A year and a half ago I was employed at a leading global education company, doing reasonably well by most standards. Deep inside, however, I was bored with what I was doing and racked with the sense that what I was doing was inconsequential. I felt that I had several good years still ahead of me and that I should not waste them doing something I just did not enjoy or relate to anymore. So, I decided to put in my papers and serve out my notice period. That was the easy part.

In search of new direction

The difficult part was to figure out what to do with the next chapter of my life. All I knew was that I wanted to step into a new territory and do something more exciting. That’s when I came across an article in the ET on ILSS. This piqued my interest and I soon discovered that someone I knew had gone through the program as well.  While contributing some of my time to the social sector had crossed my mind before, for the first time I began contemplating a future career in the social sector. Some friends and well-wishers I spoke to advised me to consider the downsides carefully – from significantly lower income, to having to make a fresh start in my career, the slow nature of change in the sector, the lack of defined processes in non-profit organisations, dealing with the long shadow of the government, etc. Others suggested that this could be the last opportunity to do something worthwhile with my life! All of this meant that while the social sector was in consideration, I wasn’t entirely sure if I wanted to head that way. So, the ILSS program seemed just right for a person at the fork, wanting a sense of what lay ahead if one was to venture onto this path.

The learning journey with ILSS

As things turned out, I quit my job a year ago and tumbled straight into the ILSS Leadership Program. It was, unquestionably, the best 9-day experience that I could have imagined. The content was new and stimulating, the speakers were inspiring (some of the sessions made our hair stand on its end), breakout sessions were invigorating and what was revealed about the issues, challenges, the scale and complexity of India made our usual corporate problems seem small and trivial. What Anu Prasad and her remarkable team at ILSS have managed to create is something that provides a great overview of the possibilities of the social sector without getting into the weeds, giving a taste of what could come without sugar-coating the future. The program energized me, filled me with a greater sense of purpose and imbued me with the belief that I could play a small role in solving these big problems. It also introduced me to a set of inspirational course mates and a larger network of corporate crossovers.

What I was not prepared for, however, was how invested the ILSS team would be in my social sector journey after the course. The team does a fabulous job of curating a whole range of social sector employment opportunities for those interested in making the switch. In addition to the efforts of the folks at ILSS, I also tried reaching out to people in the sector on my own. In doing so, I realized that people in the non-profit sector are generous with their time and advise. Despite everything, the right opportunities took time to come by and, in retrospect, I should have been more prepared for it.

Presently, I am serving a full-time contract with Central Square Foundation working on EdTech in government schools, which is a deep interest area for me. Further, I also serve on the boards of two other non-profits.

Key learnings so far

The journey thus far has been quite humbling and a great learning experience. I have had to adjust to several new realities and this is still very much a work-in-process. Some of my key learnings in the first few months of my journey have been:

1. Managing large scale of operations: The scale of a pilot ed-tech project in a single state in the government school sector is close to the size of an entire business catering to private schools. It takes getting used to.
2. Being patient and persistent: As a non-profit one may be offering one’s services for free; but getting the government to agree to avail of those services remains quite difficult. Patience and persistence are great assets and I know I have much work to do on both.
3. The need to be a self-starter: Given that many of the enabling structures of large or even mid-sized corporates are not to be found in non-profits, the sector demands insane levels of individual commitment and passion to drive things forward. The momentum has got to be all self-generated.
4. The importance of spending quality time learning about communities one works with: There is no substitute for field experience. Having entered the sector late in my career, it might be a bit late to make up for it. The next best thing is to learn from those that have great insights from the field. However young such people may be, it is likely that they may know more about how something might work on the ground. I need to keep reminding myself to be humbler to be more effective. 

It has been only a few months for me working in the social sector and I would be lying if I said that it has been all smooth sailing. I know that I need to commit to the sector fully without a Plan B in order for my work to create any meaningful impact over time. I am getting there!

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A few weeks ago, I had a call with the head of fundraising of an emerging non-profit organisation aiming to build significant scale. The person was bouncing ideas and seeking advice on sizing, strategizing and addressing the Indian philanthropic market. After the interaction, something struck me as odd and fundamentally amiss. It was the absence of confidence and an overwhelming presence of an apologetic demeanour towards raising funds.

Why confidence is key

Fundraisers are the first port-of-call and the organisation’s public face for donors. If you, as the fundraising person, are tentative and lacking in confidence, the donor could develop doubts on two counts: One, do you lack conviction or belief in your organisation? Two, is your non-profit capable of absorbing the contribution and using it effectively? And the donor will likely hit pause, reconsider, or worse still, terminate the contribution.

