Two blown fundraising opportunities

I know I’ve been working too much when I can’t take off my nonprofit marketing and fundraising hats.

But I can’t, so I thought I’d reflect on two blown opportunities I recently noticed.

One was a long commentary on the need to support the homeless, which aired on my local NPR affiliate.  It took a compelling topic and wrung out all the humanity.  Not a single person or story made a cameo.  Just mind-numbing stats and policy jargon.  Tragic.

The second was my daughter’s school cafeteria.  They sent home a memo asking how to refund unused money in her account.  I wanted to donate it to kids who forget their lunch or to support the cafeteria, but that was not an option they gave.

Make it irresistable and easy to give.  One amazing story on NPR or one checkbox on the school lunch form could have prompted an act of charity.  Instead, they were lost opportunities.

I spend so much time saying things like this - common sense, plain and simple.  But I’m afraid I’ll keep saying them, because somehow we forget the fundamentals all too often. Look at your existing marketing and materials, and make sure you aren’t missing the obvious.  You don’t necessarily need something new and shiny.  You may simply need something old and proven.

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