Your Next Donor Might Not Be a Donor Yet

One of the biggest mistakes athletic programs make is defining supporters only by how much money they give right now. Honestly, that's so short-sighted, and is more transactional than it is relational.

Consider the former student-athlete who can’t make a meaningful financial contribution

today—but is willing to mentor a current player.

Or the parent who can’t write a large check—but can introduce you to the company where she works.

Or the alumnus/alumna who hasn’t donated—but will come back and speak at a career networking event.

Or the local business owner who can’t sponsor your program this year—but is willing to provide a product or service that reduces an expense.  Remember: if it saves you money on your budget, that’s a net positive for you, no matter how that donation-in-kind is counted.

Those people have value - and more importantly, those relationships have value.

At Fundraise4U.net, we believe that athletic programs should think beyond the traditional donor pipeline and create an engagement and relationship pipeline.

Give people multiple ways to participate:

·       TIME. Invite alumni to mentor, volunteer or serve on a committee.

·       TALENT. Ask supporters to share their professional expertise with student-athletes.

·       NETWORK. Encourage alumni and parents to make introductions to potential sponsors, donors and other alumni.  This is often overlooked, and is a huge opportunity if you are willing to do it.

·       TREASURE. Provide opportunities to financially support priorities that matter to them.

Here’s the important part: don’t make money the only doorway into your program.

Someone who mentors a student-athlete today may attend an alumni event tomorrow.

That experience may reconnect them with former teammates.

That reconnection may lead to their first gift…and eventually, that person could become one of your program’s strongest advocates, donors or corporate connectors.

We sometimes spend so much time looking for people who are ready to give that we overlook people who are simply ready to engage.

Invite them in, give them a meaningful role, build the relationship, and then allow the relationship to grow - because sustainable fundraising isn’t about finding people with money: it’s about building a community of people who care.

At Fundraise4U.net, we help coaches, athletic departments and sports organizations create practical strategies that turn alumni, parents, businesses and friends into engaged members of their program community. 

Feel free to drop me a line at Ted@Fundraise4U.net if you’d like to kick around a few free ideas…and remember: before you ask someone to give, give them a reason to belong.

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