Why you need to think of yourself as a facilitator

Supporters give to satisfy a need.
Supporters give because they trust your organization to satisfy that need.
Supporters give because they see you, your colleagues, your staff, your leaders, and your volunteers as the best conduit to satisfy their need.
 
Therefore, your aim should be simply to facilitate the process.
If you are a great facilitator, you’ll raise a ton of money. But if you are not such a great facilitator and you are only good at building relationships with supporters, you probably won’t raise as much money. This is fundraising, not ‘friendraising’.
 
You are not the major reason why your supporters give.
Although you might be a really terrific person, the donor does not want to support you. Their aim is not to provide for you and your family. Rather, they want to employ your organization to fulfill their desire to solve problems that are bigger than they are.
 
Consequently, you and your organization are their conduits because all of you together can do what individual supporters cannot do on their own. This arrangement between you and them is their best prospect for fulfilling their charitable desires.
 
What’s my point?
I’m just saying that everyone in the nonprofit field (yes, even you) needs to recognize and understand that each of us should aim to be the channel through which donors can have their needs met. We must facilitate the process.
 
Maintaining this donor-centric, customer service oriented mindset every day will help your organization’s revenues grow, its goals will be achieved and its mission will be sustained.

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>> Fundraising vs. Facilitating
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