Birth of “Mainesgiving”: Take-Aways from THE ART OF GATHERING
Hi All!
Here’s hoping this “non-holiday” week is treating you as well as possible. And for those of you focused on Giving Tuesday right now, I’m treading water right alongside you (& currently overseeing five fundraising campaigns!).
Real talk: I didn’t want to celebrate Thanksgiving this year. I’m feeling increasing uncomfortable with observing a holiday founded in colonization & genocide. But since I do love making a nice meal & spending quality time with loved ones, my husband (Michael), my bestie (Jess), & I dedicated to instate Mainesgiving. We made it a day of “intentional abundance” in which we celebrated our adoptive state, made dinner as local/seasonal as possible (our main dish this year: spicy lobster pasta), and to show gratitude for our loved ones (& played the card game Phase 10!).
Getting intentional with Mainesgiving is a direct result of my long-standing love affair with Priya Parker’s book, The Art of Gathering. The basic premise is: The art of gathering begins with purpose: When should we gather? And why?”
These questions now inspire so many aspects of my life, including my approach to fundraising conversations.
Here are a few quick takeaways from the lens of an Ask:
✅ Commit to a Gathering About Something
The more focused and particular a gathering is, the more narrowly it frames itself and the more passion it arouses.
It’s not enough to fundraise just because it’s “Giving Tuesday” or “End of Year.”
Why are YOU reaching out right now?
Is it because you’re highlighting how your organization gives back to your community through education programs?
Or are you fundraising right now because you’re scheduled to start shooting your short film in February?
The more DETAILS you share with your community, the more inspired they’ll be to engage.
✅ Reverse Engineer an Outcome
Think of what you want to be different because you gathered, and work backward from that outcome.
At the end of the day, we ultimately can’t control whether or not the community member agrees to donate, but we CAN control how they perceive the organization/project we’re discussing.
If you focus on building a strong relationship based on trust, enthusiasm, and mutually-beneficial objectives, the money will follow (I guarantee it!).
✅ The Wonders of Generous Authority
A gathering run on generous authority is run with a strong, confident hand, but it is run selflessly, for the sake of others.
In fundraising, I recommend that you actively position yourself as the “host” of the conversation.
You should have an “arc” for your fundraising conversation to follow, while also having flexibility for the conversation to veer a bit (just because it’s a fundraising conversation doesn’t mean you can’t take a detour and talk about your rescue dogs or whatever you two have in common).
✅ The 90 Percent Rule
90 percent of what makes a gathering successful is put in place beforehand.
The same goes for a fundraising conversation. You’ll want to be prepared with the following details:
Why this org/project is important to you
What specifically you’re raising money for
How far you are from your goal right now
A specific, numerical amount for which you’re Asking
✅ Why Realness Can Be Designed
...there are certain approaches the thoughtful gatherer can take to encourage people to jettison the phony and the polished for the true.
In fundraising conversations, the more you engage with the community member from a place that’s genuine (it takes courage, but share a story that truly exemplifies your passion for this org/project) and candid (it takes vulnerability, but if a mistake happened or you don’t know an answer to a question, own it immediately), the quicker & easier it will be to build a real relationship with this person.
✅ Why Closings Matter
...great hosts, like great actors, understand that how you end things, like how you begin them, shapes people’s experience, sense of meaning, and memory.
Here’s an example of why creatives/artists make phenomenal fundraisers!
Whether or not the community member agrees to donate today, intentionally craft a closing to the conversation.
This should include a gracious thank you to them for hearing you out– and you should also give them a heads-up on when they’ll hear from you (or your org) next.
If you know this book (or pick it up during these next few cozy months), I’d love to hear your thoughts!
PS: Speaking of Gathering, if you’re in NYC next week… I’m hosting a Community-Building Happy Hour for non-profit leaders, fundraisers & artists on Wednesday 12/6 from 6p-8p in Midtown. Snacks provided by me & drink specials will be available. If you want an invite, send me an email!
