Strategic Fund Development: Building Profitable Relationships That Last, Third Edition

Your Relations with Constituents

Strong relationships build strong organizations. And strong organizations build strong communities. Look back at Chapter 2 and Gardner’s building community. Pay attention to civic engagement and social capital, civic capacity and civil society. Strong relationships are critical to effective and productive fund development. Nothing else matters as much. Strong relationships produce loyalty.

There it is, the really big concept: loyalty. That’s what makes the world go ’round.

In all these cases, Dale Carnegie’s famous quote drives achievement: “You’ll have more fun and success when you stop trying to get what you want, and start helping other people get what they want.”3 What does Carnegie mean? Pay attention to others, first. Figure out their wants and needs. Help them achieve their goals.

For instance, focus on other organizations in your community, building robust partnerships to achieve results. Concentrate on your volunteers and donors, helping them fulfill their aspirations.

Put your constituents at the center of the relationship, not your organization. That’s how you create community, extend your connections, and enlarge your base. Keep your constituents at the center, and that’s how you grow a strong organization.

From a fund development perspective, constituency development benefits your organization by:

• Helping you understand constituent interests and disinterests, motivations and aspirations.
• Bringing your constituents closer to your organization. ...