The vast majority of professional fundraisers are women (70-80% by most counts), and yet a majority of these women would not consider themselves “power askers.” On the contrary, many would describe their asking skills as weak, timid or even passive.
In the age of #MeToo, it’s time for women fundraisers to stand up and take charge. We need to ask for what we want and what we need.
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Money Equals Power
For better or for worse, money equals power.
If women are the front-line fundraisers at the majority of nonprofit organizations, they need to become powerful fundraisers in order to solve the world’s biggest problems.
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That’s what this post is all about.
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3 Truths that Apply to Women in Fundraising
Here are three truths that apply to you and other women fundraisers. Each is key to becoming more confident and successful in the nonprofit sector — especially when it comes to raising major gifts.
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1. You have little to lose.
I’m sure you’ve heard the expression, “no risk, no reward”. However, most women are risk-averse. So every risk they fail to take blunts the opportunity to earn the rewards that come with successfully raising major gifts.
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Many fundraisers, especially women, are afraid of offending their donors. Therefore, they choose to err on the side of caution. And while it is possible that you will offend one of your donors, it’s much more likely that you’ll raise significantly more money by asking for more.
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If you do happen to offend your donors, simply apologize. It’s that easy. Let your donor know that your zeal for accomplishing your mission may have clouded your judgement, and ask what they had in mind instead.
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If you do lose a donor, c’est la vie… life happens. No risk, no reward. For any donor you lose, you will have raised more from another five or ten donors that you asked with confidence and passion.
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2. You are better than you think.
Women have many advantages when it comes to fundraising.
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As a generalization, women are great listeners — an integral skill when it comes to raising major gifts. Many successful fundraisers describe themselves as “listening” their way to a gift. As a major gift fundraiser, your job is to listen to your donors in order to discover what type of philanthropic gift would meet their needs and desires.
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As a group, women are also compassionate and hard-working — two absolutely essential fundraising skills.
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And you’re here because you care. Your donors care, too. Use your empathy and sincerity to connect with your donors.
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Honesty is always the best policy, and it will establish trust between you, the fundraiser, and your donor. You should feel free to admit your discomfort, and share with your donors. It’s ok to say that you’re out here asking for money because the alternative isn’t an option — i.e., doing nothing while kids go hungry.
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As a woman, you already possess many of the natural skills and abilities necessary to make you a great fundraiser.
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3. Staying on track puts you ahead of the pack.
Passive fundraising is not an option. Maybe back in the ‘90’s, many fundraisers could sit at their desks and wait for the phone to ring. But that’s hasn’t been the case in a long time.
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And yet, most fundraisers are so overwhelmed and overworked that major gift fundraising falls to the bottom of a mile long to-do list. Hoping and praying that major gifts arrive on your doorstep is not going to work.
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Though it’s another generalization, there is a lot of evidence to support the notion that women are very good at multitasking — and that’s a good thing for raising major gifts with so many other things competing for your attention.
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Major gift fundraising has everything to do with consistency — as those of you who have taken the Major Gifts Challenge can attest.
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Simply staying the course and steadily working to raise major gifts every week will put you lightyears ahead of what most others are able to do. This is a tortoise’s raise — slow and steady always wins when it comes to raising major and planned gifts.
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As a Woman Fundraiser, You’ve Got What it Takes!
Use your natural instincts, skills and abilities to raise more money. You’ve got what it takes! Simply get out there and ask. Your cause and your mission are too important not to.
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A word on my goal to empower women in fundraising…
This year, as one of my goals, I’m setting my focus and creative energy to do more to specifically empower women in fundraising. I want to do everything possible to help you become better fundraisers and nonprofit leaders.
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To men — If you’re one of my longtime readers and you’re a man, don’t check out just yet. You work in a sector dominated by women. I encourage you to continue subscribing and enjoying my content — even when it appears that I’m speaking exclusively to women. It will help you to better understand your female colleagues and the challenges they face, making you a more well-rounded fundraiser.
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To women — If you’re a woman, I really want to hear from you. What sort of challenges do you face at your organization? And how do you feel about me devoting more content to woman in the nonprofit sector? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
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Amy Eisenstein, ACFRE is one of the country's leading fundraising experts. She speaks internationally at fundraising conferences and to nonprofit board about raising major gifts and capital campaigns.
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