Donors rarely get asked to fund Brand initiatives or strategy development, or Marketing Strategy, and I get why not. It’s not what they “signed up for” as a donor, is it? But, in talking to a Foundation recently, I heard the opposite - these major donors would love to fund foundational strategy work, so that the work and organizations they care about have sustainable impact, and use their money better, over the long run. And that sustainable impact? That’s what I, as a donor, think of as excellent ROI. 

So, what does that look like? 

My Dad was a builder. He was a dreamer, excellent at looking at a piece of property, understanding the community’s needs and having vision for what would be needed in future, like seniors’ housing for an aging population. He had employees ready to go, and could go to the bank to ask for the money to build. 

But, while he was the visionary builder, he still needed a plan. The architects would take his vision, and the function he wanted, and draw up those plans. The plans would be approved by the city planners, and it would be full-steam ahead. The foundation forms would be dug and poured to support the plan, and keep the building straight. He could look at that same plan and understand how many weeks the project would take, develop a budget and spec out all the materials he’d need to make it happen. 

And when he was done? If the foundation was right, and the architects did their job correctly, the building would function as it needed to support the people who would work and live in it for decades to come. 

For so many of the organizations we come alongside, leaders have inherited an incredible vision and mission, in a building without the architectural planning of Brand Strategy (knowing exactly who they are, and who they serve, and how they will consistently and authentically show up) or Marketing Strategy (knowing exactly how they’ll find the donors they need, and continue growing in visibility so they can grow their mission and impact, and measure it.)  

They find themselves struggling in “rooms” (or roles) that don’t function smoothly, and keep bumping up against the same struggles with communications, not reaching the right people, or programs that just don’t fit anymore. 

The good news is that it takes far less energy to build a Brand Strategy or a Marketing Strategy that fits and functions, than tearing down a house and starting again. And, savvy donors who love your mission, would be more likely to keep funding this mission if they know you can do more with their money, in the long term, and drive stronger results with a solid foundation. 

In the words of the Foundation I talked about in the first paragraph, “we’d rather invest in getting things right, than keep on funding a broken system.” 

These donors? They’re on your team. They want your organization to succeed. What an incredible opportunity to get in on the “ground floor” and do just that. 

Need help figuring this out? Request our Case for Support Template to help get you started with connecting with your donors around Brand and Marketing Strategy.