If you still believe “raising money” is the goal, you’ve missed the point.

The point is to educate people regarding a meaningful need, share with them the benefits and the joys of acting generously, and invite them into partnership to help address the need.  The money is just a happy byproduct of that work.

If you still believe being “donor centered” is the best approach, you’ve missed the point.

The point is to be “mission centered.” To share your cause (i.e., mission) and partner with those who share in the belief that your cause matters.  Caring deeply and thoughtfully for your donors is just a happy byproduct of that work.

If you still believe “closing gifts” is the goal, you’ve missed the point.

The point is to strengthen life-long relationships with those who value your mission and curate ever-increasingly creative ways to connect them more deeply to the cause you serve.  Closing any particular gift is just a happy byproduct of that work.

Our work is filled with many happy (and life transforming!) byproducts.  The key is to recognize that we receive these byproducts more easily and readily not when we make them the goal, but rather, when we focus on what really matters.