I’m convinced that every nonprofit worker should have that Paul Wellstone quote tattooed across our foreheads. We’ve chosen this sector because we believe in a better future—one where we can depend on our neighbors to show up for each other on both the micro (mutual aid) and the macro (systems change) scales.
And while we are very good at talking about this in the abstract, we (myself included!) are not good at this in practice.
In the world of nonprofit fundraising, it can still feel as though we are all competing for the same pots of money and the same resources. That’s the narrative that we’ve been told about money: That money is a limited resource, and that we are all competing for it. However…
In this sector, we cannot lose sight that nonprofits must be mutually supportive of each other, because we are all working towards a shared future. So that begs the question: What does that mean for fundraising when we believe the narrative of “limited resources”? It means that we become siloed at best, and territorial at worst. My ask of our sector is that we practice lifting up other organizations, missions, and community members in this work together.
What would it look like for our sector to be better at celebrating and collaborating with each other?
In order to understand the housing crisis, you must be talking to your donors about the history of redlining throughout Minnesota, and how Black neighbors have historically been shut out of opportunities to build wealth.
In order to talk about educational opportunities for children, you have to talk about how students who are well-fed at home have an easier time focusing when they’re in school, and how student mental health directly impacts learning outcomes.
Nonprofit workers are, by nature, aspirational. So with that, I ask: What would it look like for our sector to be better at celebrating and collaborating with each other? It looks like sharing grant opportunities, introducing your donors to other organizations, and public shout-outs to organizations who you admire.
The solution to this problem may sound too daring, or risky, but I ask you to imagine a different way to show up for your fellow nonprofits. What would it look like if, when we hit our fundraising goals for the year, to ask your donors if they could give to one of your partner organizations? Or to highlight a fellow organization in your next newsletter? What would nonprofit events look like if they were put on by a coalition of organizations all working towards a shared vision?
To drive the point home, I want to personally lift up the work of some fundraisers and resources who I have learned from, admired, and contributed to my own direct ecosystem of fundraisers:
- Sarah Staiger, co-founder of Staiger Vitelli Associates, who speaks beautifully and thoughtfully about finding joy in fundraising—and who first introduced me to the practice of values-aligned fundraising. Sarah taught me so much about how to do fundraising that feels good
- Clara Jung, fundraiser and coach extraordinaire, who has raised a lot of money and has led so many thoughtful discussions around aligning values and money
- Elodie Lee, director of individual fundraising at Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaboration, who is a pro at transformational relationship-building and donor organizing
- The Veritus Group, for their awesome open-to-all resources on all things fundraising, with a values-based lens
- Community Centric Fundraising, for changing the way fundraising happens and to create a movement of fundraising that feels good
I love this community of fundraisers. Thanks for imagining a more collaborative sector with me.
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Clara Lind is GiveMN's director of coaching. Want to receive individualized fundraising coaching for your organization or to further your professional development? Learn about our RaiseMN offerings and schedule your coaching session! Learn more.