Some people of means are just more generous to nonprofits than others.

Have you noticed?

In this post, I’d like to talk about the most frequently generous profile I’ve seen in 30+ years in philanthropy.

I first noticed this group when I joined the New Funds staff at The Oregon Community Foundation (“OCF”). As a fundraiser just leaving a major gifts post in a $100 million capital campaign, I was shocked to find that major donors just walked in the door at OCF – we didn’t really have to implement the early phases of the fundraising cycle.

Who were these great people?

A disproportionate number of them were business owners, often in privately held businesses.

What made them so motivated to help their community? I asked them, and here’s what I heard:

“We started our business here many years ago, and the community supported us. We want to support the community back.”
“Our children grew up here and benefitted from the schools and so many other community assets – the parks, the performing arts, the library, etc. We want to say ‘thank you’ and make sure future generations of kids can benefit as well.”
“Our business has produced a lot of wealth – more than we need, and our children are in good shape too. We have plenty to share with the community, and we just need to figure out the best ways to do it.”
“We got our business attorney and our estate planning attorney in one room with the company CFO, and we realized we could do something for the community as we transfer our business to the next owners. It was a great discovery!”

What were their common characteristics?

Age – usually in their early 60s if not older.
Location – they had lived in our community for many years and the company was founded here.
Lifestyle – usually relatively modest.
Community involvement — they had been donors all along to various groups, even sitting on boards, but now they wanted to do more giving and spend more time at it.

How can you identify and engage these donors, since they are probably not going to introduce themselves, set an appointment, come in and make a big gift? Some suggestions:

Look around your community to find successful business owners in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. Ask to meet with them at their business, find out what the business does, and let them know you appreciate their roles in the community as an employer, a customer of other businesses, a taxpayer, etc. (Be accurate and sincere, of course.)
Once you’ve been to see them, ask if they’d like to see your group’s mission in action. Put together a small group of donors and donor prospects (with other business owners if possible), and invite them over for a show and tell.
Stay in touch once they’ve gotten to know you and your group. Find opportunities to include them in events and program activities – perhaps inviting them and their employees to volunteer.
Ask them to consider giving, and ask whether they’d like to give through their company or personally or both. Ask them to start giving personally through your donor society at $500 or $1000 a year and then invite them to move up over the next 2-3 years.
Over time, as you get to know them, ask them open-ended questions about their company and their plans for the future, in retirement or semi-retirement. When that transition time comes for them, your group will have inspired their confidence. Add some general knowledge on your part about how nonprofits can accept the gift of closely-held stock, alert your group’s attorney, and you are ready for the conversation.

Other characteristics they often share: They are make-it-happen, interesting people. You will enjoy getting to know them, as will your colleagues.

Get started now!