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i learnt that what counts the most is finding a match with the donors
That's true, I've always believed in giving a lot of details of what the organization do, but I've come to realize stories from the beneficiaries are more valuable
I was most surprised to learn about myth 3. I understand that donation is to get money only.
I agree with you.
I was surprise to learn that you don't have to know rich people to be a successful fundraiser because fund raising is all about raising cash and other in kind donations. but now it is clear that one can raise fund even from those that are not known to him
The myth number surprised me. I thought what matters most to donors was statistics and facts which I learnt are very important to companies. Moving real life stories courts empathy and inspires donors to assist your cause.
Responding to Marlene, I agree it was interesting to think that we don't have to tell a potential fundraiser everything about our organization, and in fact we would do well to listen a lot to a potential fundraiser. It makes sense, because we would do well to develop a working relationship with a fundraiser, and this requires that we are able to communicate with each other and develop a certain level of trust in each other.
I was most surprised to learn that myth 4 was not true because I think that it's important to to tell a donor as much about your organization or project as possible. One question I have about myth 4 is, how will the donor give their money to some organization without knowing every single detail about it or it's projects?
Also, when applying for donations or submitting your proposals there many questions to be answered by the organization which will definitely require you to tell about your organization and projects.
One of the myths that surprised me most was myth #4. Granted this is definitely a topic that is new to me, I always thought that your donors should have a detailed understanding of your organization/project. One question that I have grappled with is the influence of donors on what the organization is doing, because if these donors have an input on how their funds should possibly be allocated, does this mean that they would expect to know a lot of information about the organization?
These myths demystify the whole fundraising efforts thereby giving prospective fundraisers an opportunity to target their respective funders as they pursue the course that will make the world better
These myths demystify the whole fundraising efforts thereby giving prospective fundraisers an opportunity to target their respective funders as they pursue the course that will make the world better
These myths are so real such that one must be mindful of them to realize desired results
These myths are so real such that one must be mindful of them to realize desired results
I wasn't familiar with these myths at all, so the whole explanation was really interesting, especially the parts about listening to your donors and thinking about what you and your organization can actually provide them with. I never really though about it this way.
I totally agree! Though it's also quite easy to understand why donors might be interested in talking about themselves and their own interests, the trick is that of linking the info they give you to information about the organization, so that it becomes an exchange, rather than just an explanation of what the organization does and how.
I have really understood fundraising initial I thought is all about getting cash but myth one and all the other myths have really taught me more about fundraising.
Thanks a lot for this course.
I have really understood fundraising initial I thought is all about getting cash but myth one and all the other myths have really taught me more about fundraising.
Thanks a lot for this course.
i was most surprise to learn myth 6 was not true because a great fundraiser is not an individual superstar but, its all about the team work.
I was so much caught off-guard by myths number one and two. These have now changed my perspective on how I consider and practice fundraising activities. Good niche achieved so far!!
Myth 3 is eye-opening. Once one understands and integrates it, his perspective of fundraising changes to partnership.
I learnt so many things from this course, I'm still fairly new to the the whole FR thing.
The course gave me time to reflect on so many things, and I'm so moved by this and I can't wait to put it all together.
The first myth was the one that shook me, I always assumed it was all about money. Definitely should change the name from Fundraising lol.
Although I've heard about in-kind donations.
Great lessons
I was surprised at myth 4 and 5. Always thought that it's all about giving as much information about my organisation as possible, but the course reveals that this has to be looked at in a larger context putting interests of a donor in consideration. About myth 4, thought it's about giving facts/statistics, but stories sell the organisation better.
I was so wrong about fundraising because I believed in all of those myths that Tom was talking, so I get most surprised to learn that myth "You should always try to tell a donor as much about your organization or project as possible". My question is related to that myth, I would like to know what kind of information exactly I should give to all types of donors I have.
I used to think that fundraising via internet is very different with the usual fundraising. Knowing that fundraising via the internet holds many similarities to in person fundraising and the explanation on the complementarity of different team members in fundraising was awesome. I would say that I was aware of these myths but the explanation heard from the expert made very understandable to me
Before this course I was aware of most of these myths since I've had previous experience in fundraising, however, I was surprised by the clarification in myth 4. In the past i understood that its good to know your donors but they've also always wanted to know as much information about the organisation/campaign as possible. Now I see it is more important to know your donors than and direct the conversation onto them and their values/what they can do rather than just completing a "sales pitch" kind of thing.
Never really thought of fundraising as a bilateral transaction or of the importance of stories. Thought-provoking!
Very well noted @Athanase. I hope you are enjoying the course.
Well noted @Athanase, I hope you are enjoying the course.
Surely it is @Amat13.
@ednasofiah, please for the sake of clarity, the myth suggest you that a conversation with a donor is an opportunity to rather ask and know about them and their thoughts. You should be prepared to lead the conversation to their areas of interest. Look and listen to what they say and to an extent possible follow up on what they say. “A more direct way of connecting with your audience is considering not what you want to say, but what your audience wants to hear”.
I hope this helps.
