Heller Group clients share how fundraising has reshaped their ideas of philanthropy

Earlier this month, Heller Fundraising Group CEO Kate Jaeger-Thomas talked about how she struggled with fundraising earlier in her career.

Many of our clients enter our partnership with a similar hesitancy. They’re not sure if their donors will believe in their bold visions, or if they’ll support it financially. And sometimes—especially for organizations without a dedicated development staff—they’re not comfortable making a significant ask. 

Two of our faith-based clients—Temple Shalom in the D.C. area, and Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale in New York—are in the middle of major capital campaigns. They’re making fantastic progress, in large part because their lay leaders are truly engaged in the process. 

Along the way, these board members have not only grown to be more comfortable with building impactful relationships with donors. They’ve also started to see themselves in a new light, as both fundraisers and philanthropists. 

‘I’ve been surprised by how generous people can be’

Ephraim Edelman, co-chair of the capital campaign and past president, says he initially felt uncertain about a campaign. He believed strongly in the congregation and what they were trying to accomplish, but asking others to make significant gifts was outside his comfort zone.

“The campaign itself felt very ambitious and daunting,” he says. “We were looking to raise four times what we had ever raised before. As the president of the synagogue, I knew that I had to be directly involved in soliciting larger donors. In some ways, this made it easier; it wasn't me but the role that needed to do the soliciting.”

Ephraim says the Heller Group provided a framework for how to approach donor conversations and guidance on building a strong team to work together on sharing solicitation responsibilities. Following the advice of our consulting team, he also learned to see fundraising as less about asking for money and more about understanding what people care about and giving them an opportunity to support something meaningful.

“I’ve gained a much deeper appreciation for how much CSAIR means to people, and often for very different reasons,” Ephraim says. “These conversations have given me the opportunity to hear people’s stories, understand what connects them to the community, and see just how invested people are in CSAIR’s future. I’ve been surprised by how generous people can be when you have an honest, personal conversation.

“The campaign has also made me think more intentionally about my own giving. As I asked other people to stretch, that made me realize that I needed to stretch too.”

‘I’m listening more than talking’

Mike Rubin, Temple Shalom’s campaign committee chair, isn’t a stranger to fundraising. Before they launched their current campaign, he had been involved with the congregation’s fundraising efforts for about a decade.

“I was comfortable with making a general ask,” he says. “I was not used to going to specific people and saying, ‘Will you give us money?’ You know, you individually. That was very uncomfortable.” 

In his first official donor meeting, things started to change. 

Mike went in with a big ask—$500,000—and the donor was quick to turn them down. But they immediately followed with a counteroffer of $250,000. 

“That’s when I started to think, ‘This might actually work,’” he says.

Instead of seeing solicitations as a chance to ask donors what they could do for Temple Shalom, Mike talks about giving as an opportunity to support something they already care about.

“We spend more time talking about deeply personal aspects or ways the community has meant a lot to them,” he says. “That level of emotional engagement has sometimes felt awkward in the past, but now feels much more comfortable. I’ve realized that people like to share those experiences. I’m listening more than talking.”

Like Ephraim, seeing how his fellow congregants have supported Temple Shalom’s projects has inspired Mike and his wife to do more for their community. The campaign has also reinforced Mike’s views on how Temple Shalom members show up for one another.

“We’ve been doing that consistently, even as rabbis have changed, as lay leadership has changed,” he says. “People who have been members for six months, 10 years, or 50 years tell the same story about how the temple has been there for them. The details change, but the core message remains.”