"Where there is patience and humility, there is neither anger nor loss of composure. Where there is poverty borne with joy, there is neither grasping nor hoarding. Where there is quiet and meditation, there is neither worry nor dissipation."

This week, I’m reflecting on Of the Virtues putting Vices to Flight by Francis of Assisi, first published in English in 1906.

Reflection questions:

• Where do you see evidence of a scarcity mindset within yourself?
• Which virtue do you want to cultivate this week?

Reflection on quote:

Last week in our series on cultivating an abundance mindset, we discussed how that mindset affects donors. As we continue this series, for most organizational leaders, the amounts that must be raised during a capital campaign can be shocking and overwhelming, leading to a mindset of scarcity. In those overwhelming moments, we have to start the process of cultivating an abundance mindset within our team, the Board, the staff, and the campaign volunteers. And that process starts with ourselves.

In the face of leading the organization through the most significant fundraising effort likely in the organization’s history, what do these virtues do? When we lean into patience and humility as leaders, we react calmly to the extensive time the campaign will take, knowing that cultivating an abundance mindset among our team and donors requires more intentional efforts. When there is poverty borne with joy, we as leaders communicate the reality that this capital campaign is larger than we can accomplish on our own and we invite volunteers and donors to join in the joy of accomplishing it together. When we pause for quiet and meditation, even during the busiest seasons of the capital campaign, we calm the frantic efforts and worry that feeds into a scarcity mindset within us. As we keep practicing these abundance-building virtues, we will more quickly escape the scarcity mindset and return to the abundance mindset.

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To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper and to schedule an free explore coaching call, visit ServingNonprofits.com.

Music credit: Woeisuhmebop

"...No matter how it happens, the testimony of those who have shifted in their minds, spirits, and emotions from an imagined world of scarcity and insecurity to one of abundance, blessing, sufficiency, and overflow is almost always the same: it is liberating......"

This week, I’m reading a quote from The Paradox of Generosity by Christian Smith and Hilary Davidson. 2014 edition.

Reflection question:

• Do you believe that when you are asking, you are giving abundance, blessing, sufficiency and overflow to the donor?

Reflection on quote:

This week, we are starting a series on cultivating an abundance mindset during capital campaigns. When we cultivate an abundance mindset, the act of generosity from donors actually changes.

During capital campaigns, we will encounter donors who give out of a believed world of scarcity and we will encounter donors who give out of a believed world of abundance. When we approach prospective donors to our capital campaign out of a mindset of abundance, we offer donors the opportunity to shift their imagined world from scarcity and insecurity to a world of abundance, blessing, sufficiency, and overflow. In small towns, we are giving a great blessing to our neighbors even as we are asking.

To purchase this book: The Paradox of Generosity by Christian Smith and Hilary Davidson.

Copyright: Oxford University Press 2014. Reproduced with permission of the Licensor through PLSclear.

What do you think? Send me a text.

To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper and to schedule an free explore coaching call, visit ServingNonprofits.com.

Music credit: Woeisuhmebop

"Urgency triggers a distinctive neurobiological state. In fundraising terms, this means an urgent appeal can literally put a donors brain in “alert mode” prioritizing rapid action over careful deliberation."

I am reading from Neurogiving. The Science of Donor Decision-Making by Cherian Koshy, published in 2025.

Reflection question:

• How will you maintain a sense of urgent and hopeful intentionality while being strategic during a sudden crisis?

Reflection on quote:

This is the last installment in exploring how generosity is deeply embedded into what it means to be human and how that impacts capital campaigns, using insights from a book recently released by my friend and colleague Cherian Koshy. This series has only looked at a handful of insights from this book; you can purchase his book using the link in the show notes. This week, we are looking at emergencies as it relates to capital campaigns because during capital campaigns in small towns there will be at least one crisis. Next week, we will look at abundance.

When the capital campaign hits a sudden crisis—maybe the Executive Director or Campaign Chair steps down mid-campaign, or construction costs jump significantly, or a major pledge falls through—our instinct might be to send out a panicked fundraising appeal. While these messages will help donors prioritize quick action, the key is finding the right balance where we're honest about the challenge without overwhelming donors and we also include hope to inspire confidence and action.

But here's the caution: we can’t cry wolf repeatedly. If donors feel manipulated or exhausted by constant emergencies, they will start tuning the capital campaign out. To avoid this, we must be strategic. Not every donor needs to be asked for every crisis. Instead, we are honest about the challenge. We share the plan to solve the crisis. Finally, we are intentional in determining which segment of funders we will ask to fill the gap.

Here's how to purchase Neurogiving from Wiley or Amazon.

Quote used by permission.

What do you think? Send me a text.

To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper and to schedule an free explore coaching call, visit ServingNonprofits.com.

Music credit: Woeisuhmebop