Fundraising vs. Coaching

My experiences in coaching to this point involves youth sports. I've coached each age group in youth soccer from 5 to 19 years old. Teaching little kids is about maintaining a level of enjoyment in the sport, and making sure that the learning process is more about fun than work. As players progress in age and ability, coaching becomes more about fine tuning communication and building on the foundation of ability and knowledge laid out when the players were younger.

My experiences with fundraising are a bit more limited. Having daughters, I've been involved with several rounds of the ever familiar "Girl Scout Cookie" armada. To a certain degree, this too is about communication and teaching, and building on, a firm foundation. Communication comes in with the girls having to go door to door, or having to approach people when they are positioned in front of grocery stores. The not only need to know how to approach people in a positive manner, but they also need to understand how to set expectations with the customers and give them all of the information that they need. I also feel that we are teaching kids about self confidence, character, and leadership and these are characteristics that will aid these girls throughout their lives.

After reading Delisio's article on the similarities between coaching and fundraising, I have a better idea of how principles that are utilized by any successful coach can be directly applied to being a productive fundraiser. Both endeavors start with understanding where the "talent" is, figuring out which "talent" is best suited to your program, connecting with the "talent", and ensuring your relationship with the "talent" is mutually beneficial to both parties, and finally cultivating that relationship to ensure a long term commitment.