ProSpeak: It's Time for a Two-way Street

Once charity and advisor are on the same page, they can present donors with comprehensive strategies that work for everyone. When there are clear benefits for both donor and charity, the cause benefits. Moreover, the right advisor provides the charity with financial credibility.

Case in point: Recently a religious fundraiser working on an endowment campaign without an advisor asked two affluent donors for seven-figure cash gifts, spread out over a five-year period. These donors both said they would like to help but neither had any confidence in the financial management of the nonprofit. They believed they could manage the money better and, consequently, passed on the opportunity. The fundraiser left empty-handed.