There’s Room for Everyone in Fundraising

    I’m not great at cold calling. It makes me nervous. I’ll do it of course, but I don’t put it at the top of my “to do” list unless I have to.

    I had an executive director friend in Cleveland who hated cold calling so much that she’d write out the names of new people she needed call on post-it notes and put an M&M on each note. She would only allow herself to eat the M&M once she’d called the person on that note. So, if you’re waiting until you feel comfortable before making those cold calls, get over it. It may never happen!

    Then there are those people who LOVE cold calling. Can you believe it? Or, are you one of them?

    The point is there’s plenty of room in fundraising for everyone. Whatever your strength, or weakness, fundraising can accommodate it.

    This week I had the pleasure of serving as a guest instructor for PERL (People Engaged in Raising Leaders), a program of Boulder County. Organized by Perla Delgado, the eight-week curriculum focuses on connecting communities of color with nonprofit organizations and commissions ready to embrace inclusion.

    In a roomful of diverse and dedicated Boulder County residents, I found the perfect fundraising board. Some were prepared to do anything to fundraise as long as they were passionate about the mission. Others wanted to focus on events. Others on communicating the story through presentations and even performances. A few said they would never, ever talk in front of a group, but would gladly write letters. Some wanted to make business connections. A couple of folks wanted to lead a fundraising effort, others wanted simply to follow.

    And then there was Phillip. He was the only one in the room that wanted to cold call. Why? “Because,” he explained, “if I can meet a stranger and help them connect to something that could change the world or make a difference in people’s lives, well, then that person’s no longer a stranger. I’ve made a friend for life.”

    Are you giving your board members every opportunity to be themselves in the fundraising process? Is there room for the cold caller and the business connector and the party planner?

    Are there board members who have inspired you lately? Tell us about them!


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