Alice Ferris, Founding Partner of GoalBusters, brings over 30 years of fundraising experience to the conversation. She discusses the unexpected role of fundraising in leadership, debunking the myth that it’s just about asking for money. Alice emphasizes the importance of relationship-building and transparent communication with donors, especially during challenging times. She also shares strategies for setting effective fundraising goals and the necessity of personal connections in successful fundraising efforts.
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insights INSIGHT
Fundraising Is All About Relationships
Fundraising success depends mostly on relationship development, not just the ask.
The process involves identifying prospects, cultivating interest, making the right ask, and stewardship.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Set Tiered Fundraising Goals
Set fundraising goals in tiers: must-do, maintain current state, and aspirational growth.
This tiered approach prevents demoralization and supports sustained success.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Invest in Fundraising Staff
Avoid adding programs without investing in fundraising staff.
Investing properly in fundraising people is critical for nonprofit sustainability.
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In The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell examines the phenomenon of social epidemics and how ideas, products, and behaviors spread rapidly. He introduces three key principles: the law of the few (the role of connectors, mavens, and salespeople in spreading ideas), the stickiness factor (how messages or trends must be memorable to spread), and the power of context (how environment and circumstances influence human behavior). Gladwell uses various examples, such as the rise in popularity of Hush Puppies shoes, the decline in New York City's crime rate, and the success of children's TV programs like Sesame Street, to illustrate these concepts. The book provides insights into how small changes can lead to large-scale social and behavioral transformations.
Alice Ferris: GoalBusters
Alice Ferris is the Founding Partner of GoalBusters, a firm working to help small and mighty fundraising teams achieve big impact by planning practical strategies, teaching essential fundraising skills, and doing the hands-on work to turn vision into reality. She has more than 30 years of professional fundraising experience, specializing in strategic and development planning, campaign readiness and development program assessments, board and organizational training, executive leadership coaching, individual giving, and grant proposal evaluation. She’s also a graduate of the Coaching for Leaders Academy.
Fundraising is not a word that sparks joy for most leaders. In fact, many people who do fundraising never planned to have that be part of their career. And yet, almost every leader has an aspect of fundraising in their professional or personal lives. In this conversation, Alice and I explore how to get better at it.
Key Points
Almost every leader is involved with fundraising in some capacity, either personally or professionally.
It’s a myth that fundraising is just asking for money. Most fundraising activities happen outside of the ask.
Consider fundraising goals for must-do activities, maintaining the current state, and aspirational growth.
Most people share health issues with their immediate family and close friends. When your organization is facing headwinds, tell your donors how they can help.
Dedicated attention to fundraising is key for both prioritization and relationship continuity.
Connectors, experts, and closers are all essential roles in the fundraising process. Play to the strengths of both staff and volunteers to fill these roles well.
Beginning a career transition? Feeling stagnant in your current role? Scott Barlow and his team may be able to help as official partners of Coaching for Leaders. To discover more about how his team can support you, get in touch on our expert partners page.
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