--- title: How to Be a Chameleon of Causes to Appeal to Your Donors' Passions · DickersonBakker description: Like a chameleon, you can change your color to fit a donor’s interests. Know what’s important to the donor, then you can appeal to your donors' passions. image: https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Man-praying-at-church-e1450201331187-1.jpg --- [![DB-logo-2023](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/hs-fs/hubfs/DB%20Logos/DB-logo-2023.png?width=1300&height=214&name=DB-logo-2023.png "DB-logo-2023")](https://dickersonbakker.com/) - Home - Who We Are - [About Us](https://dickersonbakker.com/about/) - [Our Team](https://dickersonbakker.com/about/our-team/) - What We Do - [Fundraising Solutions](https://dickersonbakker.com/fundraising-solutions/) - [Capital Campaigns](https://dickersonbakker.com/capital-campaigns/) - [Executive Search](https://dickersonbakker.com/executive-search/) - [Grant Services](https://dickersonbakker.com/grant-services/) - Who We Serve - [National & Regional Nonprofits](https://dickersonbakker.com/national-regional-nonprofits/) - [Global Aid & Outreach Ministries](https://dickersonbakker.com/global-aid-outreach-ministries/) - [Christian & Private Schools](https://dickersonbakker.com/christian-private-schools/) - [Higher Education](https://dickersonbakker.com/higher-education/) - [Salvation Army](https://dickersonbakker.com/salvation-army/) - [Rescue Missions](https://dickersonbakker.com/rescue-missions/) - [Community Organizations](https://dickersonbakker.com/community-organizations/) - [Camps/Conference Centers](https://dickersonbakker.com/camps-conference-centers/) - [Broadcast Ministries](https://dickersonbakker.com/broadcast-ministries/) - Resources - [News & Insights](https://dickersonbakker.com/blog/) - [Case Studies](https://dickersonbakker.com/case-studies/) - [Research Studies](https://dickersonbakker.com/research-studies/) - [Upcoming and On-Demand Webinars](https://dickersonbakker.com/upcoming-and-on-demand-webinars/) - [Contact](https://dickersonbakker.com/contact/) # DickersonBakker Blog ![](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Man-praying-at-church-e1450201331187-1.jpg) ### How to Be a Chameleon of Causes to Appeal to Your Donors’ Passions December 15, 2015 By [Guest Contributor Brent Hafele](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/author/guest-contributor-brent-hafele) [Categories Boards Campaign Planning Study Capital](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/tag/categories-boards-campaign-planning-study-capital-) In 2014, which category do you think received the most philanthropic gifts? - Arts, culture, and humanities - Education - Environment/animals - Foundations - Health - Human Services - International affairs - Individuals - Public-society benefit - Religion Ready for the answer? ![](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/2015-12-09-Chameleon-of-Causes-Blog-1-1.jpg?width=601&height=568&name=2015-12-09-Chameleon-of-Causes-Blog-1-1.jpg) Surprised? I know I was. I thought for sure that Human Services and Education would be higher. You may look at those numbers with depression. “Mano,” you may think, “my agency knits sweaters for city racoons. How are we ever supposed to compete with religious or educational organizations?” Well, good news, my friend. Just because your agency may be classed as one type of service, doesn’t mean your [case](http://dickerson-bakker.com/does-your-case-statement-answer-these-three-questions/?__hstc=253625366.2178765ac50327306b7f6b533fdcf21e.1687888903182.1687888903182.1687888903182.1&__hssc=253625366.105.1687888903183&__hsfp=1561754925) has to be. When the pregnancy center I volunteer at hired Brent to do a fundraising accelerator, he showed us that we weren’t just a pregnancy center. Our mission could be tailored to many different interests. For example, those who are passionate about serving the poor: the pregnancy center provided free services and goods (like diapers, formula, cribs, clothes) to our clients. For those donors interested in education: the center offered free one-on-one counseling and coaching sessions that went through curriculum such as: healthy pregnancy, parenting, and finances. For those excited about women’s issues: the center was coming alongside single mothers who didn’t have a support system to provide material and emotional aid. Just because we were technically in the “Human Services” category didn’t mean we could *only*  be that. Like a chameleon, you can change your color to fit a donor’s interests. The important thing is to know what’s important to the donor, then you can appeal to their passion. ##### **\*\*Graph courtesy of: “Giving USA 2015: Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2014 .” *Giving USA*. [Charity Navigator](http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/content.view/cpid/42#.Vj54ufmrS71). Web. 7 Nov. 2015.** --- ***Are you stuck with racoon sweaters? Dickerson, Bakker & Associates can assess and show you ways to accelerate your fundraising program. [Contact us](http://dickerson-bakker.com/contact/?__hstc=253625366.2178765ac50327306b7f6b533fdcf21e.1687888903182.1687888903182.1687888903182.1&__hssc=253625366.105.1687888903183&__hsfp=1561754925) today to find out what forward looks like for you?*** Written by: ## Guest Contributor Brent Hafele [Full Bio](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/author/guest-contributor-brent-hafele) | [More by Guest Contributor Brent Hafele](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/author/guest-contributor-brent-hafele) [Back to blog](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com) ### Get Our Newsletter ### Categories - [Categories Boards Campaign Planning Study Capital (259)](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/tag/categories-boards-campaign-planning-study-capital-) - [Nonprofit Organizations (32)](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/tag/nonprofit-organizations) - [Fundraising (29)](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/tag/fundraising) - [Leadership (21)](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/tag/leadership) - [News (19)](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/tag/news) ### Search Shares ![Facebook](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/hubfs/Dickerson_Bakker_October2019/Images/Floating%20Social%20Icons/Facebook.png) ![Twitter](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/hubfs/Dickerson_Bakker_October2019/Images/Floating%20Social%20Icons/Twitter.png) ![Google+](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/hubfs/Dickerson_Bakker_October2019/Images/Floating%20Social%20Icons/googleplus.png) ![Email](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/hubfs/download.png) ![LinkedIn](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/hubfs/Dickerson_Bakker_October2019/Images/Floating%20Social%20Icons/Linked%20In.png) ## What does forward look like for you? 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