65: Friendraising: Building Trust and Donor Relationships That Last with Louis Diez

My guest on this episode of What the Fundraising brings not only deep experience as a successful fundraiser for large cultural and educational institutions, but he’s also changing the conversation with fresh perspectives on both the nonprofit and donor sides of giving. Louis Diez, VP for Community at Almabase & Host at the Donor Participation Project, is sharing with us some of the research and insights that are going to blow your mind.

In the theme of this week's mini-series, Friendraising, we explore top-of-mind topics such as what it takes to become a trusted partner, how to cultivate the elements of a holistic fundraising campaign, and why it’s important to look at our campaigns through our donors’ eyes. We also take a look at the definition of community and how it applies when it comes to engaging donors in sustained and meaningful ways.

This conversation is peppered with fascinating food for thought, from the changing face of fundraising in a world with ever more diverse platforms for direct giving to the identification of new donor segments and the potential resource they represent. It all starts with establishing that all-important trust equation: Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy = Donor connections that go the distance.

Click here to learn more about upcoming Donor Participation Project events for fundraising professionals who want to move the needle by building better programs and leadership.

Is your nonprofit ready to scale up? Our sponsor DonorPerfect has evolved a powerful platform to get you there. Click here to learn more about how this collaborative all-in-one fundraising hub can help your organization drive results, coordinate development, and foster donor engagement.

There is a lot of overlap in Louis’ recommendation with what I teach inside my Power Partners Formula. Register here for the FREE masterclass to get the full blueprint. You might also be interested in taking my Fundraising Superpower Quiz.

Episode Highlights:

(02:31) – Louis traces the arc of his career 

(05:20) – Defining the art (and science) behind fundraising

(07:35) – The disconnect between the fundraising ask and other elements of donor relations.

(08:33) – The driver behind the Donor Participation Project

(10:34) – Understanding trust 

(15:25) – A more human-centric approach 

(17:14) – How nonprofit outreach can reach a complex group of humans

(19:50) – “We-centric” Work

(22:03) – All about overhead

(28:23) – A change in donor patterns and how to diversify the way donors give 

(30:53) – Louis offers a definition of community 

(32:09) – How Louis applies his community framework to fundraising

(36:03) – How to lead with purpose and guide volunteers 

(38:29) - Learn more about Louis and the Donor Participation Project

Huge thanks to our sponsors over at DonorPerfect. If you’re looking to scale up, DonorPerfect has evolved a powerful platform to get you there. Click here to learn more about how this collaborative all-in-one fundraising hub can help your organization drive results, coordinate development, and foster donor engagement.