A Nonprofit Arts Leader’s Christmas Carol
To the tune of “Here We Go A-Wassailing,” to kick off your nonprofit holiday season
Here we go soliciting
To everyone we see!
Give a hundred thousand,
You’ll get a tote bag free!
Give and give
Unto us;
Give again
Before Christmas!
Be a donor and when you do,
We’ll ask you once again.
Every day, we’ll just ask you once again.
Now it is December and
It’s time to ask once more!
Here’s an urgent email
With words you’ve seen before:
Give and give
Give again,
To our year-end
Big campaign,
If you don’t give,
We’ll close our doors,
And it will be your fault.
Out of business and it’s just all your fault.
Every day until year’s end,
We text you every hour!
Just reply with YES and
They won’t shut off the power.
Give and give,
Give today,
Give tomorrow,
Come what may!
We solicit until we drop,
Even though it fails.
Every year, all this über-nagging fails.
Welcome to the holiday over-solicitation season!
Now stop singing, get back on the phone, and start dialing for dollars!
I’m going to take some time off for the holidays because I get to do that. I’ll be back on January 6. In the meantime, please don’t over-solicit your donors; it’s the number one reason they give for not donating a second time. Don’t listen to the desperation. Just do the work.
As always, if you need me (or just want to say “hi”), just email me at alan@501c3.guru. No, really. Go ahead.
Alan is always looking for good opportunities to write and consult for nonprofits that need a hand. And, of course, that elusive Perfect Opportunity™.
