Are nonprofits competing for market share?

You’ve likely heard this before: “your nonprofit is competing for market share—so you need a clear value proposition to win.”

But is that really true? 

Here are some assumptions we’re making if we think that way:

• That giving to charity is like buying a product or service
• That our competition is other nonprofits (vs. inaction, building up more savings to pass down to kids, or countless other ways people spend money every single day)
• That we are competing in the first place 
• That there’s a fixed pie of generosity 

What if instead we thought about it this way?

• People’s ability to grow their generosity isn’t fixed 
• It’s not a function of: are we nicer, prettier, more impactful, more efficient than other charities.
• It is a function of how engaged people are with us… 
• …and how well we align with their values and passions and worldview (those are things you largely cannot change, by the way)

So rather than thinking: how can we stand out from other nonprofits? 

What if we think: how can we “stand in” more in the lives of our donors?

What if we focus on donors, not competition?

Because there’s no competition in the first place.

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ABOUT THE HOSTS

Louis Diez advises nonprofits in annual fund development, digital fundraising, and engagement strategies. He's the host of the Donor Participation Project and founder of the Annual Fund Toolkit.

Mike Duerksen hosts the Build Good Fundraising Podcast. He’s the founder and CEO of BuildGood, a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors.