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Cultivate What Grows: Stop Chasing Uninterested Donors

  • Writer: Keith Greer
    Keith Greer
  • Sep 2, 2024
  • 2 min read

The Trap of Chasing Uninterested Donors


We’ve all done it.


That donor who looks perfect on paper — wealthy, influential, a dream addition to your portfolio. You’ve emailed them a dozen times, sent letters, left voicemails, maybe even begged a board member for an introduction. And when you finallyget a meeting, they cancel last minute. Again.


Sound familiar?


Fundraising can start to feel like dating. When you’re desperate, everyone feels it. And nobody wants to say yes to desperation.


So why do we keep chasing people who clearly don’t want to be caught?


Five Signs It’s Time to Stop Chasing


Sales coach Liz Wendling offers a simple truth: some prospects just aren’t your people. Here are five signs it’s time to let go:

  1. They won’t schedule a next meeting. If they’re not moving forward, they’re not interested.

  2. They don’t ask tough questions. True interest shows up as curiosity.

  3. They’re secretive. If they won’t share, they don’t want connection.

  4. They ignore calls and emails. Five unanswered attempts = you’re giving off desperate vibes.

  5. They’re not happy to see you. Fundraising should bring joy. If it doesn’t, pay attention.


The point isn’t to shame. It’s to free up your energy for the people who do want to engage.


The Wisdom of Desert Gardening


Where I live in New Mexico, gardeners have a saying: “Cultivate what grows.”


Not everything will thrive in desert heat and cold nights. The wise gardener doesn’t fight it. They plant what’s suited to the soil and conditions — and they pour their care into those plants.


It’s the same in fundraising.


When you tend to the donors who already respond with warmth — who reply, show up, and lean in — those are the relationships that bear fruit. Those are the ones that sustain your mission, your donors’ joy, and your community’s needs.


Fundraising That Feels Lighter


So here’s your permission slip: stop chasing. You don’t need every donor. You need the right donors. The ones who light up when they see you. The ones who ask questions. The ones who want to be cultivated.


That’s where you’ll find your best energy, your most joyful fundraising, and the gifts that truly transform lives.

 
 
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