How one girl’s efforts remind fundraisers of importance of constructing an impactful value proposition
A few weeks ago, I received an e-mail from Macy, an 8-year-old girl whose mother used to work for my agency:
Dear Dr. Bob, I’ll be jumping rope to raise money for the American Heart Association. Will you look at my webpage (below) and consider supporting me??? Thanks! Macy.
When I open the webpage, the first thing I saw was a big picture of Macy wearing a winter hat with pink hearts on it. In her own words, the webpage told me about the millions of kids throughout the country who would be participating with her to Jump Rope for Heart, an annual fundraiser of the American Heart Association that takes place on or around Valentine’s Day.
Did I donate? Of course! How could I not? So did Grammy, Aunt Holly, and Uncle Dave, to name only a few.
Not only did Macy exceed her $500 goal, but she engaged her family and their friends in thinking about the cause. More importantly, the American Heart Association will probably always be a special charity in her mind.
Did Macy’s family members give because the American Heart Association is their charity of choice? Perhaps, but I think it’s more likely that, like it was for me, this was an extra gift.
Constructing Value Propositions
The headline of this column is an expression I often hear from development consultant Simone Joyaux. It is captured in the power of Macy’s campaign. It also explains why many fund development professionals who I have spoken with have recently had more business sponsorships for their special events. Simply put, it is not what we are selling, but what they are buying.
By personally contacting friends and family, Macy was able to tremendously increase the American Heart Association’s value proposition. To those who gave, it was more than just contributing money to an organization, but also supporting the fundraising endeavor of an adorable young girl.
Nonprofit human service organizations can translate this example to how they think about sponsorship opportunities. Potential donors and sponsors may very well understand the importance of your mission, but it is the potential to reach the constituencies that support your organization that takes the value proposition to the next level.
What has your development team attributed these increases (or decreases) to?Respond anonymously in a quick online survey. Then, view others' responses. |
Has your organization experienced an increase in business sponsorships at your fundraising events?By definition, donors and supporters have discretionary income. Nonprofit human service organizations represent a “gift of the heart.” If our supporters have the money to assist us, that means they also are attractive to the franchise owners of local Applebee’s, Wendy’s, McDonald’s, and others. The local landscaper or bank may consider our supporters to be potential customers.
My point is a simple one; people give for many reasons. Sometimes it is a powerful commitment to the organization’s mission, and that is wonderful. Sometimes it is social pressure, self-interest and advancement, an affinity with others who are involved or are donors (as in the case of Macy), or a mixture of social pressure and altruism.
The important point is to realize that, when constructing the value proposition, organizations need to recognize and highlight what their target audience cares about. Sponsors and donors may initially engage with your organization for reasons that are not directly connected to mission, but that is still an opportunity to engage them further and to bring them into a circle of caring and involvement.
Be Cautious, but Not Overzealous
The American Heart Association is a fine organization. Yet, it was not on my philanthropic radar. Why did I give to Macy’s fundraising campaign? To encourage one little girl that making a difference for others is important, as well as out of friendship with a former staff member.
But, my gift did more than that. It also got me thinking, given family history and medical reality, why isn’t the American Heart Association on my radar?
Some people in the philanthropy world will come down on me and try to remind me of the dangers of such a campaign: the potential for over-sentimentality, mission drift, and exploitation. Their cautions are important to consider, but may also be a bit too cynical for this situation.
In this example, one girl developed a lifelong fondness for the American Heart Association brand, engaged her family and friends, and got some of us who donated to think about the larger issue. Not too shabby of an outcome, as the Brits would say.
Bob Jones is chair of the Alliance’s Resource Development Services |  |
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