Inclusive Fundraising
The United States is becoming more diverse all the time. The U.S. Census Bureau forecasts that in 25 years, whites will no longer make up the majority of the country. Already, roughly 14 percent of U.S. millionaires are Black, Latino, Asian American, or other minority groups.
Fundraisers know that they need to reach donors from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds and that that will require change — but they’re not always sure where to start. That’s why my colleague Lisa Schohl spoke with fundraisers, donors, and other experts who shared insights and guidance on how to build ties with supporters of diverse backgrounds and win their support.
Over and over again, Lisa heard that organizations need to start internally by making sure their boards and leadership are diverse and inclusive before they seek donors from different backgrounds. Nonprofits need to put people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds in power, listen to their ideas, and be willing to change how they do things, says Armando Castellano, a trustee for the Castellano Family Foundation, which supports Hispanic causes in Silicon Valley, and founder of Quinteto Latino, a nonprofit that promotes Latino classical music.
Consider recruiting employees or trustees from minority groups in “clusters” rather than one at a time, says Misa Lobato, director of prospect management and analytics at the Rhode Island School of Design. This can help prevent tokenism and create a supportive network for these individuals.
It’s also important for fundraisers and other leaders in the organization to check their assumptions and to learn as much as they can about the groups of people they want to recruit as supporters.
For example, people often think Hispanics don’t give, says Ana Gloria Rivas-Vázquez, director of the Hispanic Development Unit at Catholic Relief Services. “Hispanics do give and quite generously,” she says. “But not always in ways that fit neatly within U.S. models of philanthropy.”
Informal giving is common among Hispanics, she says, such as sending money to family members in Latin America and helping friends and family here at home with child care. Rivas-Vázquez recommends that fundraisers acknowledge that this giving occurs and avoid making assumptions about people’s giving capacity based solely on income.
It’s important to gather demographic data on your donors. Without these insights, you can’t assess how supporters of different races and ethnicities are interacting with your nonprofit, Lobato says, such as whether they are responding to your fundraising appeals or requests for visits.
It’s best to let people tell you how they want to be identified, she says, rather than making assumptions based on names, photos, or associations. Use a donor or alumni survey to collect this information or include questions about identities in your event registration forms, invitations, or direct-mail response devices. Make sure to explain why you’re seeking this information and how you plan to use it.
As you make connections with donors from different backgrounds, you’ll need to adapt your outreach approaches to their culture and values. For example, relationships are typically very important to Hispanics, Rivas-Vázquez says, so plan on having longer and more frequent visits with big donors from this population than you would with donors of other backgrounds.
To attract Indian American donors, take a multigenerational approach because multiple family members often weigh in on decisions about giving, says Raj Asava, a Texas philanthropist from India who, along with his wife, Anna, works to encourage giving by other Indian Americans. “Try to figure out ways to engage their children, their spouses, the senior citizens, and you will immediately get them connected to the cause,” he says.
Seeking diverse donors requires a long-term commitment. Consider hiring an outside expert to help you approach it in a careful and authentic way, says Chantal Bonitto, a veteran fundraiser who started an inclusive philanthropy program at Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “There are many times that organizations focus on this work, fail fast, and drop it,” she says. “This is a long game, not a short game. And if anyone wants to do this as a short game, just don’t do it.”
Lisa’s story has lots of good advice. Check it out to learn more.
