60 seconds with the
World's Toughest Donor
He's front-porch friendly and
unapologetically frank about what Christian organizations are doing (and not
doing) right when it comes to approaching individuals and foundations for
money. Care to listen in? . . .
Mark Cutshall
Tom McCallie
III has invested almost 30 years in the charitable work of the Maclellan
Foundation, Inc. Today, McCallie sits as Foundations Coordinator, which is a
supporting role for the new team Maclellan has assembled for the collective
giving efforts of Maclellan's five family foundations and trusts which have
served the evangelical and Chattanooga communities for more than 60 years. Tom
has reviewed thousands of grant requests and cultivated friendships with world
Christian leaders. When it comes to the state of Christian giving, he tells it
like it is—and how he would like it to be.
CMR: One
whole minute is barely enough time to cut to the chase: If you had one piece of
fundraising advice for today's Christian CEOs and development directors, what
would you say?
McCallie:
The CEO is the chief development officer. You can't get out of it, just as
Moses couldn't get out of feeding the Israelites. Second, everything you do in
fundraising is ministry and needs to be done as unto God.
Fundraising is all
about relationships, and it's unfortunate how poorly people in Christian
organizations manage relationships when they're trying to raise money.
Fundraising is a lot like dating. Generally you go out, hold hands, and kiss on
the third or fourth date, and eventually you get married. It's amazing to me
that some people in development, some leaders, don't see this and hand you a $5
million grant request on the "first date."
CMR: Talk
about the alternative.
McCallie:
Giving is an immensely spiritual issue. It should be seen as one's sacrifice to
God. The purpose of fundraising is connecting the heart of the individual donor
with the burden God has given him or her. In doing so, you also connect the
donor with the joy of seeing how God uses his money in the life of other people.
CMR: What's
the big distinction between major donors and foundations that leaders can't
afford to forget?
McCallie: As
a general rule, individual major donors are:
relational,
sustaining, and
respond quickly
Staffed
foundations:
Are more process conscious (staff is
responsible to others),
Are slower to act,
have greater tolerance for risk, if
announced up front, and
are project or short-term funders
CMR: What's
your advice to organizations as they approach a foundation?
McCallie:
Know your prospective donor. If you're looking for partners rather than money,
don't worry about having your ducks all in a row. Foundations have a tremendous
amount of insight and knowledge. Our foundations get 2,000-3,000 grant requests
a year, and yet money is only one of four assets we offer organizations—and
it's actually at the bottom of the list.
CMR: What
three assets could be more valuable than money?
McCallie:
The first is knowledge. We have a pretty good understanding of God's
economy and we know what a lot of people are doing around the world. Sometimes
we can help ministries connect with others doing similar work. We've learned
not to be prescriptive but to ask a lot of questions.
The second asset is influence,
the ability to provide credibility to an organization. We can get other donors
to listen and introduce donors to ministries. Third, we can convene
gatherings and bring together people of common interest and shared calling.
Money
is the fourth and least valuable asset we provide. Groups come to us for money,
but many times they need organizational consulting or someone other than their
board with whom to talk.
CMR: What
about the all-important grant request?
McCallie: A
grant request is not about getting money; it's about opening a door and
starting a relationship. Grant requests are not silver bullets; they're
kindling to start a fire. First impressions are lasting impressions, so the
content needs to be substantial and well thought through.
CMR: And
what if you get the dreaded "No"?
McCallie:
That's another misperception. There's never a "No" in fundraising
unless you're outside the scope of giving. Even if you get three, four or more
of them, "No" may mean it's not the right time. Or it may mean the
foundation or individual doesn't have the time to adequately consider your
request. Yet, even if you're turned down, the name of your organization is now
in their head.
Write and thank the person or the foundation for considering
you. Ask them to help you understand their response, and remember, fundraising
is never a one-time "ask." Jesus says to keep on knocking and you
will be answered. Also, one may not fund you, but will pass on to a friend the
good work you do, which may lead to a gift.
Tom McCallie
lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee with his wife, Elizabeth. You can reach at him
at tom@maclellan.net.
Mark Cutshall runs the world's
smallest public relations firm out of Seattle -- mcutsh@aol.com.
