​FUNdraising Friday: Where’s the joy in your fundraising plan?

We work in a high pressure industry. If goals are not met, sometimes it means that a non-profit will close and those who depend on it will go without services or resources. That responsibility can be crushing.
What are you doing in a systematic way to keep your office staff happy and motivated? What are you doing to show your donors that there is fun in giving?

One of the key elements of a culture of philanthropy is “Expressions of fun, humor, and excitement surrounding the fundraising enterprise” as articulated by Dini Spheris, a leading national consultancy in fundraising. Where the joy in your fundraising plan?

Lola Mauer, the Associate Vice President of Engagement and Giving at Ball State University, was the Director of Annual Giving at the University of South Carolina when I was there. Lola is a notorious prankster and more than once put fake dog poop and fake insects into callers’ chairs before shift.

But I digress . . . Lola was the originator of an amazing event called Dancing with the Deans. The event was associated with their faculty and staff giving campaign which they called the Family Fund. It was a hugely anticipated event because – as you might have guessed – deans trained with professional dancers and competed in ballroom dance.

This event was so fun that when Southern Miss launched their first ever faculty and staff giving campaign, I poached the idea and did the same thing. That was in 2012 and the tradition continues.

What’s your Dancing with the Deans? Where's your fundraising joy?

And while I’m at it, if you haven’t ever encountered Fundraiser Grrl,  do yourself a favor and check it out. If you don’t laugh hysterically and share a post with a colleague within 5 minutes, I’ll be much surprised. There’s something every fundraiser can relate to.

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