Capital Catalyst Solutions

I get this question a lot when mentoring front line fundraisers, and the answer can sometimes be tricky. 

Not every meaningful donor visit happens over a meal, but breaking bread with someone can certainly build meaningful trust.

Let’s go far, far back for a minute… The practice of sharing meals dates back to prehistoric times, likely as far back as the Paleolithic era (around 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago). The development of agriculture around 10,000 years ago further solidified communal meals, as settled communities began to form, leading to more complex social structures and rituals around food.

In these early days, sharing meals built trust and cooperation with neighbors, and played a vital role in social interaction and community building.

With this in mind, it is no wonder why the some of the best relationships are developed over a shared meal.  But as a fundraiser, it might be tricky to know what to do when the bill comes.  Here’s some guidance:

• Make sure to understand your organization’s guidelines over business meals.  Giving front line fundraisers a fiscal year food and beverage budget (F&B) is helpful for planning the yearly visit calendar.
• When traveling out of town, it would be wise to ask the donor for their suggestions of a restaurant.  Chances are they know the area better and will pick a place they feel comfortable.
• If the prospect does not reach for their wallet…pay and thank them for the generosity of their time.  Remember that you invited them—so there is an inherent expectation that you will be paying. 
• If the prospect indicates they would like to pay…let them.  And most importantly, thank them…and thank them again.  These savvy prospects tend to understand that nonprofit budgets are tight and that paying for the meal saves the organization money. …Or they are just naturally generous…either way, that prospect deserves extra appreciation.
• If the prospect suggests splitting the costs—this can be tricky.  You might feel obligated to cover the full cost, and many fundraisers at this point will just cover the whole bill.  There’s no right or wrong answer on this one…do what feels most comfortable in that moment.
• The most important rule—-Always follow the donor’s lead!