Where you need to focus your fundraising this year end

Back in 2007, we were heading into the make-or-break last 8 weeks of the year at the small shop where I was leading fundraising.

Like a lot of organizations, we were dependent on special events and the associated revenues from ticket sales, sponsorships, and silent auctions.

And in every phone call, meeting, letter and email, I heard the same news.

"I’m sorry…we’ve had to cut back”.

“It’s just not in the budget this year.”

“We’ve had to reallocate our spending…”

I was devastated. And I didn’t know it then, we were entering into the first weeks of the Great Recession. And by the end of the year, we’d lose close to 50% of our largest source of fundraising revenue.

But every cloud has a silver lining - because here’s what I started noticing:

Our growing community of individual donors were stepping up to the plate.

Despite tough times – or perhaps because of them – these folks were giving from their hearts, moved to dig a little deeper, and donating more than ever before.

By the time 2007 came to a close, our revenue from individual donors had increased by more than 30% - protecting us from what could’ve been a deadly blow.

I don’t think I’d ever been more relieved – or excited! – in my fundraising career.

This was such a crucial learning experience – because I realized that focusing on individual donors, and doing the right things with individual major donors, was the path to the consistent and reliable revenue we needed for our mission.

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