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I’m often asked what’s the difference between fundraising and inspiring generosity? And I tell them - everything! It’s not just about changing the words. It’s about changing the experience.
The Problem with Traditional Fundraising
Traditional fundraising is usually about asking someone to donate money to support a cause or mission. It’s focused on getting people to use their financial resources to meet a need. But when we frame it that way it creates a dynamic where the donor is the hero and the recipient is seen as dependent, waiting for help.
Fundraising Feels Transactional
We often start with a goal, and the amount needed usually feels urgent. And if it’s not, we might even be try to create a sense of urgency just to get people to act! That approach reinforces a one-sided relationship, where the focus is primarily on seeking money for our needs. We ask people to consider making a monthly gift, a major gift, an annual gift, a campaign gift, or maybe even a planned gift - centering the conversation on the dollar amount. But in reality, money is just the method, not the solution!
Fundraising Feels One-Sided
It’s natural for the person inviting support to do most of the talking—sharing stories, statistics, and all the reasons the cause deserves generosity. They’re passionate and eager to make a compelling case. Afterward, they often replay the conversation in their minds, second-guessing whether they got the amount right. Did they invite too much? Not enough? And they’re left wondering what the person is truly thinking and whether they’ll give.
If a gift is granted, the response is usually a thank you note or a receipt. If the gift was large, maybe a naming opportunity. But true appreciation is not always felt, especially when a giving envelope is included with the thank you note. Or when they are told their gift made a difference, but never truly shown the impact they helped create.
This is not always the case, but it happens far too often. Many organizations do a beautiful job of building real relationships with their supporters, but traditional fundraising leans more toward the transaction than the connection.
Fundraising can feel complicated, overwhelming, awkward, and uncomfortable. It is often unsustainable and rarely creates a meaningful or fulfilling giving experience.
How Inspiring Generosity Changes Everything
Inspiring generosity changes the dynamics completely.
Inspiring generosity is about more than just raising money—it’s also about creating a deeply fulfilling experience for the giver. We don’t want people giving out of guilt or obligation. We want them to give because it aligns with who they are and the impact they want to have in the world. When done well, generosity transforms not only the people being served but the givers themselves. It becomes a shared journey rather than a one-sided request.
From Asking to Inviting: A Better Way
When we inspire generosity, we don’t just ask for support. We create the conditions for giving. We guide people from awareness to involvement to a place where they genuinely want to be generous. We do not ask. We invite. And if we’re unsure how much is appropriate, that’s not a fundraising problem, that’s a relationship problem! It means we don’t know them well enough yet. Maybe we haven’t taken the time to understand their giving patterns or what they typically support.
Instead of making people feel like they are filling a gap or solving a problem, inspiring generosity is about inviting them into a story they can see themselves in, where they are an essential part of making something happen.
A Different Kind of Giving Experience
When inspiring generosity, our focus is not just on meeting our own needs. We are equally committed to understanding and honoring the desires of the generous person. Our goal is to create a deeply fulfilling giving experience—one so meaningful that one day, they may look at you with tears in their eyes and say, Thank you for giving me the opportunity to use my resources in such a powerful way.
Inspiring generosity feels natural, engaging, and deeply fulfilling. It creates authentic connections, is sustainable over time, and leads to meaningful, rewarding giving experiences for everyone involved.
Instead of trying to convince or persuade, we create space for generosity to emerge naturally. Instead of chasing transactions, we nurture genuine relationships. Instead of focusing on what we need, we focus on what’s possible when people come together with shared vision and purpose.
The Shift Starts With Unlearning
If you’re tired of traditional fundraising and ready to inspire generosity in a way that feels real and deeply fulfilling, I can show you how. But here is the thing—it is not just about head knowledge. It is about shifting your mindset, changing the way you connect with giving partners, and creating experiences that are authentic, energizing, and meaningful. And yes, even changing your language, because words matter.
The shift starts with unlearning. It requires examining the myths we’ve believed about fundraising, rethinking our relationship with money, and challenging our assumptions about wealth and those who have it.
The DREAMS™ Framework: A Clear Approach
Once we embrace this new philosophy, we need a clear approach. That’s where the DREAMS™ framework comes in—the simple, sequential process for inspiring generosity. It removes the guesswork and replaces outdated fundraising tactics with a proven method for building authentic, lasting relationships.
Join Me In Arizona to Go Deeper
I deliver this training in intimate, small-group retreats designed for deep learning, reflection, and real transformation. You’ll walk away with a new mindset, a fresh approach, and a framework you can apply immediately.
Applications for 2025 retreats are open, including a special one in Arizona this March. More retreats will follow, but if this feels like the right time for you to step in, I’d love to have you join me.
Let’s Move Beyond Fundraising and Start Inspiring Generosity Together!
