123: Communities of Care

..."It is the most beautiful, the most noble side of neighbourly love, wherein the word has fully become deed...."

This week, I’m sharing quotes from The Untapped Power of Jewish Fellowships and Forgotten Approaches to Care to connect the practice of hevrot to our work in fundraising.

Reflection questions:

• How are you "thinking in relationship" to avoid depersonalizing our donors to goals or metrics?
• How are you bringing groups of donors together during the capital campaign to create communities of care?

Reflection on quote:

As we plan and implement our capital campaigns, it's easy to forget the purpose of fundraising. At its core, fundraising isn't just about securing donations—it's about fostering genuine human connections built on care and mutual recognition.  The Jewish practice of hevrot underscores this. The article, The Untapped Power of Jewish Fellowships, defines hevrot as small, local voluntaristic groups of individuals who join together to do good works or promote piety. The practice dates to at least the second century.  The research in Forgotten Approaches to Care further explores this practice. 

Rather than seeing donors simply as a means to reach our campaign goals, we recognize them as partners in a shared mission. When we frame our work through an ethics of care, we acknowledge the interdependence that exists between all members of our community.

Think about what makes our campaigns truly meaningful—it's not just the transaction but "the most beautiful, the most noble side of neighbourly love, wherein the word has fully become deed." When we approach donors with this mindset, we invite them into a relationship built on genuine care rather than mere obligation. During a capital campaign, we have the privilege of weaving these networks of care that strengthen our small towns. When we face challenges, we return to this fundamental truth: we're not just raising money—we're connecting people to purpose and to each other.

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

Music credit: Woeisuhmebop