because, ultimately, people don't just want to give money. They want to become the kind of person who gives. That's a very different mindset. And it changes everything, how you communicate, how you build donor relationships, and how you think about fundraising itself.

How often should we ask donors to give? - Many Christian fundraisers do not want to ask donors to give more than three times a year, worried they’ll overwhelm them. But they don't seem to realise that asking too rarely can be just as damaging. As they say, 'out of sight, out of mind'. I believe the key to the question, how often should we ask our supporters to give, is not frequency - it is relevance! How relevant (to the donor), inspiring, urgent are your fundraising propositions? Psychology’s ‘mere exposure effect’ shows that people engage more with what they see repeatedly, if it's relevant and interesting to them! Your charity's supporters don’t ignore your fundraising appeals because you are sending too many; they tune out and don't respond when your messages feel generic, or fail to connect with their hearts and their faith. The solution? Segmentation and personalisation of your appeal messages to correspond to the stages of the journey the donor is at with your cause. Shower your monthly givers with gratitude and interesting impact stories. Create and roll out re-engagement emails, and print appeals for your lapsed supporters, to inspire them to give again to your work. Mine your database effectively to identify segments of supporters whom you can target with personalised messaging and fundraising asks. Recently we created tailored supporter journeys for two of our Christian clients, doubling the number of fundraising asks but sending out those asks to different constituents - this diligent activity is already bearing fruit for them. Both clients have seen their retention and reactivation rates go up by 30% and 40% over the last six months. And if you are looking for a biblical example of asking well, just turn to Nehemiah. When he heard about the broken walls of Jerusalem, he didn’t rush into asking for help. First, he prayed and planned. Then, when he approached the king, he made a clear and specific request (Nehemiah 2:4-5). Nehemiah's ask was timely, bold, and aligned with a greater purpose. Don't get hung up on whether you are asking too often or not enough - focus on every ask count, just like Nehemiah did. #fundraising #retention #faithbased #christianfundraising #faithandfundraising #Christiangenerosity

Why Ramadan Can’t Carry the Whole Fundraising Strategy Ramadan is perhaps the most powerful fundraising 'tool' for Muslim charities. Many rely on this period for substantial part of their voluntary donations income. It brings generosity to the surface in a way few other periods can. People are more reflective, more open-hearted and more ready to act. Communities come alive. Appeals land. Volunteers step forward. Supporters who may have gone quiet all year suddenly reconnect. There’s real beauty in that. But I think too many charities have become over-dependent on it. They follow a familiar pattern: huge push in Ramadan, big energy.m, big asks, long days, full inboxes, busy socials. Then Eid passes and everything drops off a cliff. The updates become less frequent. Donors hear less. The relationship cools. Before long, the next major appeal comes round and we start the whole cycle again. That may bring in income. But it does not build a strong fundraising culture. Because the best supporters are not just there for Ramadan. They want to feel part of something. They want to know what happened after the appeal ended, what changed, who benefited, and whether the charity they backed is actually thoughtful, accountable and worth staying close to. That’s where a lot of organisations miss a trick. Ramadan should not be treated like a one-month harvest. It should be treated like the front door to a longer relationship. If someone gives in Ramadan, what do they hear from you in May? In August? In Dhul Hijjah? In the winter? Do they get a proper update, or just the next emergency ask? Do they feel like a valued supporter, or just a name on a list you reactivate when needed? This matters because people don’t only give from obligation. They give from conviction. And conviction deepens when trust deepens. The charities that will thrive over time are the ones that understand this. They’ll still do Ramadan brilliantly, but they’ll also build a year-round rhythm of communication, stewardship and relevance. They’ll make donors feel they are on a journey, not just being approached in a season. And this is not only a Muslim charity issue, by the way. Any organisation that leans too heavily on one peak moment is leaving itself exposed. I’m interested in how charities can keep the spirit of Ramadan alive in the way they communicate all year, without losing sincerity or becoming over-engineered. If that’s something you’re thinking about too, I’d be glad to compare notes. #Fundraising #MuslimCharities #RamadanGiving #DonorEngagement #CharityLeadership

Most orgs say: “We just need more donors.” That is almost never true. The real issue is that your message is vague. Your offer is too broad. Your asks are all over the place. Your team can’t explain what you actually do in one sentence without listing nine programs. If a prospect cannot repeat your value back to you after one conversation, they are not going to fund it. What to do: • Write one single “funding sentence” that finishes this prompt: “When you give to [org], you are making it possible for ___ to ___ so that ___.” • Every ask must tie back to that same throughline. No exceptions. • Cut the side asks that are “nice to have” but drift from the core. This week, ask your team: • “If someone at church or a networking breakfast asked what we do, what would you actually say, word for word?” • “Is that sentence fundable, or is it just inspirational?” If your own staff can’t sell the mission without jargon or acronyms, donors won't fund it. Your next dollar is probably sitting in clarity, not in “more names.”