By: Catherine Cefalu, Consultant
Catherine Cefalu
Stories are an integral part of our lives: the connections we make with one another, the media we create and consume, and the ways that we grapple with ideas and emotions. True stories, made-up stories, ghost stories (it is Halloween, after all), stories about other people, and stories about ourselves. It’s the last one that I want to focus on today.
Why do stories matter to us in the nonprofit sector?
Robert Payton and Michael Moody, in their book Understanding Philanthropy, talk about something called a philanthropic autobiography: a personal narrative about the ways that giving and volunteering have made a difference in our lives. It helps us dig down into the “why” of philanthropy. (In fact, I highly recommend writing one about yourself as an exercise.)
Why else do stories matter to us? Let’s talk about planned giving.
Most people don’t like talking about planned giving, because it gives us the uncomfortable reminder of our mortality. This aversion is illustrated in a concept called Terror Management Theory: people avoid the topic of death as much as they can, and when they can’t avoid it any longer, they turn to other coping mechanisms to handle it. These coping mechanisms involve seeking out a kind of symbolic immortality, which can be in the form of something referred to as autobiographical heroism. What are the good things we have done in our life that will outlive us when we are gone?
Research by Russell N. James and Michael W. O’Boyle at Texas Tech found that the areas of the brain that activate when talking about charitable bequests are the same areas that activate when visualizing one’s own autobiography. James theorizes that people see their bequest as a kind of “final chapter” to their life’s story.
So where does prospect research come into all this?
Basic research tells us “who”. Good research tells us “how”. Great research tells us “why”.
Think of all the time you spend researching a prospective donor. Some of that work is quantitative—you can’t do a capacity rating on vibes alone—but some of the work is qualitative. That’s where the story comes in. As researchers, we are in a unique position to find the background information that our fellow fundraisers need to build a relationship. We can help answer the question: how does our organization fit into this prospect’s story?
What sort of information can we find?
- Biographies: professional bios, personal bios, or even interviews about a prospect’s early life and career.
- Personal Connections: who are the important people in this prospect’s life? Does the prospect come from a background that has a unique culture of philanthropy?
- Donor Stories: many nonprofits will feature stories about their top donors explaining why they give, in the hopes of inspiring other potential donors. How do they talk about their approach to philanthropy?
- Mission Statements: if the prospect has a family foundation, what is its stated purpose? Is it multi-generational? Will it live on after the donor is gone?
Although we will never be able to know everything about a prospective donor’s life, prospect researchers fill an important role in uncovering the broad outlines of their story. We are data-driven storytellers.
Now, who wants to hear a ghost story?
