Category: Fundraising

Want new donors? Check out the importance of diversity-related data.

Sarat PratapchandranLeave a comment

Diversity-related data is key to finding new donors

The term “culture of philanthropy” is boring. Instead, let us focus on creating a culture shift by incorporating Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) data in our conversations with donors.

The “culture of philanthropy” has been around for over a decade, repeated in case statements, campaign materials and in conversations with internal and external constituents. I haven’t had any donor ask me what that meant as it still seems a fancy word to me.

Culture shifts happen when strong leaders influence every nook and corner of an institution with a common purpose. This purpose resonates with every constituent regardless of race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and other identities that make us unique but part of a whole. DEI-data is critical here.

However, we ignore DEI data and go back to the same old prospect pools, the “wells” as we call them, reaching out to the same constituents again and again.

Retention is good but over-retention wont bring anything new to the fold.

Do we have meaningful insight on DEI data regarding our constituents? How many of our boards have had the same members for over half a century? How many times have we scrambled to check boxes when a grantor asks for the diversity of our board?

The practice of adding namesake women and minorities to boards for the sake of diversity numbers is nothing new to the nonprofit world.

However, the times have changed and in an excellent data guide, the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement (APRA) talks about the purposes of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) data, how it needs to be collected, used and stored. The APRA Ethics and Compliance Committee Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Data Guide is a very useful resource that can help us look at donor pools with a different lens.

DEI data can help us diversify our boards, build better donor affinity groups, understand cultural nuances, tailor new types of volunteer engagements and, as the guide says “help further policies of non-discrimination.”

Any collection of DEI data should ask the question “Why” and it must have a business reason. Transparency is key as we design questions, responses are voluntary, and we must include a way to obtain informed consent.

DEI data can provide insights to frontline fundraisers on building relationships with new donor pools, asking them culturally competent questions, and getting to know people in a more meaningful way. This process will also help us reduce our biases, both conscious and unconscious.

While DEI-related data can give us a wealth of information, the APRA data guide teaches us how to use it ethically, for what kinds of purposes and how it needs to be stored.

This is critically important as we live in a world full of data breaches. However, DEI data, if used well can engage and strengthen our relationships with new donor pools.

At the end of the day, we all seek inclusion and belonging. What better way than to harness DEI data to include new constituents we had never thought about?

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Making the ask at 35,000 ft: How Emirates does it.

Sarat PratapchandranLeave a comment

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Can you make an ask at 35,000 ft?

On a recent international flight on Emirates Airlines, the flagship airline of the Dubai government, the pilot asked charitable support from passengers like me to give to the Emirates Airline Foundation, a non-profit charity. This is, despite forking out a fare that could get me a used car or  feed over 200 hungry people  back in the United States.

Airlines sell credit cards, offer miles, nickel and dime passengers with excess baggage fees and push stuff. Emirates does all this and adds philanthropy to the mix. “Please give us your donations in any currency so that your funds can go towards supporting the Emirates Airlines Foundation,” the pilot announced at the beginning and the end of the flight. And of course, the customary thank you. They remind passengers to put your donations, however small and in any currency in an envelope and pass it on to the cabin crew.

The Emirates Airline Foundation supports children’s needs and does worthwhile projects in India, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia, to mention a few. Their mission is to support humanitarian organizations around the world working to improve the lives of children in need. Donations are  accepted in any currency and they use 95% of the funds to provide direct support to entities working to help children in need.

Passengers can also donate their miles that can later be used to fund travel for doctors, engineers and other volunteers working on humanitarian missions worldwide. You can also buy a signature Mont Blanc pen for $788 and Emirates will contribute 20% to the Foundation.  This is obviously targeted at the wealthy sheikhs traveling in first and business class across the Middle East. They might buy one just to sign up the customs form.

I was thoroughly disappointed at the quality of the ask at 35,000 ft as it was similar to a pilot announcing the weather. In the two routes I took, the ask came in between the pilot asking you to fasten your seat belts or thank you for taking the 14.5 hour non-stop flight. At this stage, my only thought was to jump out of the plane and not put loose change in an envelope to save the world.

We may soon see airlines hiring “flying fundraisers,” who at 35,000 ft could make a direct ask at passengers in first and business class. With tactful prospect research on the wealth profile of those occupying those seats, making an ask in the skies might just be a fun gig.

However, pitching philanthropy to the economy class. might be a tough ordeal. My Seattle-Dubai flight that I  fondly christened The Curry Express was filled predominantly with Indian techies, their wailing new borns and care-giver parents who were just waiting for the 14.5 hour ordeal to end.

I do not think anyone got the concept and I did not see any loose change going into envelopes.

Emirates has tactfully promoted the program internally through their information and entertainment channels. On The Curry Express, perhaps I was the only one who watched these out of curiosity.

The rest tuned in to Hollywood or Bollywood.