Put on your Medal! Declare your Fundraising success!

Medal On. Declare your fundraising success.

But first – be sure your givers are marching along on their relationships actions plans (RAPs™) and you are looking forward to a banner fundraising year! Yes? Tremendous! Glad to hear it!

I sincerely believe in how you want to show up in this world.  Do you?

Sheree Allison, a Canadian consultant and friend (a rockstar at coaching ED’s by the way) told me a story about her niece, Ally. She’s 9. She’s a swimmer. Sheree has always told her she could be or do anything she wants to be or do. She’s taking First Place against swimmers older, stronger and more experienced. Recently Ally told her that before she leaves for a meet, she puts on her swimsuit and a first place medal she’s won in the past and stands in front of her full-length mirror. She sees herself winning this medal today.

JJ Watt, NFL football star and former Wisconsin Badger, spoke at the UW spring commencement. After he was turned away by Wisconsin he pursued football at another school, then left his scholarship and came back to Wisconsin and literally cleaned in Camp Randall football stadium. As he worked, he’d look at the tunnel and picture himself running out of it with the Badgers. Not only did he become an amazing Badger football player, today he’s an NFL great for the Houston Texans, and his Foundation, started in his UW years, the Justin J. Watt Foundation, raised $41 MILLION for Houston Flood relief.

What does your future hold?  Well, what do you SEE?  You have a lot to do with the answer.

At times in my client work I’ll hear, “Well, we’re plugging along. Guess we’ll just wait and see what happens.”

Martin Luther King had a dream.  We put our strategic plans on the shelf…happy to cross THAT unpleasant task off the list!

You need to see something, my friends; in your fundraising and in your life.

Part of how we clarify this vision is formed by what we tell ourselves.  When I engage Boards and volunteers in fundraising ambassador workshops, (one of my favorite things to do, by the way!) part of how I help them SEE themselves as fundraising ambassadors is to speak declarations (LOUDLY) that address key beliefs we must hold in this work.

Here are my favorite declarations:

• My cause is worthy of people’s investment
• We are a sound and accountable organization
• We make a difference and I am proud of what we do
• By giving to my mission, my donors experience the joy of giving!  It feels GREAT!
• I delight in hearing about gifts to other organizations
• I love to give to my organization myself
• People love to give me money!

All of these help us SEE fundraising differently.  It’s not about the money; it’s about what the money does.  We help our givers SEE what their money does. Indeed, people love to give me money.  This happens to also be a song. You can sing along here.

Let these declarations and my song help you SEE yourself and your work more clearly.

I SEE so much promise and opportunity for YOU!

Invest in JOY®

  

 

Marcy Heim is a trusted authority in the development profession and helps organizations and educational institutions boost their major gift programs through artful, long-term relationship building that dramatically increases fundraising success while promoting increased staff job satisfaction. To receive a free chapter from Marcy’s book, Empower Your Board to Serve as Effective Development Ambassadors, click here.

Questions:  Contact KK Konicek at KK@MarcyHeim.com