Rule # 3 – Rethink What You Are Asking For

Stop looking for donors and start looking for partners who want to join your solution. Asking someone to donate if you have no intention of following up to let them know the outcome of how THEIR money helped does kind of feel like using a donor as an ATM machine and can lead to hard conversations and a lot of anxiety for both of you. 

Talking to people about your project and giving them the option to become a true partner changes this. Asking people to be a part of the solution and a partner in your cause changes the mindset for your donor as well. They may begin to see ownership in the outcome meaning they will have a greater chance of staying a donor until the work is completed, volunteering to help, share the project story online, and even increase their donation size.