Yes, non-profits need the money. And yes, there is almost nothing ‘in return’ for the giver barring the joy of changing lives. And sometimes not even that when the donor is giving to fund structural overhead investments and no money directly flows to a cause or a community. Which is why it is critical that you exude confidence and conviction when you speak about your organisation and the reason you need funds. 

Fundraising – non-profit or otherwise – is a sales process. It is elevated salesmanship because one is selling, even if the ‘product’ is intangible. And a diffident salesperson will regress the organisation. Fundraising professionals need to possess and display confidence, not in a muscular kind of way, but in a manner that exudes quiet self-belief and communicates reassurance to donors and stakeholders. 

Gandhi unapologetically used modern sales methods like hawking autographed photographs of Nehru, Patel and Azad for a price. And Mother Teresa never suffered any blushes asking for funds in the name of the Lord.

Always remember that a wonderful idea and keen strategy can be waylaid by the absence of high-quality fundraising. Fundraising pulses the arterial blood flow of your organisation, its commitment and aspiration. The success of your organisation depends on how well – and how confidently – you do your job.

What makes a confident fundraiser?

Fundraising with confidence requires, in addition to a deep conviction in the work your organisation does, a significant amount of discipline and conscious, consistent effort.

1. Engage at a principal-to-principal level: Donors prefer to engage with principals while writing a cheque, especially, if it’s a large one. Given that context, it is essential for fundraisers to conduct themselves as principals and be perceived by the donor as the person responsible for powering the organisation. Consequently, the chances of closing the deal increase manifold. It is the responsibility of non-profit leaders to equip and position their fundraisers as principals. 
2. Narrate a story: Never adopt an in-your-face selling style. And don’t be boring. A good pitch is 75 percent emotion. Narrate a story and carry your listener on a journey. Use the story to anchor your pitch and let the listener discover a hook to your organisation and its needs.
3. Practice. Practice. Practice: Selling is a performance. Be honest. Be earnest. But hone your craft and sharpen your pitch knives every single day. Cultivate three pitches:
   • An elevator pitch that you can zing out in a minute
   • A 10-minute version for paucity of time
   • A 20-minute expansive edition.
4. Vary your pitch: If selling is a performance, remember that you are performing for a new audience every meeting. Sell the same story through a different route. Make uncertainty your best friend. The more you break the linearity of the pitch, the more comfortable you will get with ambiguities.
5. Take risks: Asking big helps and confidence is your biggest ally. Here is a story. Six years ago, when Ashoka University was still young and growing, I was in a meeting with one of India’s most celebrated business leaders. After a thoughtful 45-minute pitch and conversation, he asked, ‘What is the amount you have in mind for me?’ I replied, ‘We will be grateful if you could support Ashoka with Rs 50 crore.’ Now, a Rs 50-crore ask is sizeable even by today’s benchmarks but back then it could have been construed as overly ambitious. But was it? The gentleman thought for a moment and replied, ‘What if I propose Rs 200 crore instead?’
6. Confidence in vulnerability: Tell your donors you need the money. And that without their support, your organisation is unlikely to progress or deliver impact. Or worse still, even survive. I have said these in meetings: ‘We need your money, without which we will not be able to educate this student’ OR ‘We have just x number of days’ expenditure as cash in the bank, need your help to overcome the situation’.
   Let the donor know unambiguously that their contribution is central to the success of the organisation. Are you showing yourself and the organisation in vulnerable light? Yes. Will it hurt your prospects? No, because the honesty and integrity of purpose will shine through.
7. Demonstrate impact: A scholarship beneficiary from a small town accompanied me for a fundraising meeting. She spoke simply about her experiences at Ashoka and how that education altered her life. This lived experience is far more effective than any well-meaning pitch. This will elevate the confidence of the donor, and in turn, yours too.

In conclusion, train well and learn to sport a confidence cloak. Gawky everyday Clark Kent or Lois Lane can morph into fundraising Superman or Superwoman. The ask could be big or small but fundraising principles remain the same. It takes similar effort and diligence whether raising Rs. 500,000 for a scholarship or Rs 5 crore for building institutional infrastructure.

Lastly, never be apologetic. Non-profit work is uplifting and in the service of society and country. Let that selflessness inspire the giver into taking positive action. As Henry Rosso said, ‘Fundraisers should use pride, not apology when asking for a gift for a charity that is doing good work.’ 

Venkat Eshwara is one of the speakers and Mentors at the ILSS Fundraising Program, designed specifically to equip social sector leaders with the skills and knowledge needed to raise funds with confidence.  Applications for the Program are now open.

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