Fundraising & Halloween
Ever thought about the similarities between Halloween and Fundraising? Let’s take a look.
Consider this:
🎃 Knocking on Doors (literally and figuratively): On Halloween, kids go door-to-door asking for candy. In Fundraising, organizational leaders “knock” via emails, impact reports, phone calls, visits and events stewarding donors and asking for contributions. → Both involve being gracious and hoping for generosity!
👻 Costumes and Creativity: Halloween is a joyful (and scary?) celebration focused on fun themes with family, friends and sometimes strangers! Successful Fundraisers use creative campaigns, well crafted messaging, and strategic timing to build enthusiasm, not unlike Halloween.
🧛♀️ Social Contact: Halloween brings neighbors together for a shared experience and is an antidote for what ails us. Fundraising does the same - uniting people around a common mission or goal, that makes change in the world.
🍬 Rewards and Treats: Trick-or-Treaters get candy. Our contributors get the “treat” of feeling good about being involved in something meaningful (and sometimes tangible perks, like recognition or the perfect personal thank you.)
🕸️ Timing and Anticipation: Halloween occurs once a year, building excitement leading up to it (with a longer lead time every year.) Capital campaigns, major donor programs, planned giving, annual funds, digital drives, Give Big|Giving Tuesday also thrive on anticipation, planning and timing.
💀 Overcoming Fear: Halloween is about facing fun fears (scary costumes, haunted houses). Fundraising can sometimes mean facing the fear of asking, running out of “candy”, but with focus, strategy, talent and passion, the will results come.
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If you like to talk through your challenges, especially as we move toward year end, just let me know.
You won’t find me adopting a formulaic approach to our consultancy together. Every organization is unique in its strengths, challenges and opportunities and my work reflects your organization’s next level need to better actualize its mission.
Schedule a conversation with me to discuss your vision and your challenges. I’ll listen deeply, offer immediate ideas and together we can explore working together.
Elizabeth Benedict