@vmusiimenta, your response indicates you good understanding of the subject matter.
I believe myth#3 is the most common mistake that organizations have and which, unfortunately, might be one of the main reason it is difficult to retain donors on a longer term.
I was really surprised that Myth 4 was untrue as I had thought. Realising that the donor has to talk significantly has revolutionised my thinking of me being the talker to impress the donor. I will practise being moderate with my explanations and listen more to the fundraiser so that I will know the areas of interest of the donor, and possibly some of his circle members who might be of help to my cause.
I always thought that money was the most important matter to the fundraising campaigns but I am learning hhere that are many more important things to do and help.
I was very surprised to learn that myth 2 wasn't true because we generally don't even try with people with lower financial potential. I really thought until now that I needed to have a network of contacts of rich people to be able to increase my network of donors and I understood with this module that it is not true and that having a network of contacts that promote the organization is much more important.
A question I have about myth 2 is: How do I engage these potential donors since the culture of giving in Brazil still causes a lot of mistrust.
I was totally surprised to know myth 4 because before I believed that I should always try to tell a donor as much about your organization or project as possible to fund.
I was surprised by myth number five, that its not facts and statistics that matter most, I have always tried so much and concentrated on facts and the statistics and not so much attention to beneficiary stories in my previous attempts to fundraise. Knowing that this was myth was a great insight.
I was supprised to learn that stories are as crucial as statistics and facts when it come to fundraising.
We all seem to be having wrong notion about fundraise, but thanks goodness we are taking this course.
Well said @Foday.
Well said @Foday
@CauPereira, amidst the challenges there is always a way to go about doing things. My proposal is for you to concentrate on the people in your immediate circus (the family and friends). It would be easy for you to win other people onboard if the family and friends can attest to the credibility of your cause.
@nikhilkrasn40, I am glad you know better as of now.
@KIFARA_Benjamin2020, not only are stories as crucial as statistics and facts, but they can as well sell your cause more than the latter.
#2. My org has received most of its funding from direct relationships with people with deep pockets. I don't have those connections, so I've felt a bit lacking. It's good to know that isn't the only way money can be raised and that you're not behind for not having formed those connections already.
I like the myth about the internet changing fundraising. On the one hand, many of the same principles apply. That said, the Internet does open up new opportunities and allows for a "reach" that may not have been possible before the internet existed.
I loved how Tom illustrated and it was eye opener.
I loved how Tom illustrated and it was eye opener.
I previously though fundraising was mostly about cash, but it is more about the connections made in the process rather than just the result, which may be something valuable other than money!
I like the myth about the internet changing fundraising. On the one hand, many of the same principles apply. That said, the Internet does open up new opportunities and allows for a "reach" that may not have been possible before the internet existed.
@MichelleB, I am glad you have come to realize that you aren't left behind in fundraising, because you have not yet established rich connections. You can begin with the ones very close to you.
@paolodemaria62, thank you for summarizing the myth for us; you captured it right.
Learning about the 7 myths of fundraising has been enlightening. For instance most i have spent good amount of time with potential donors trying to explain about the organization and its projects and less on trying to learn the interest of the donors. This module has just shown how my organization has ended up missing some of the support as a result of mismatched priorities.
I truly agree with everyone here. I believed in all the seven myths that were mentioned by the instructor, but what stood out for me most is the myth that to be able to fundraise you need to know rich people.
I was so impressed by all of the myths, I now feel I can actually start being a good fundraiser, whilst before I couldn't believe so.
I thought that only people who knew rich people could find donors.
I agree with him
I truly agree with everyone here. I believed in all the seven myths that were mentioned by the instructor, but what stood out for me most is the myth that to be able to fundraise you need to know rich people.
I was so impressed by all of the myths, I now feel I can actually start being a good fundraiser, whilst before I couldn't believe so.
I was surprised to learn that myth 4 was not true. My question about myth 4 is how to steer the question towards donations when people mostly like to discuss their interest and not the actual organization.
I was most surprised to learn about myth 7, I didn’t know the influence that internet has in fundraising. I would really like to I would have been able to have gone deeper into the subject. Although the internet allows breaking down barriers, personally it has not been easy for me to find support for my projects from other countries.
Regarding that donors like to hear stories, I don’T like that they use the experiences of the people, their suffering and vulnerability to get money. Yes, I understand the part of sensitizing potential donors, but I sincerely believe that there are other ways to do it, such as inviting them to attend the site, to their homes, and to see with their own eyes the needs and conditions in which people live.
Learning about the 7 myths of fundraising was enlightening and educating. i have always look at traditional fundraising as a separate activity from crowd fundraising on the internet. The 7 myths has helped me learn that the two can be combined and is best combined with other strategies to achieve maximum results of fundraising.
i came to realize than in fund raising both parties benefit and not one party.
I got surprised with the myth that says that the fundraiser also gives something back to the donnor. As I understood, it is more the value meaning of the fund, so that the donnor feels good about funding a particular cause. I ask f the recognition of the donnor could be also a "gift" from the fundraiser, for example in annual reports, and events.
