When you think about your biggest supporters, who comes to mind? It’s probably not the foundation that gave you a grant, and it’s probably not members of your online community who have given you donations in the past. While you’re absolutely grateful to all of them, they aren’t who you think of as your biggest supporters. The faces you conjure up are most likely going to be members of your family and your closest friends. The reasons are obvious: they believe in you! They’ve got your back! They’ll do anything to support your passion. So it begs the question: why haven’t you asked your biggest supporters for donations?
The answer might be simple for you: it’s weird. You’re right, it is weird, weird and vulnerable. It might feel like doing so would break some sort of invisible boundary: that your loved ones are there to support you emotionally, but you must rely on everyone else – acquaintances, the general public, foundations and organizations – to support you financially.
We’re here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be like that. Reaching out to your nearest and dearest should be part of your fundraising strategy, and a wholesome one at that. Give these lovely people a chance to support you in practical ways as well. Here are nine tips to break that invisible barrier and make new connections.
Right off the bat, it can feel strange to approach someone in your inner circle the way you would in a general appeal letter or fundraising page. You might be saying to yourself, “They already know who I am, and they already know how much my art means to me, so how do I even start? Do I just ask for money?” In a way, yes. But it is also important to stress that whether or not they choose to give will have no effect on your relationship, and that your relationship with them is more important than a fundraising campaign. That may sound obvious, but sometimes it’s worth making explicit, especially when money isn’t a popular topic of conversation. Soliciting donations from loved ones isn’t about emotional manipulation; rather, it’s about giving them the opportunity to support the thing you love doing.
Is this weird? Yes, it is! Talking about money, let alone asking for money, can be one of the hardest, cringiest things a working artist does. But if receiving donations from your inner circle can make or break an artistic endeavor, it is worth wading through the weirdness. More than that, acknowledging that asking feels weird to you might actually make the conversation easier, both for you and the person you’re talking to. Honesty and authenticity are important tenets of any fundraising effort, so don’t be afraid to be upfront with your closest people about where you’re at in this given moment.
The explicitness of the first tip and the honesty of the second tip combine forces in this third tip. If you’re making a fundraising call, make that the point of the call. This doesn’t mean turning into a robot when your mom is trying to tell you about what flowers in her garden are starting to bloom. But it does mean clarifying, preferably at the onset, that this specific call is more business than pleasure, which will make it much easier for you to make the ask clearly and confidently. And if you really want to hear about those flowers, or catch up with a particular person, set up another time soon to do just that!
Matching gifts may not be common vernacular in your close-knit group texts, but letting your closest people know what they are and how they work could be beneficial to your fundraising goals. Matching grants or gifts occur when an institution lets individual donations go further by matching those donations. Ask your friends and family to inquire about whether their employers offer a matching grant program. It’s an easy way for them to have their donations make even more of an impact.
This one is simple. Thank your donors promptly (within 1 day!) of receiving a donation. It’s important for them to know how much you value their donation, and a prompt thank-you goes a long way in doing so. Send an email, give them a call, mail them a physical thank-you letter, whatever method you feel your donors will appreciate the most.
While we’re on the subject of sending thanks, it’s important to know that personalization is the way to go when corresponding with donors. Imagine giving money to someone important in your life so that they could continue to pursue their creative passion only to receive a generic, one-size-fits-all thank you. Return their generosity and thoughtfulness with your own. Doing so will let them know that you value them specifically.
Once you’ve done the difficult part of asking your family and friends to financially support your art, pat yourself on the back, take a moment, and then remember to remind. The initial ask can pique a potential donor's interest, but a reminder may actually prompt them to enter their credit card information. But send reminders thoughtfully. Be sure to use their preferred method of correspondence, and don’t overdo the reminders; otherwise you’ll risk annoying or putting too much pressure on them.
This one is comparatively easy: bring everything back to your art. Keep your family and friends, as well as your other donors, updated on your fundraising progress, what milestones you’ve reached, and, best of all, how your work is coming along. They will feel more connected to your work knowing that their donation is making a difference. Be sure to include those who weren’t able to donate on your first ask. Keeping them updated may help them remember to donate the next time around.
It’s far too easy to talk yourself out of asking for donations. Times might be tough, and it might always feel like there are more worthy causes for financial support than your creative practice, but it’s not a zero-sum game. It is up to people to decide how they want to spend and share their financial resources. And who knows? Maybe for someone close to you, supporting you in the thing you care about so deeply is exactly what they want to be doing with their money, however big or small the donation. And remember, you can always set small giving levels ($5, $10, etc.) to encourage donations from people with limited resources.
Hopefully these nine tips will make the invisible barrier of asking family and friends for donations easier to navigate. Feelings of awkwardness, as well as overwhelm at the prospect of following up, are real and legitimate, but they are also part of fundraising for a cause you care deeply about. We are interdependent creatures who want to feel needed and part of a bigger cause, so let your family and friends be a part of your creative journey. You’ll be surprised at the support they’ll be willing and happy to give.
Got any other tips that have worked for you? Share them below in the comments.