They’ll Fund the Playground. Will They Fund the Plumbing?

Can you describe your mission in one sentence without referring to specific, restricted-revenue programs?

The hardest story in fundraising — and the one you have to tell.

Let’s start with a truth you probably already know:

Raising money for a new playground? Easy.  Raising money for snacks at the staff meeting? Yikes.  Raising money to keep the lights on, update the printer, and pay your brilliant-but-underpaid program staff?

Well… that’s the hard one. But it’s also the most important one.

This is the story fundraisers often don’t tell well — the story of unrestricted giving.  It’s not flashy. It’s not always tied to a single heartwarming moment.  But when you get it right? You raise the kind of money that makes everything else possible.

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Why Unrestricted Gifts Matter More Than Most Donors Realize

Most donors don’t think in chart of accounts.

They don’t wake up wondering whether their $100 will be categorized under “program services” or “general operating expenses.”

What they care about is this:

Are you making the world better in a way that aligns with the kind of person I believe I am?

That’s it.

But too often, when we lead with programs, we accidentally steer donors toward restricting their gifts. We hand them a menu instead of inviting them into the kitchen.

So they say, “I’ll support the literacy program,” not realizing that it’s the unrestricted dollars that buy the bookshelves, cover the training, and pay the rent on the room where the program even happens.

Unrestricted dollars are not extra — they are essential. They are the fuel, the oxygen, the infrastructure that makes the impact possible.

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Why It’s Hard to Tell This Story

It’s hard because it’s abstract.  It’s hard because it doesn’t sound inspiring when you say, “Help us cover our budget.”  And it’s hard because we’ve trained donors — unintentionally — to give to “things” instead of change.

But here’s the secret: the best case for unrestricted support isn’t about overhead or admin or general operating. 

It’s about the mission. It’s about the vision. It’s about the promise of what’s possible.

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Donors give because of the mission. They stay because they believe in the vision.

Mission Brings Them In. Vision Keeps Them Engaged.

Let’s take a breath here and go back to something I say often (because it’s true):

It’s the mission that brings them in, but the vision that keeps them engaged.

Mission is what your organization does. It’s the hunger you fight, the dogs you rescue, the students you serve.

Vision is what the world could look like if you do your work well — and keep doing it.

- No more hungry kids. 

- No more lonely seniors. 

- No more wayward wombats. (We support alliteration here.)

And donors give because they want to be part of that vision. They don’t want to buy a service. They want to fund a future.

So your job is to show them how unrestricted giving is the rocket fuel that gets us there.

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Can You Describe Your Mission in One Sentence?

Here’s a challenge: Can you describe your mission in one clear, compelling sentence — one that a donor could read and say, “Yes. That’s me. I believe in that.”

Not a paragraph. Not a five-point plan. One sentence.

Let’s say your nonprofit is called Wrangling Wayward Wombats. Here’s a version you might find in a strategic plan:

“Our mission is to provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary rehabilitation and long-term rehoming services for marsupials experiencing habitat displacement and trauma-related behaviors in a geographically diverse ecosystem.”

Technically accurate? Sure.  Inspiring? Not exactly.

Now try this instead:

“We're working towards a world where every wombat has a safe, caring, loving home.”

That version speaks to identity. To shared values. To a vision we can all believe in.

And when donors see themselves in your mission and as part of the vision — they’ll give to the whole thing. Not just the piece with the cute photo.

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How to Make the Case (Without the Jargon)

You don’t need a PowerPoint presentation with pie charts. You need a few great sentences that help people see — and feel — why unrestricted support matters.

Here are some ways to get there:

1. Talk about the Whole, Not the Parts

Instead of saying:  “Please give to our after-school tutoring program…”

Say:  “Your gift helps us create a community where every child has the tools, support, and safe spaces they need to succeed — inside and outside the classroom.”

Then make it clear: unrestricted support lets you do all of it. Not just a sliver.

2. Paint a Picture of the Dream. Use your vision boldly.

“We imagine a city where no family goes without food, where no senior is forgotten, where every child has access to learning — and your gift brings us closer to that world.”

That’s a lot more compelling than “Support our annual fund.”

3. Explain the Trust, Not the Transaction

People don’t give unrestricted gifts because they love accounting flexibility.  They give unrestricted gifts because they trust you to use their dollars where they’re needed most.

So say that. Out loud. Directly.

“When you give without restrictions, you’re saying, ‘I believe in you. I trust your team. I know you’ll put this gift to work where it’s needed most.’”

It’s not a technical choice — it’s a relational one.

4. Tell a Story That Shows the System

Instead of a single program story, tell a systems story.

“Last year, Emily joined our food access program. But what kept her coming back was the community garden our unrestricted donors helped us build, the transportation we could offer because of flexible funding, and the new staff we hired to support her family in other ways.”

One person, one story — but a whole web of impact that only unrestricted dollars made possible.

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Practical Tips to Strengthen Your Case for Unrestricted Support

- Ditch the jargon. Say, “the gift that fuels all our work.” 

- Use identity-based language. “If you believe every child deserves a chance…” 

- Include unrestricted giving in your default ask. Normalize it. 

- Name the value of flexibility. Show how fast you can respond. 

- Show the donor in the outcome. “Because of you, another student graduated.”

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A Final Thought (Because This Is the Hard One)

Unrestricted fundraising is hard because it requires clarity, confidence, and trust.

You have to believe in the value of your whole mission — not just the pieces.  You have to be able to articulate it in human words, not internal budget codes. 

And you have to remember: the best donors don’t want to sponsor a line item. They want to believe in a better future. And they want to help build it.

So show them that future.  Speak it boldly.  And make it crystal clear:

Unrestricted giving isn’t boring. It’s transformational.

It’s the kind of giving that fuels your mission, strengthens your vision, and builds a world worth believing in.

All wombats deserve a safe, caring, loving home.