Fundraising isn't about you. It's not about your wonderful mission, your political objectives, or even the clients you serve. It's about what your donor is accomplishing through their gift to you. Donors don't care about what you do. They care about what THEY can do, through you.
Every organization has a story to tell about how donors work through them, and sometimes we're not the best at telling them. That's because we're so conditioned to our own brand, it's difficult to get outside feedback. That's why our story must evolve and refine itself constantly.
However, there a few guideposts to each story. You'll want to know the answer to each of these questions:
Telling donors a story is one thing, but showing them is what builds impact for your organization.
Updating your donors is extremely important in building your story. You got a donor to give to your brand new program to plant trees in the Amazon? Great! You should have a plan in place to reach out to that donor providing an update on the program's progress to not only keep them in the loop, but also to keep them aware of your needs. So when the time comes around for you to expand your program because it has been doing so well, they will have felt invested in the journey of the important work you're implementing.
Here are a few ways you can relay story and impact to your donors: