“Can you get us in front of (insert well known philanthropist)?”
“Who do you know?”
“Will (local philanthropist) make a big gift to support us?”
Sometimes these questions are explicit and sometimes they are implicit when boards are considering a consultant. Of course they are all well intentioned, every board wants their efforts to be successful. But they raise an important distinction when working with a consultant—bringing a list of contacts versus building lasting relationships.
Fundraising is built on relationships and many boards look to their consultant to bring in new donors, particularly those with high gift capacities, to make their campaigns successful. While well-meaning, these hopes are often misplaced for a few important reasons:
1. Perhaps the donor you are coveting simply does not have an interest in your work. It can be a hard pill to swallow—we all steadfastly believe in the missions of our organizations. Still, many boards believe, “If we could just get in front of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, I’m sure we could convince them to make a gift.” While we like to think we can convince and persuade donors, sometimes their passion and motivation is just with another cause.
2. If a consultant comes to the table promising meetings with local philanthropists, a board should inquire about relationships that are made during their engagement. Will their donors be the ones offered up at the next pitch? How will data and giving information be protected?
3. Perhaps most importantly, relying on a consultant’s relationships takes a short-sighted approach. When the consultant leaves, so does the relationship.
A more strategic approach positions an organization for long-term success by building relationships with multiple people already in the organization—boards, development staff, and leadership. This does not mean a consultant should come empty handed. They should have resources and methods for discerning who is close to an organization and may be able to make an introduction to a new donor. They should know the donor landscape and interest of major potential donors. And they should be able to develop strategies for engaging new donors and building relationships.
By developing multiple points of contact throughout the organization, nonprofits ensure that a relationship will endure beyond a consultant’s contract (or a development/executive director, for that matter).
Building relationships also underlies an important truth—a campaign’s success will be largely based on the donors and relationships an organization already has. Taking someone from zero interest to a lead gift is difficult, and the success rate is low. If you can engage a brand new high-capacity donor in your campaign, its far more likely their lead gift will actually come in your next campaign.
And that is totally fine! Building relationships and deepening a donor’s relationship with an organization can take time. So the next time you are offered a short-term, surefire solution, be cautious and ask the right questions.