By Erica Sum, Research Officer, University of Toronto
After attending a number of professional development events concerning the topic of philanthropy and diverse prospect groups, it seems to me that some fundraising professionals may have questions about how to best move forward into what may be viewed as “unknown territory.”
This article is my sincere attempt to highlight assumptions I have encountered in fundraising in a diverse environment which I believe should be addressed with the hope of cultivating relationships built on mutual respect, trust and collaboration.
DIVERSITY IN OUR PROFESSION
Perhaps the most unhelpful assumption I have observed is one that frames “us”, the fundraisers, as Caucasian professionals who support a culture of philanthropy, while “they”, the new prospects, are visible minority groups who are also foreign, unknown, and perhaps not philanthropic.
Not only is this framework exclusionary, it does not reflect reality. While I understand that the “us” and “them” framework is not intended to be exclusionary, we should always remember that “we” are not all Caucasian and “they” may be Canadian citizens or native Canadians, and should be recognized as such.
“ETHNIC” IS NOT A USEFUL DEMOGRAPHIC CATEGORY
In my professional development, I have personally encountered such questions as, “Do ethnic people prefer to give anonymously?” or “Should we approach ethnic prospects with someone of their own ethnicity?” or “Do Asians give?” These questions suggest that non-Caucasian prospects can be placed in the same group and are not as complex or multi-faceted as other donors. Diverse prospects are simply that: diverse. It is dangerous to think that we can rely upon sweeping generalizations to develop strategies in approaching a prospect, especially at the major giving level where we are cultivating relationships with individuals, not demographic segments.
In writing this, I do not wish to imply that there are no demographic trends for different ethnic groups. There are indeed, useful trends, just as we can identify trends for our Caucasian prospects.
Demography, statistics and analytics are powerful tools that support us in the work that we do. What I am suggesting is that we should look for the same level of granularity for all of our prospects in order for such tools to be beneficial.
INVESTMENT IN CULTURAL COMPETENCY
Gaining cultural competency in order to cultivate new ethnic groups may have a longer and steeper learning curve than one might expect. Social interaction is always contextual and there is no quick and easy reference guide that can replace real life experience. Becoming conversant in a different culture is a major investment in which the returns may not be immediate. Imagine, for example, the length time it takes a new immigrant to acclimatize to a new country and the incredible amount of new information and experiences needed in order to do this successfully.
Unless your immediate workplace is very diverse, or if your organization has a long history of working with diverse communities, successfully conducting outreach to new communities will be a resource intensive investment. Having said that, the statistics and trends pertaining to wealth distribution in Canada are clear and we cannot use a significant upfront cost as a reason to deter us from engaging new prospects in ways that are meaningful.
A STARTING PLACE
If you work in a diverse workplace, leverage this incredible asset. Your co-workers may be able to impart relevant and contextual information about naming conventions, cultural norms and business practices from all over the world – information specific to your context that you will not be able to find online or in reference books.
If your organization lacks ethnic diversity, tap into your professional network! In addition to seeking advice from your colleagues, there is also a growing body of professional publications and resources on this topic. These include case studies, AFP’s Inclusive Giving project, and conference sessions to name a few.
At the end of the day, people are people. As professionals drawn to fundraising, understanding people and developing relationships are our areas of expertise. We know how to work from a foundation of sincerity and respect. We possess the fundamental skills needed to engage new prospects – whoever they happen to be. No matter how diverse our prospects are, we can always find common ground for collaboration and that is our commitment to a shared vision. We all have excellent causes to support; so let’s get to it!