Prioritize tasks that will help you arrive at your destination.

Relationship-building is difficult work when you’re stuck on the hamster wheel of transactional donor engagement practices. We run fast and furious with great effort and exertion without ever changing our scenery. We find ourselves exhausted and simultaneously flabbergasted that we’re still in the exact same location as when we began our fundraising sprint.

And we have encouraging news. Over the past month, our team has interviewed donors from across the country to hear their perspective on the future of philanthropy in the midst of the worldwide pandemic.

Traditionally, major gift fundraising has been difficult during the summer months. From July through August donors tend to vacation, engage in more quality time with family, cut back on formal meetings, and in general don’t respond as promptly to requests for face time.

Lou Bruggman, lead strategist for Contour Strategies captures insight and advice from an interview with Bill Hautt, executive advisor to the Contour Strategies team.