Our daughter's school fundraiser tickets went up in price this year. Being on the donation committee, I started hearing rumors. "This price doesn't seem accessible for parents." "Are we turning into one of 'those schools'"? "This feels icky." This comes in the context of our school being in a gentrifying neighborhood. Things are changing, more fundraising is happening, but I also know that people choose our school because of the principal's values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. So I spoke to the organizers about the ticket price. That price just covered the costs, included free tickets for teachers and our bi-lingual council, and was supported by the principal. The school's values hadn't changed, but because the new price didn't educate parents about the thinking that went into it, it was left open to rumors. This is one of the big benefits to #listening - knowing where your community needs education about your work. It might be; 😕 Misinterpreting your mission or scope ⚖ Not seeing how your values connect to a decision 💰 Making assumptions about how you are funded Want to know how much the ticket price went up? $10 It doesn't take much for assumptions to be made in changing environments so don't forget to listen and educate. Have you seen a situation where a nonprofit needed to educate its community about a decision?
Oh my gosh! I have a theory that the 'school fundraising' for parents has poisoned so much of the nonprofit fundraising sector. It's a completely different animal!
Ashley Mills
6mo
I'd add too that the explanation will need to be repeated a lot. It's easier to create/believe a rumor because everyone can do that. The leaders of the fundraiser have to continually be transparent, honest, and communicating.
Christy Russell
6mo
All of this!! I also think that the education piece ties into transparency. I see this a lot in working with different coalitions that ask for feedback from the community. There’s fatigue in giving information and not knowing what happens after the “listening” session is over… particularly if what was said doesn’t end up on the list of recommended actions.
Went through exact same scenario and conversations with my kids' elementary school. It's been a while, but I don't think we did a good job of educating our donors. Wish I'd known you then!
Kiersten Hill
6mo
Every day, I see it every day! This is a great example!
Excellent example! Event costs are going up everywhere for all kinds of reasons. Groups may consider some type of support fund for those who want to attend, but need a helping hand. Of course that comes with a unique set of considerations about its use. Or, do you consider turning the whole event on its head and going in a totally new direction? Step back and consider the end goals of the event - raise funds? Camaraderie? Award component? Get creative and brainstorm alternatives that accomplish the goals without the sticker shock!
Such a spot on example, Emily Taylor - two critical components of change management that got missed in this scenario are creating awareness about why the change is being made (which requires repeated, thoughtful communication) and creating a desire to participate in the change. When folks know the reason, they may actually want to donate beyond the ticket amount to ensure more is going back to the school.
Transparency around decisions like this is important for maintaining inclusivity. Good on you for asking the question.
Jess Campbell
6mo
I can so relate to this
Environmental Economist | Strategic Planner | Researcher | Collaborator
6mogreat example - this is actually quite common. I can think of several examples off the top of my head where I've seen this. My nerdy accounting side says that it's about budget transparency and full-cost accounting. And yes - then, the listening and community engagement piece!