"...If you don’t know what harbour you sail for, no wind is favourable. Because we live by chance, chance necessarily has great power over our lives..."

In our series on uncertainty during small town capital campaigns, This week, I’m reading from Seneca’s Letter 71, first published in 65 AD.

Reflection questions:

• How trusted is the Executive Director or CEO among your donors and the community?
• Is the vision for the capital campaign being communicated clearly, consistently, and with courage amidst uncertainties?

Reflection on the quote:

Continuing with the theme of economic or societal uncertainty during a small town capital campaign, I’ve been reflecting on the role of the Executive Director or CEO. While the trust of Board and the Campaign Chair matters, it’s the Executive Director that matters most in terms of the success of a capital campaign.

When an Executive Director is trusted in the community, the community is more open to hearing the vision. Then the vision must be communicated clearly, consistently, and with courage. The community has to know which harbor the nonprofit is directing the community to fund under the leadership of that Executive Director. Otherwise, trivial circumstances and chance events will blow the capital campaign off course. However, when there is trust and a clear vision from the leader, the vision becomes steeped into the community and the community embraces the vision and generosity towards that vision despite uncertainty.

This work has entered the public domain.

What do you think? Send me a text.

To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper and to schedule an free explore coaching call, visit ServingNonprofits.com.

Music credit: Woeisuhmebop

"...for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs..."

This week, I am reflecting a quote from George Eliot’s Middlemarch, published in 1871 to ask the question, "will donor give during uncertainty?"

Reflection Questions

• When was the last time you did a temperature check with your donors? Asked them how they are feeling in the uncertainty? Asked them how they are keeping the darkness at bay? And, just listen.
• Then consider, will your vision inspire donors to give to a capital campaign?
  
  

Reflection for Capital Campaigns

One common question I receive is “is this the right time for a campaign because of … the fill-in-the-blank economic or societal uncertainty?” Will donors give?

During uncertain times, the ordinary people who are our donors often feel overwhelmed. When there is increased division, enmity, and strife, it’s easy to feel powerless and to focus inward. We begin to feel as though nothing will change and, for some, this can lead to a decrease in their giving.

And, yet, neuroscience has proven that the act of giving boosts a donor’s mood and their feelings of agency. When we give donors a concrete way that they can help their community, they no longer feel as powerless. Their donations become the small acts of kindness and love that they can do to push back against the enmity. Through giving, we empower them to partner with us to keep the uncertainty in check. We empower them to grow the good in each of our communities through these unhistoric acts.

A well-planned capital campaign can cast a vision that becomes a visible reminder of the good they can do in the community.

What do you think? Send me a text.

To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper and to schedule an free explore coaching call, visit ServingNonprofits.com.

Music credit: Woeisuhmebop

Over the past two years, we've begun each week together with a meaningful reflection on the beautiful space where generosity occurs, paired with coaching questions designed to ground you for the week ahead.

Starting next week, this podcast will take on a slightly different focus. Each reflection will center on cultivating a generosity mindset specifically for capital campaigns, complete with coaching questions to ground you for the week ahead in your capital campaign planning and work.

Here's what I want you to also know: the principles that drive successful capital campaigns apply to all fundraising work. The generosity mindset essential for capital campaigns is the exact same mindset needed for flourishing in any fundraising endeavor—regardless of the size of your campaign or activities.

What do you think? Send me a text.

To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper and to schedule an free explore coaching call, visit ServingNonprofits.com.

Music credit: Woeisuhmebop