Guest Podcast Episode: "Planning Where You Want to Go" with Stu Swineford
When someone leads with, “I hope you don’t take this personally…” it’s natural to brace for a blow.
How nice is it then when it turns out to be a compliment!
Someone recently said to me, “I hope you don’t take this personally but I feel like your approach is quite practical, it’s quite straightforward.”
It *is* practical. It’s not flashy, or sparkly, or “out there.” There’s no quick fix to fundraising - and there’s no expedited timeline for growth.
But, when organizations put one foot in front of the other, and are consistent in using the tools we create (skills, knowledge, mindset shifts), that’s when transformation truly occurs.
What does that look like in action? It’s everything Stu Swineford and I talked about on his Relish THIS podcast. LISTEN HERE
✔ Understanding what “fundraising” is - and what it’s not.
✔ When you start with a budget, a realistic one, you set yourself up for success. What’s your *actual* need?
✔ Fundraising today requires an abundance mindset, not a scarcity one. You’ve heard me talk about irrational frugality before. It’s never been more relevant.
✔ There’s a BIG difference between being “risky” in your investment and taking calculated risks.
✔ Shocker: Some of your donors don’t actually know you need more money.
✔ In fundraising, we don’t actually need to know what donors’ best gifts are… We only need to lead them to it. (And, we can.)
I guess what I’m saying is that there’s a path to success that doesn’t need to be revolutionary. It’s methodic, and practical, and above all else effective.
Imagine what your organization would do with all the unrestricted funding you need to accomplish EVERY SINGLE GOAL you have right now - and then set you up to conquer the ones in line after that?
Enjoy the guest podcast! Here are the highlights in timestamp form:
[8:30] For people who don’t have training in major gift fundraising, or relationship-based fundraising, the “transactional” stuff often feels more comfortable (e.g. grant writing). How can we remedy that?
[12:15] There’s a question I often get about fundraising that I don’t love. Hint: It has to do with the long-view of fundraising. “There’s no quick fix.”
[17:20] “When people start using the tools we create, and start talking a different way, they make an intentional shift from just receiving gifts to actually soliciting gifts. It’s remarkable to see someone start having success and realize where money has been sitting on the table - and then growing by six, seven figures.”
[20:35] Stu and I agree wholeheartedly on the idea of cost vs. investment. Find out how I came to get a taste of my own medicine on how my clients feel about spending money.
[25:00] What’s my guarantee? I tell you… (but we have to be in it together).
[26:20] A lot of what I do with nonprofit leaders involves mindset work. Getting them to transform their thinking about budgets. As Stu put it, this means changing from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset.
[35:50] You would be surprised how many times I ask the leaders I work with, “Do your donors know you need more money?” There’s much more to donor conversations than mission and storytelling. In fact, there’s a financial story to be told.
[39:50] “We don’t actually need to know what that person’s best gift is. It’s really none of our business. Our job is to articulate the need, to fully share the need, and lead them to an opportunity where they think they might give their best gift. Or, we’ve answered every question in their mind.”
[49:00] I routinely see board members’ gifts grow because they hadn’t fully understood the organization’s true need. “We have to be open to breaking through some of the old transactional and traditional methods that don’t suit our growth plans anymore.”
[53:35] Flexible, unrestricted funding is so crucial for growth. There’s no reason a $10 million organization should be struggling with payroll. A great strategic plan can end up sitting on the shelf because of restricted funding.
I can’t believe how fast the near-hour went with Stu. And as always, I came away with new insights - which I’m hoping you do too!
Here’s the link again.
Whenever you’re ready, here are THREE things you can do next:
👣 Follow me on LinkedIn where I share the same lessons I teach my clients about attracting larger gen-ops dollars so they can scale.
🍎 Read my GUIDE! THE TRUTH ABOUT GIVE/GETS :: Top 5 Reasons Your Board’s Give/Get Is Leaving Thousands (Sometimes Millions) on the Table. See how limiting board members to the Give/Get model keeps your staff from reaching their full fundraising potential. Here to get it.
📈 Work with me to fund your organization’s Strategic Plan and scale your budget by 2 - 5X // If you’re a business-minded CEO already raising MILLIONS but still need more general-operating revenue to invest in growth, you can apply to work with me here.
