September 5, 2002 | Read Time: 1 minute
Opening Doors: Pathways to Diverse Donors
by Diana S. Newman, with Mindy Berry, Jessica Chao, Henry A. J. Ramos, and Mary-Frances Winters
The American population continues to grow more diverse, say the authors of this book, but fund raisers for the most part have not diversified their development efforts. Many development professionals lack an understanding of cultural differences, fear making mistakes or causing offense, or hold misconceptions about minorities, says the lead author, Diana S. Newman.
But incomes of minorities are rising, says Ms. Newman, principal of an Ohio fund-raising consulting firm, and many minority-group members may well be willing to step up their giving. Many are also likely to have only recently acquired their wealth, she says, and probably have not made long-term charitable commitments.
This guide describes the giving traditions and motivations of four groups—blacks, Asian-Americans, Latinos, and American Indians. It offers examples of ways various organizations have cultivated prospective donors of different ethnic and racial backgrounds.
Since racial and cultural groups can respond differently to the same approach, treating everyone the same may alienate or unintentionally offend potential donors, the book says. One chapter lists factors that contribute to successful fund raising among different minority groups—for example, personal interaction and group gatherings are especially important to black donors, according to the authors.
Other chapters provide demographic information and indicators of wealth for each group, describe some of the values and cultural sensitivities among members of different minority groups, and suggest ways to encourage small donors to increase their giving.
Publisher: Jossey-Bass, 989 Market Street, San Francisco, Calif. 94103-1741; (415) 433-1740 or (877) 762-2974; fax (415) 433-0499 or (800) 605-2665; http://www.josseybass.com; 236 pages; $28; I.S.B.N. 0-7879-5884-0.
