Nonprofit fundraising, reimagined
As we start to imagine what our world might look like in the future — in the wake of the pandemic, the uprising, and the wounds of the last administration — our state’s chapter of the Association of Professional Fundraisers recognized a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reimagine the role they play.
Fundraising for nonprofits is hard work.
“Nonprofit fundraisers have this really hard job of communicating about a societal breakdown. Everything we have to ask money for — every nonprofit mission — is a way society has failed. That’s really hard.” — Sarah Staiger
“I manage a team of eight people,” said my friend Sarah Staiger, who was director of advancement for Beacon Interfaith Housing Cooperative at the time. “Every single one of them right now needs to be seen. Isn’t that what everybody needs right now? Nonprofit fundraisers have this really hard job of communicating about a societal breakdown. Everything we have to ask money for — every nonprofit mission — is a way society has failed. That’s really hard.”
That’s why, back in December of 2020, Sarah asked me to give a talk for the Minnesota chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Sarah wanted me to provide “some ways of communicating that could help fundraisers communicate in a way that’s not so hard — that’s filled with more ease and integrity.”
That was a tall order, for sure — but with help from Sarah, Cecelia Caspram, and other visionary friends, I came up with a way to help nonprofit fundraisers do just that. Here’s a recording of the workshop, edited down to the most important 12 minutes.
In this education session for the Minnesota chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, I teach folks how metaphors work, why they matter to nonprofits right now, and how to build new ones to “practice the future.” This is a 12-minute cut of a 90-minute workshop with the highlights.
