Grateful
In the nonprofit world, gratitude comes in many forms.
A donor may show gratitude to an organization by making a gift. No matter the size, the gift illustrates that the donor believes in the mission, is thankful that the organization exists, or perhaps even that the donor or his or her family member benefited directly from the services that that organization provides (e.g., a patient who is grateful for the level of care s/he received at a hospital).
An organization may show gratitude to a donor by thanking them on the phone or in person, by sending a letter or a progress report, by paying him or her a visit, by sending a small gift, by naming a room or a chair or a building after the donor.
As in life generally, gratitude is one of the best parts of fundraising. It's a great thing both to express and receive. After all, people and relationships are at philanthropy's core.
As a part-time consultant, I'm grateful, too. Grateful to the nonprofits that have welcomed me in to aid their important missions. Grateful to colleagues and acquaintances who believed in me and expressed a willingness to hire me when I began sharing this crazy idea with them back in November. Grateful to my husband who's been cheering me on the whole way. Grateful to my friends and family who've helped me get to nearly 200 Facebook followers in less than a month!
I'm also very grateful to YOU for taking an interest in this blog! Whether you leave comments on this site or express your thoughts on my Facebook or Twitter pages, you encourage me to keep writing and sharing my musings on this wonderful thing called fundraising.
In short, the word of the day is GRATEFUL!