Beyond the Basics: Rethinking How We Implement CCF Principles
The Challenge with CCF Implementation
After years of facilitating and talking about Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF) principles—which prioritize the communities we serve over donors—it's always fascinating to me that our format for speaking engagements is designed for extraction.
Don't get me wrong. I love when people are curious enough about CCF that they want to rush to the "how" of it. I could spend hours talking about the case studies I've implemented (all the successes, all the failures), and speak at length about the discomfort and challenges I've faced. I think it's important, in fact, critical, for audiences to have something to ponder and actionable steps to shift their fundraising/strategic thinking towards CCF principles.
I just don't think that onus is on the speaker to provide.
And I'm always fascinated by the ways that people want to demand a next step, a course of action, instead of really sitting and reflecting on what this work means to them and their work and devising their next step on their own.
You see, the thing about CCF principles is that they're meant to be a guide, not a prescription.
They're meant to be guiding posts and points of reflection for each of us to understand how to shift the focus from donors to the communities we serve.
Learning Through Example
One organization I worked with spent six months just examining their language in donor communications and shifting each communication to be more CCF aligned. They discovered they were unconsciously perpetuating savior narratives in their appeals. They realized they were scared to move away from donor-centric fundraising practices because they didn't want to risk losing money. Through careful reflection, conversations, and a true collective commitment to shifting things towards equity, they transformed their messaging to emphasize partnership rather than dependency. But this wasn't just a matter of changing an appeal and calling it a day. This took many conversations, internally, across departments, and a real commitment to shifting the culture within their organization. This wasn't a quick fix—it was a journey of learning and unlearning. It wasn't one next step. It was several. And it's ongoing.
And this example was just about donor appeals. Why do we continuously demand speakers/facilitators to spell out next steps for OUR specific issues, our specific organizations, our specific values? Why do we think that they are the best people to answer this question?
Every time I speak about CCF principles, I'll usually have one or two people come up and say "I know the principles, now what?". Knowing them and being able to refer and recite them, doesn't mean they're implemented in your work. There's a myriad of ways to implement CCF principles from your fundraising appeals, stewardship practices, board relations, strategic planning, and even volunteer engagement practices.
It's compelling to seek actionable next steps from others or perceived experts for this work. I understand the impulse. But what this work actually requires, what it needs most, is honest conversations and reflections.
It requires us to sit in the discomfort of "I have perpetuated harm" or "I wasn't willing to have an honest conversation" or "I'm scared of what this will take." When I facilitate or speak about CCF, beyond presenting the principles or case studies that I have, I'm actually seeking to create a space and point of reflection for others to ponder this themselves.
Here's some follow-up questions to CCF principles discussions that I would recommend so you can move further into equity and CCF:
1) When I look at the principles, which ones made me uncomfortable? Note them.
Follow up:
-Was I uncomfortable because the scope of work it required for me to implement it was too much?
-Was it uncomfortable because I knew I'd need more support than I had?
-Was it uncomfortable because I disagree?
2) When's the last time I had a difficult conversation with a donor, staff, volunteer, board member?
Follow up:
-What did I learn from it?
-What meaning did I gain?
-How will I implement this in future interactions?
-Am I willing to share this example with my team? Why or why not?
3) What ways do I perpetuate the myth of altruism in nonprofit work?
Follow up:
-Am I clear and vocal about the ways I benefit from the nonprofit industrial complex?
-Do I directly or indirectly subscribe to martyrdom in my work?
4) How do I demonstrate a commitment to economic justice?
-Who or what missions do I invest in that demonstrate this?
5) What are some problematic nonprofit practices that I have been taught (directly or indirectly)? How am I questioning this?
-Do i give myself (or my team) time to be able to regularly reflect on this?
-What resources do I give myself to do this?
I always say, if you see someone that says there's an absolute pro or expert at CCF principles, be critical of this. For me, that's the equivalent of someone telling me they understand the ins and outs of equity- perfectly.
A truly skilled facilitator isn't a lecturer. A skilled facilitator is someone that's going to create a space of curiosity and accountability to help you probe deeper into the "why" of what you do.
So take these questions as another resource to pursue and practice that curiosity. Remember, the goal isn't perfection—it's progress and authentic commitment to serving our communities better.
Additional Resources
CCF Principles Overview: https://communitycentricfundraising.org/ccf-principles/
Further Reading*: https://communitycentricfundraising.org/2024/11/04/centering-community-in-year-end-appeals/
*Take a note of how Kelly positions herself as a student of CCF. This is the type of communications and resources that signal to me who I want to listen to and who i can learn from. I continuously learn from Kelly's humility, curiosity, and commitment to implementing CCF in everything she does.
If you're interested in having a facilitator or thought partner to dive deeper into CCF principles and equity in nonprofit work. Let's get in touch.