I was surprised with the myth number 01 that fund raising is I was thought that Rising money is the only fund rising before attending this module .
I was surprised to find out that Fundraising is not only about statistics and numbers but of relatable stories, that show how challenges were overcome or the impact of an intervention.
@madisonHOW, a conversation with a donor is an opportunity to ask and know about the former and their thoughts. As a fundraiser, you must be prepared to lead the conversation to the donors' areas of interest.
“A more direct way of connecting with your audience is considering not what you want to say, but what your audience wants to hear”.
Thus after knowing the interest of the potential donor, you could align your presentation to suite his/her dictates.
@Adesuwa-EI, it is so because donors prefer adversaries overcoming problems that encourages empowerment of people.
@Rinshad, I am glad you know better as of now.
@DGPinto, thanks for your contribution and question. It is accepted that a donor's effort(contribution) be recognized at events, or in reports as a way to encourage them and others to replicate the action or do more.
Thanks for the contribution @anareynoso21. Please be informed that the other ways of sharing stories as you indicated in your response is the most effective means of fundraising. However, not all beneficiaries are willing to do as such, hence the need to share stories of adversaries and how they overcome problems. Nonetheless, these stories are shared with the consent of all stakeholders to prevent any form of bias.
Very well said @michaelngati.
I never thought of the possible donors I had infront of me. I always imagined I needed a huge amount or a huge company to get the funding I need.
I have a completely new perception of who my possible donors can be and how to go about it, thanks to this module
I have a completely new perception of who my possible donors can be and how to go about it, thanks to this module
Before the study l believed that fundraising is only about getting cash,but now l know that there are in kind donations.
I was intrigue about the fact that fund raising is about receiving but also giving the donor the opportunity to belong to something that will bring about positive change to a situation or issues that need to be addressed.
I agree, it always seems like numbers are what donors are meant to see.
I always think that telling the donor/s more about the organization will attract them the most or telling about the project as much as possible is an effective way to let them support the cause. However, learning from this module that we should listen more to the donor talks and we should know how to lead the conversation knowing what they more like or interested connecting to our project is much more important.
I always believed that only money is needed as a fund but instead there are several different thing we can get as donation.
I agree with the fact that internet have not changed how fundraising is done, but over the year it has made it very easy to reach potential funder from far corners of the world with a little sweat.
In a view of a bigger picture, all 7 myths are very important in shaping a fundraiser. Missing the knowledge of any of the seven, it downgrades the credentials to be a good fundraiser.
I was very aware that all of these are myths, what is unfortunate is that others in my agency believe some of these as truths.
I was intrigue about the fact that fund raising is not only about receiving but also giving the donor the opportunity to belong to something that will bring about positive change to a situation or issues that need to be addressed.
Good to hear all this before taking actions. All this myths I believed before but I am glad I took this course.
Thank you PU.
I was so confident in my thinking of using numbers and stats to show progress, so I was genuinely shocked to find out stories are better
I thought I was the only one receiving (benefiting). It is good to know the giver too is receiving something and I will do well to emphasize that henceforth
I was quite surprised to learn through myth 4 that you do not need to tell a potential donor all about your organization. Listening, empathy and emotional intelligence will help you establish points of connection between your work and your donors' interests. This was a light bulb moment for me.
I was quite surprised to learn through myth 4 that you do not need to tell a potential donor all about your organization. Listening, empathy and emotional intelligence will help you establish points of connection between your work and your donors' interests. This was a light bulb moment for me.
Have been a fundraiser for a while. Before this module I believed in the majority of the 7 Fundraising myths. This module has changed my mindset.
I also thought that.
''Raising money is all about knowing rich people'', this myth surprised me because I thing it is not always ease to know rich people and those willing to fund.
@NikkiJerusalem, I am glad you now better as of now.
@Fkarmoo1, you have rightly summarized the myth.
Yes, that is it @Ebiegason, storytelling does all the magic in fundraising.
@eunice5, thanks for joining the discussion.
@Vest, please note that the assertion is a myth and that is what Tom meant. Hence you need not know only rich people in order to fundraise.
I am glad to gain exposure to the seven common myths of fundraising. Two things that stood out to me are -
#Myth 2 - I wanted to learn to fundraise and contribute to my organization, and the first thing that came to my mind was - 'Do I have access to rich people that can give us money?' And feel glad to know that there are so many ways of tapping into potential donors.
#Myth 4 - I used to think that giving donors enough information about the organization will help them understand our work and beneficiaries clearly. And that donors usually do not know on-ground realities. However, I know that a balance of information and impact/success stories can serve the purpose.
The seven legends were amazing to us. A great fundraiser is an individual superstar. The information on how to change internet fundraising methods has been very helpful. But now practical work needs to be done to convince donors. Most importantly, you need to start your own mission and also have your own strategies.
This is not enough for cooperation, the most important thing is to have enough evidence and reliable information to convince the donor.
This is not enough for cooperation, the most important thing is to have enough evidence and reliable information to convince the donor.