Almost every non-profit Organization has been asked the same question at some point throughout any given fundraising campaign. How can I be sure that a donation to your organization will actually go to a worthy cause?

Convincing potential donors of the worthiness of your mission statement is relatively easy. There is a lot of good that can be done by non-profit organizations, and your mission is something that ought to prove that. The more difficult component of courting a donor, however, comes in proving that your organization is actually able to do what it claims it is doing.

People are naturally skeptical to spend any amount of money that doesn’t go to directly benefit themselves. Because it is the organization that requires the potential donor to act—rather than the other way around—the burden of proof is always on the organization to demonstrate the capacity of what a donation can do.

Use numbers to help build your case

If the donor you are soliciting is a genuine skeptic, they probably will not be convinced by you simply asking them to ‘trust you’. It is a generally known fact that some non-profit organizations are very ineffective—or even selfish—when it comes to using the funds that are given to them, and you are going to have distinguish yourself as one of the organizations not like these.

Using tangible numbers can be amongst the surest ways to get a skeptical donor to change their mind. If you can point to where, exactly, every dollar your organization receives actually ends up getting spent, you can provide them with the peace of mind they have been looking for.

Don’t just say that your organization is legitimate. Prove that your organization is actually spending its donations wisely. 

Provide statistics that demonstrate where every portion of each dollar ends up getting spent. People are motivated to give to organizations they see spend almost all of their donations on their actual mission. People are not motivated to give to organizations they see spend a disproportionate amount of their donations on marketing, merchandise, and excessive overhead. Though these things can be necessary, you are going to limit the fraction of your expenses that they occupy. 

Have a known third party that has verified your organization as legitimate

Even if you have the quantitative evidence to defend your claims, as long as you are still introduced as a representative of your organization, people are going to take everything that you have to say with a grain of salt. Instead of just asking them to take your word for the legitimacy of your organization, be able to offer the word of someone else as well.

There are a number of different non-profit rating, ‘watch dog’, and evaluating organizations that try to objectively determine which non-profit organizations are financially legitimate. If you can get a positive review from one—or multiple—of these organizations, your organization will seem much more legitimate in the eyes of the average skeptic.

Objective testimonials about your #nonprofit organization can go a long way.
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Having genuine proof from third party organizations can be tremendously beneficial. Additionally, it is a good idea to point out that your organization is an official 501 (c) organization that has been recognized as a non-profit entity by the IRS. Though this won’t relieve you of all potential criticisms, it certainly contributes to your case for legitimacy.

Point to tangible examples of success

Though numbers and testimonials can certainly help your case, they are still abstract ideas that people still may be skeptical of. Ultimately, if you really want to win over a skeptical potential donor, you are going to need to be able to demonstrate the tangible good your organization can do for the world.

Genuine good is not something that is demonstrated by the number of likes you may have on Facebook, the amount of money you were able to raise last year, or the celebrity profile of the people who attended your annual dinner. Genuine good is something that can be seen, appreciated, and respected by all.

What is that makes your organization exceptional? How have you sincerely been able to make the world a better place?

If you run a museum, demonstrate the number of children that were able to learn something new last year. If you are trying to help the homeless, show how many meals you were able to provide and how many lives you were able to change. Don’t try to demonstrate how well your organization has been doing—instead, try to demonstrate how well the world has been doing because of your organization.

If you have been sincere to your mission statement, and your mission statement has been objectively benefitting other people in the world, people are going to eventually recognize it. The only true way you can convince even the most skeptical of individuals is to prove that your organization is providing the change they hope to see in the world.

The post How to Prove Your Nonprofit Is a Worthy Cause for Donations appeared first on Ally 360 Blog.