Stupid Move: Thanks for $0.00.

A few days ago I received a beautiful color thank-you email from my University "for a recent contribution of $0.00". Hmmmm....fundraising through guilt. I wonder if it will be a successful strategy for them.

While this email was clearly a computer mistake, I started thinking about guilt vs. acknowledgment and the role it plays in fundraising.

Guilt might garner a one-time token gift, but true acknowledgment creates on-going participation, productivity and continuous financial giving. Unlike the embarrassing actions of my Alma Mater, acknowledgement needs to happen before the behavior. Before the giving.

Today I received an apology email for the mistaken thank-you email of the other day. It was also very pretty. I was also assured that if I had given some financial donation, that I would be properly thanked for the correct amount over the next few days. Wow, I'm looking forward to that.


People have a need to find their role in any community with which they participate. We want to be valued for who we are, not just what we do. When people can lend their unique talents to a community that sees their value, and not just a "body", they will financially support the structure that allows them to feel this way.

I now understand my role in my alumni community. I am a data point that receives fundraising telephone calls and mail. Now, I could step up and create some visibility for myself within the alumni organization. Or, I might choose to login to my alumni account, change my contact information, and hope that some other random individual will get to feel just as special.