Scott Harrison founded charity: water over a decade ago, after declaring himself morally and spiritually bankrupt while living his twenties as a NYC night club promoter.
In this interview, filmed before a live audience at the Pushpay Summit One Day in Charlotte, NC, Scott talks about the meteoric rise (and near demise) of Charity Water, courting high capacity and high net worth donors, and why excellence is the new standard for not-for-profits.
Welcome to Episode 219 of the podcast. Listen and access the show notes below or search for the Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts and listen for free.
Guest Links
charitywater.org | Instagram | Twitter | Thirstbook.com
The Spring: The charity: water Story
Links from this Episode
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Visit Pushpay.com and discover how your church can increase giving.
3 Insights from this Episode
1. Transparency can turn a cynical giver into a trusting partner
We live in a culture where the majority of people doubt authentic charitable organizations. 42% of Americans distrust charities and 70% feel non-profits are wasteful with donations.
Proving to be a trustworthy steward of money is crucial when recruiting financial partnerships. Offering full transparency into where funds go once they are in hand closes the loop of that unknown territory. When people can see where their money is going it takes them from jaded and cynical to trusting and hopeful.
2. Connect people to being a part of the solution through stories
When people feel connected to stories, they want to be a helpful part of the solution. They just need a guide – a bridge to help them connect to the need. Images and storytelling can create a desire to act where people are moved to ask questions and respond with empathy.
See your storytelling role as a guide. Bring them to the table of generosity and allow them to be redeemed in the process.
3. Scott’s top thoughts on how to engage generous givers
Scott Harrison has more than a decade’s worth of experience getting people to give to Charity Water. Here are some of his top guidelines on how to engage partnerships.
Be excellent. People hyper-value excellence.
Be transparent about where the money is going. Misspending repels charitable givers.
Avoid false humility. Generous people want to be giving to peers.
Don’t pitch a request asking for money, tell a story requesting engagement.
Don’t simply ask for a hand out – Invite people to join you in a solution.
When someone says NO, don’t write them off. Assume every no is a potential maybe another day. Grow your credibility and stay the course for the right time to give them another chance in the future.
Quotes from This Episode
CNLP 219: Scott Harrison on How to Relate To High Capacity Leaders (and Donors), the Growth of Charity Water and What Being a Night Club Promoter Taught Him About Leadership Click To Tweet CNLP 219: Scott Harrison on How to Relate To High Capacity Leaders (and Donors), the Growth of Charity Water and What Being a Night Club Promoter Taught Him About Leadership Click To Tweet CNLP 219: Scott Harrison on How to Relate To High Capacity Leaders (and Donors), the Growth of Charity Water and What Being a Night Club Promoter Taught Him About Leadership Click To Tweet CNLP 219: Scott Harrison on How to Relate To High Capacity Leaders (and Donors), the Growth of Charity Water and What Being a Night Club Promoter Taught Him About Leadership Click To TweetSubscribing is Free
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Next Episode: Rachel Cruze
Rachel Cruze talks about what motivates her as a public speaker and writer, what her dad, Dave Ramsey, has taught her, why going on commission is a much better system for your kids than allowance, how to help your kids through college without going into debt, and the top financial issues leaders and the people they serve struggle with.
Subscribe for free now and you won’t miss Episode 220.
