A few weeks ago I shared with you a fundraising email from the American Kidney Foundation where they mentioned this:
I asked you whether you thought that was a good idea to share in a fundraising email or not. And you responded!
My thoughts: I wouldn’t post this. This isn’t a competition- everyone is working to find a solution to kidney disease. This also isn’t the for-profit world where something like this would be a norm.
Here are insights from Email 366 subscribers.
A PERSONAL VIEW
➡️ “For me that last line is a turn off. I have a son who was diagnosed with a kidney disease prior to birth called PKD. I follow a lot of kidney organizations as without all of them focusing on different aspects of the various diseases that exist, less lives would be saved. Now, my situation is very specific, but nonetheless some of their followers may have been directly affected and follow/give to other kidney specific organizations.
I think they should have stayed in line with the rest of the messaging of the email and said something like “Save More Lives Today. 3x match my gift.”
NOT A TOTAL TURNOFF
➡️ “I don’t think it helps them particularly to compare themselves to other NPOs. I think they’d be better served to say something about how together (with the donors), XX people with life-threatening kidney disease have been served directly….or something more eloquent than that.
Their point that they are THE LEADER in direct service to this community of patients is not a turn off per se. It invokes trust in their org to get the job done, but leaves the donor out of the solution.”
ANNOYED BUT MAYBE STILL GIVING
➡️ “For me, I would be annoyed at them for claiming they are the best. Superlatives make me annoyed in general unless they are intended for the exaggeration effect. For example, if a friend just walked your dog for you because you had a cold, you would say “oh, you are the best friend in the world!” But the kidney folks are not trying to exaggerate the claim, they are claiming the claim. So – I find that annoying.
However, it is NOT a punishable “offense.” If I was inclined to make a donation to a kidney disease charity, I would give to them after reading this email because the donation will be tripled. I would absolutely take advantage of that.”
➡️ “My initial reaction is that part is absolutely off putting. I think if one is committed to this cause, it wouldn’t necessarily stop a donation, as parts 1 & 2 are a much stronger argument.
I tend not to like when organizations flaunt that they are “the only ones” or “the best” as it is usually subjective and not true.
There are many organizations that do the same thing, but each might have their niche.”
➡️ “What actually puts me off about this is that they describe themselves as a “kidney nonprofit”. I wouldn’t donate to help kidneys – I would donate to help people who have kidney problems. They have seemingly left out the humanizing aspect in the 3rd part of that email!
In regards to your actual question, though, I’m not 100% sure them declaring to be the best puts me off. It does make me think they are quite big and have enough donors and money…”
TWO THUMBS DOWN
➡️ “I feel like they went off theme with that last statement of being the best of the best. I would have stayed within the previous messaging about kids, kidneys and a triple match. It felt a little abrupt, and self congratulatory.”
➡️ “I dislike when nonprofits use verbiage that fosters competition – partnering and supporting each other in our missions is what makes the most impact in our communities, not divisiveness; if you truly care about best serving the population your mission focuses on, you should let go of your own ego. I feel the same when I donate to other agencies – when they fixate on how much their dollars go to direct program support vs. overhead, or how they help more people than other agencies, etc., I do not donate; that throws other agencies under the bus, especially those of us in human services where the true cost of supporting an abuse survivor or a family is a complex thing to calculate.”
➡️ “I’m a bit put off from the 3rd part: “No other kidney nonprofit directly helps more people.”
The focus was on the three kids and your donation being tripled. They took the focus off helping people with kidney disease and stroked their own ego. Whether they are the best or just starting out, the donations are meant to help people, including children. They should have stuck with that. They had me emotionally connected with the photo.
If they’re the best, then I think I’ll make a donation to a different kidney organization trying to grow. People will still be helped with my money and that’s what I care about. In fact, donating to a different organization might help more people in different locations! Isn’t that what giving is all about?!?!?”
BUT ARE THEY
➡️ “I feel its pretty bold to state no other kidney program directly helps more than they do.
I get the point they are trying to make, the money goes directly to help, no admin costs, however it is a bit off putting and it makes me wonder…. Do they really?”
➡️ “It would make me think twice or thrice and cause me to research whether or not “No other kidney nonprofit directly helps more people.”