Here is a list of the 10 most common assumptions that fundraisers make:
- We should go into another campaign shortly after the conclusion of the last one
- We should be able to raise more in the next campaign than in the last
- We should be able to raise more money this year than last year
- The donors we’ve always counted on will come through for us again
- Every fundraiser should be able to raise at least one million
- Fundraisers will raise more if they are held to higher metrical goals
- A rah-rah “strategic plan” makes for a good case for support
- Donors will give as much as they said they would in a feasibility study interview
- The more you ask of donors, the more complimented they will be
- People will give to what we most need if we make a fervent pitch
Sorry, those assumptions don’t stand up to the facts. The best way to prepare for sustained fundraising success is to proceed with as few assumptions as possible. Even then, every assumption should be questioned and tested. Yesterday’s tried-and-true assumptions are today’s traps and tomorrow’s mirages.
Jim Langley is the president of Langley Innovations. Langley Innovations provides a range of services to its clients to help them understand the cultural underpinnings of philanthropy and the psychology of donors and, with that knowledge, to develop the most effective strategies and tactics to build broader and more lasting communities of support. Jim has authored numerous books, including his most recent book, The Future of Fundraising: Adapting to New Philanthropic Realities, published by Academic Impressions in 2020.
