The Most Difficult Fundraising Story to Tell Is the One You Can't Ignore

Raising money for a new playground would be easy, right?

Raising money to keep the lights on, update your printer, or pay your fantastic, but underpaid staff? Not so easy.

Most donors don't wake up in the morning wondering if their $100 will be put in a column labeled "program services" or "general operating expenses."

What they do care about is this: "Are you making the world better in a way that aligns with the kind of person I believe I am?"

Too often, though, when we include "programs", we accidentally steer donors toward restricting their gifts. We hand them a menu instead of inviting them into the kitchen. 

The donor then says, "I'll support the literacy program," not realizing that it's the unrestricted dollars that buy the bookshelves, cover the training, and pay the rent on the room where the program happens.

Unrestricted dollars are not "extra" - they are "essential." They're the fuel and the oxygen that makes the impact possible.

Hard to Tell

This is a difficult story to tell because it's abstract. It's difficult because it doesn't sound inspiring when you have to say, "Help us cover our budget."

In a sense, it's our own fault. We've trained donors to give to "things" instead of "change."

The Secret

The best case for unrestricted giving isn't about overhead or general operating expenses. It's about your mission. It's about the promise of what is possible. 

Here's the thing to remember:

• No more hungry kids;

• No more homeless senior citizens;

• No more stray animals

Donors give to be a part of your vision, not to buy a service. They hate that. They want to "fund a better future."

Your job is to show them how unrestricted giving is the rocket fuel to achieve those things.

A Challenge

Can you describe your mission in one clear, compelling sentence" - one that a donor could read and say, "Yes, that's me, I believe in and want to support that?"

One sentence that presents a problem, outlines what is being done to address it, and the expected impact.

One Example of a Mission Statement That Needs Work

Leaping into the Arts is an economic and community development organization for and by artists. Our work is about building stronger communities, neighborhoods, and economies, and we believe that artists are an important leverage point in that work. Our mission is to cultivate vibrant communities by connecting artists with the skills , information, and services they need to make a living and a life.

This mission statement could be more succinct by condensing a few sentences as follows:

Improved Version 

The mission of Leaping into the Arts is to support artists with the tools to make a living and a life, and to build just and equitable communities full of meaning, joy, and connection. 

Can you see how this version speaks to identity, shared values, and a vision easy to believe in?

The benefit to this is that when donors can see themselves in your mission, they'll give to the entirety of it. Not just the piece that has a cute photo, for example.

Unrestricted fundraising is hard because it requires clarity, confidence, and trust.

You have to believe in the value of your whole mission-not just the pieces. You have to be able to articulate it in human terms, not internal budget codes. And you have to remember: the best donors don't want to sponsor a line item.

They want to believe in a better future, and they want to help build it. 

Show them that future.

Speak it boldly.

And make it very clear..

Unrestricted giving isn't boring. It's life changing. It's the kind of giving that fuels your mission, strengthens your vision, and builds a world worth believing in.