A Blast From the Past: The Enlightened Path for Fundraisers (November 2007)

The tried-and-true ways we’ve used to interact with donors must change if we want to meet and serve the new donors. Here are some ways enlightened nonprofits can change in the coming years:

The Old Way: Nonprofits harvest gifts from donors.
The Enlightened Way: Nonprofits cultivate relationships with donors.
Think of donors as people you get to know, not just assets you own. Asking for gifts is just one reason to communicate with donors. You also can encourage them to talk back to you — about what they care about and how they want to be treated. You also should be reporting back to donors about the impact of their giving.