Nonprofit fundraising has relied too heavily on “the ask”—directly soliciting donations from donors with a pitch about the organization’s needs and priorities. This approach is proving increasingly ineffective, contributing to declining donor trust and participation. According to fundraising expert Jim Mellon, the solution lies in rebuilding genuine relationships with donors through active listening and shared purpose.
Fundraisers should stop viewing donors as targets to acquire funds from and start seeing them as partners in achieving impact.
This means moving away from a “getting” mindset focused on what the organization can gain, to a shared “we” mindset based on what the nonprofit and donors can achieve together. The key is having real conversations with donors to understand their passions and priorities, not just pitching them.
Frontline fundraisers can help shift their organizations in this direction by providing leadership with “field intelligence” from donors.
This includes reporting back on obstacles, concerns, and sources of frustration they hear from donors, not just dollars raised. Fundraisers should also look for opportunities to involve donors more closely based on their interests and talents. For example, a donor passionate about education could be asked to review a new program curriculum.
For long-time donors, fundraisers should recognize and celebrate milestone years of giving to deepen loyalty. But they must go beyond thanking donors for their gifts to have meaningful discussions about the impact and outcomes the donor cares most about. What gets donors up each day? What life experiences shaped their philanthropy? Answering these kinds of questions will reveal new ways to strengthen connections.
The key is for fundraisers to stay true to their own values and integrity. Have honest yet diplomatic conversations with leadership about changes needed to better serve donors. Reassure concerned donors that their voices are being heard and their input is helping to improve strategy and relationships. With time and consistency, nonprofit organizations can rebuild donor trust by partnering with them as allies, not just treating them as ATMs. The “ask” may still happen but will feel like a natural outgrowth of a shared vision, not an end in itself. Ultimately, success should be defined not by dollars raised but by donor satisfaction and participation.
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