4 words you should never use in fundraising

The need never ends.

It’s a common trope in fundraising.

It’s based on the assumption that people are motivated to give when they understand that a problem is big and/or intractable.

Bad assumption. In fact, statements like that are reasons not to donate.

The Better Fundraising Blog points out the problem, at The Need Never Ends:

A core motivator for individual donors is to make a change happen. By saying that the need never ends, this organization is also guiding people’s attention on the fact that their contributions will never solve the problem – that the situation will never change.

Fundraising is about hope and change. It’s about meaningful solutions that donors can be part of.

When you focus on how huge and difficult a problem is, you’re really telling donors there’s really no point in giving. You won’t make a difference.

In some cases, it may be that the need never ends. But that’s beside the point for donors.

They’re looking for ways to make a difference, even in a small way.

That’s what you need to talk about.