# What Donors Want – recorded live at IoF’s 2019 Fundraising Convention

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2019/10/07/what-donors-want-recorded-live-at-iofs-2019-fundraising-convention/
- Published: 2019-10-07T22:36:29+01:00
- Author: Rachel Stephenson Sheff

**At this year’s IoF 2019 Fundraising Convention, we were thrilled to host a live
episode of What Donors Want, featuring the brilliant philanthropist, Sonal Sachdev
Patel.**

For those who are unfamiliar, [What Donors Want](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/what-donors-want/id1252602370?mt=2)
is a podcast by I.G. Advisors with a simple premise: to have fresh, dynamic (and
slightly irreverent) conversations about major gifts fundraising with donors themselves.
With past guests ranging from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to Comic Relief
and a range of major donors, our episodes are filled with unique

insights and tips from funders of varied perspectives.

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At Convention, we had the extraordinary privilege of interviewing Sonal Sachdev 
Patel about her philanthropy at [GMSP Foundation](https://www.gmspfoundation.org/),
and did so live in front of a large audience of major donor fundraisers. If you 
haven’t listened yet, the episode is now streaming on [iTunes](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/what-donors-want/id1252602370?mt=2)&
[Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/4b12naEf5VycqnKV9DYsQa), and here are three
key takeaways.

 

![Quotation from Sonal Patel on podcast](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2019/
10/what-donors-want-sonal-patel-1024x512.png)

## 1. Cultivating a donor is ‘like dating’

Joking aside – it’s true! Sonal spoke in detail about the helpful parallels between
dating and major donor cultivation, noting the value of a personal introduction,
the importance of facetime, the irreplaceable element of chemistry, and the strategic
alignment required on both sides of the table to move forward. While it can feel
tempting to rush an ask (especially if cashflow is tight), prioritising space for
genuine, exploratory cultivation will ultimately have a much higher ROI for your
organisation.

 

## 2. Don’t underestimate a ‘get-to-know-you’ grant

Sonal spoke in detail about her understanding that long-term, unrestricted support
is instrumental for charities, however trust must be built before a commitment like
this is made.

In her words, “we give a small flexible grant in the first year, and then use that
opportunity to get to know [the organisation] better. If all goes well, it’s then
that we enter into a longer-term relationship.”

This ‘get-to-know-you’ grant model is extremely common among funders so it’s important
for charities to be mindful of this, and to always steward the potential of someone’s
giving in this first, critical year.

 

![Quotation from Sonal Patel on podcast](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2019/
10/what-donors-want-sonal-patel-2-1024x512.png)

 

## 3. Stewardship is not ‘one size fits all’

When asked about stewardship, Sonal emphasised how critical it is for charities 
to directly ask donors about their preferences, rather than making assumptions and
applying a ‘one size fits all’ model. She acknowledged that while she knows some
philanthropists love long reports and fancy galas, Sonal actually prefers WhatsApp
updates and rarely attends events as she has

young children. As a general rule of thumb, donors will always appreciate if you
ask them directly which stewardship experiences they’d prefer (and these might be
simpler than you think).

Sonal’s fundraising advice throughout our interview was expert and invaluable, with
more gems than could ever fit into one blog post. You can hear the entire conversation
between me, I.G.’s [Emily Collins-Ellis](https://twitter.com/EmilyWillKnow) and 
Sonal by subscribing to [What Donors Want](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/what-donors-want/id1252602370?mt=2)
on iTunes or Spotify.

And stay tuned for more episodes, with more donor insights, coming to your headphones
shortly.

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