Rhea Wong never felt comfortable using elevator pitches and slide decks to raise money for Breakthrough New York, the college-success program she leads. Instead she has turned to Jeffersonian dinners as a way to engage new supporters.
The intimate gatherings bring together eight to 12 people for an evening of conversation. Meaty questions that guests receive ahead of time guide the whole-table conversations. There are no fundraising requests at the dinners. The goal is to draw participants into the mission by eliciting their ideas on how the nonprofit can solve a thorny problem or better achieve its goals.
“It’s a way to get to know people on a deeper level than just superficial chitchat,” Ms. Wong says. “It’s about connecting with people rather than pitching at them, rather than trying to extract something from them.”
For Breakthrough New York, the results have been significant. Some guests have become regular donors. One woman offered internships for the young people in the program. One man persuaded his law firm to buy a table at the nonprofit’s annual gala — and volunteered to host his own Jeffersonian dinner for the organization.
Philanthropist Jeffrey Walker pioneered the approach when he served as chair of the foundation that runs Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia estate. According to historical lore, the author of the Declaration of Independence brought together groups of interesting people and insisted on whole-table discussions, in part because they were easier for the hard-of-hearing host to follow. Mr. Walker and Jennifer McCrea described the dinners in their book The Generosity Network.
The authors argue the approach can be a powerful way to reach a new kind of donor who is looking for authenticity and wants to be personally involved beyond just writing a check. But, Mr. Walker cautions, that’s only if the charity really wants to hear what participants have to say.
“If I’m here to get you interested in something I’ve already figured out, then that’s boring,” he says. “You’ve got to have a managed enough ego to say, ‘I don’t have all the answers. I’m really looking for more partners to help me accomplish my goal.’ "
Turning heartfelt conversation into dollars requires follow-up. Ms. Wong won’t hold a dinner unless she has time to meet each participant for lunch or coffee in the two weeks following the event.
Why the rush?
“People aren’t necessarily sitting around thinking, ‘Oh, what could I do for Breakthrough?’ " Ms. Wong says. “Unless you’re willing to go make the ask, you’re not going to get much of anything.”
Easily Adapted
Organizations can adapt the model to meet their circumstances. Berklee College of Music, which is in Boston, is starting a new education program in Los Angeles to introduce young women in poor neighborhoods to the possibility of jobs in music and audio. In June, it held an event to get input on the new effort from local Berklee alumni.
To reach as many people as possible — and keep costs low — the Berklee event featured more than half a dozen tables, each with its own moderator and scribe.
“It was more like drinks and small bites because it was in LA,” says Lee Whitmore, vice president for education outreach and social entrepreneurship.
Hosting successful dinners requires time and careful planning. Leaders who have used them to engage supporters and win donations share what they’ve learned about holding the events.
Plan ahead. To ensure a good turnout and an interesting mix of guests, charities should send invitations at least six to eight weeks in advance to get onto busy people’s calendars. “You can’t start developing your guest list early enough,” says Mr. Whitmore.
Mr. Walker recommends holding the dinners Sunday through Thursday nights. He says many people reserve Friday and Saturday for time with partners and family — and to get the right group dynamic, nonprofits may not want to invite couples.
Well ahead of the event, organizers should send the questions that will be discussed along with the bios of everyone who is scheduled to attend — eliminating the need for lengthy in-person introductions. That gives participants a chance to prepare, Ms. McCrea says: “You don’t want people to show up at the dinner and they’re not present for everybody else because they’re too busy thinking about their own stories.”
Location, location, location. Ms. Wong advises against hosting dinners at a restaurant. Even with a private room, it can be hard for people to hear each other. She recommends holding the event at someone’s home, which will enhance the sense of intimacy.
If there’s no way around hosting a dinner at a restaurant, be sure to arrange a set menu. “Having to sit there and try to decide what to order is such a time suck,” Ms. Wong says.
Guide the conversation. One of the most common pitfalls is failing to facilitate the discussion, warns Ms. McCrea. It’s important to keep the conversation going but at the same time make sure that no one is dominating. Sometimes the moderator will need to draw out quieter participants.
“It’s all about everybody having a voice,” Ms. McCrea says.
But don’t be too rigid. Nonprofit leaders might be tempted to force the conversation in a particular direction, which might stifle participants, Ms. Wong says.
“The Type A executive director type has to release control a little bit and go where the conversation leads,” she says. “The unexpected turns are actually the more interesting ones.”
During one of Breakthrough’s dinners, a very put-together, slightly intimidating guest spoke movingly about his father fleeing his homeland and arriving in the United States with nothing. Ms. Wong says his personal reflection changed the tenor of discussion and led to a much richer conversation.
Respect participants’ time. If the invitation says the dinner will end at 9:30, end the formal conversation accordingly. Stopping on time can be a challenge because people often want to keep talking, Ms. Wong says, “but that’s a good problem to have.”
Practice in-house. Sometimes nonprofits are intrigued by the concept of a Jeffersonian dinner, but they’re reluctant to hold one because they’re afraid it won’t be perfect, Ms. McCrea says. Her advice: Do a test run with an internal group, like the board of directors.
“If people are nervous about it, they should do it with their team,” she advises. “Start with insiders first so that the stakes don’t feel so high.”
