The 1849 gold rush and your organization's story
June 2010
peace among penguins
 
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In July of 1846 the United States annexed California.   Less than a year later, President Polk's State of the Union Address launched the California gold rush.  He said "...these mines are more extensive and valuable than was anticipated...  The explorations already made warrant the belief that the supply is very large and that gold is found at various places in an extensive district of country."
The gold rush that I learned about in 4th grade California history class was the story of tens of thousands of unshaven dream-seekers kneeling on the edges of every river and stream, swirling pans of gravel in hopes that they would find chunks of gold. Panning for goldBut there are other stories than the one sanctioned by the elementary school text books.
  • The story of Mexico losing 55% of its territory. 
  • The story of a free state being added to the union, tipping the balance of power between North and South. 
  • The story of the Native population plummeting from 150,000 to 31,000.
  • The story of 250,000 immigrants arriving from China.
Your organization has a story -- a story of people banding together for a common purpose.  As an organization builds a list of donors, it also builds a kaleidoscopic array of stories.  Each of those donors -- every single one of them -- writes those checks for a specific, personal reason.  A common mistake is to assume that the story looks the same to you and to your donors.  Don't believe that the textbook tells the whole story -- especially if you wrote it. 
If your organization would benefit from creative thinking about major gifts fund raising, let's talk.  I can help you think through how to raise money from individual donors in this tough economic climate, get ready for a capital campaign, strengthen board involvement in fund raising, or overcome anguish about money.  Call my cell phone (301) 758 3410, or send an email to  paul@jumpstartgrowth.com