The end of the calendar year is approaching. The season of giving is almost here. You are preparing year-end appeals. You are making visits with donors who typically give during this time of year. You are preparing a number of follow-up strategies to finish the calendar year strong.
You will ask lybunts to continue their generous ways by increasing their giving in support of your institution’s work. You will make sincere requests of sybunts rejoin the fold by giving again. You will invite all others to experience the joy of being first time donors.
But what about you? How will you respond during this season of giving?
As you ramp up your efforts to encourage generosity in others, I encourage you to increase your gift commitment in support of your institution.
“But Jason,” I can hear some say, “I already give. And besides, we haven’t had a raise in the last year. And some of the people here don’t even care about doing good work. And my supervisor is horrible and plays favorites. And. . . .”
I’m sure all of the reasons you might have for not increasing your giving are true. In fact, many of your prospective donors (and donors) offer up similar reasons to rationalize their own stagnate giving patterns. But I’m encouraging you to be different.
If you want to make a real difference – if you want tomorrow to be better than it is today – you need to care more, engage more, and give more. Challenge yourself to give more today than you did yesterday.
Be the example you want others to follow.