August 07, 2007
Jargon Kills Fund-Raising Appeal
Phrases like “capacity building” and “fostering innovation” are like nails on a chalkboard to Kivi Leroux Miller.
Ms. Miller, author of the blog Nonprofit Communications, says these phrases might make sense in a nonprofit board room. But they turn off those who are reading a brochure or a fund-raising appeal, the author writes.
“Never cut and paste your grant-application language into a marketing brochure for a program and expect it to work as is,” Ms. Miller writes. “You are speaking to two different audiences who need to hear about the program in different words and ways.”
So which phrases should you avoid? Ms. Miller points readers to the Communications Network, which offers a list of foundation and nonprofit jargon.
Needless to say, phrases like “best practices,” “synergy,” and “throughput” are not likely to fit into the, um, “paradigms” of an organization’s “stakeholders.”
What nonprofit jargon words do you think should never creep into conversation or correspondence with donors and supporters? Click on the comments link below to share your nominations.
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Prospect, suspect, “secure a gift,” constituents, ...
— AY Aug 7, 02:35 PM #
Phrases used internally, such as “restricted” or “unrestricted” gifts.
— Flaneuse in DC Aug 7, 03:34 PM #
I beg to differ. I am planning donations as we speak and am specifically looking for some of the terminology you suggest eliminating. Am I so different from the typical donor?
— KinDC Aug 7, 04:04 PM #
“bucket,” “drill down”
— Larry Bostian Aug 8, 12:57 PM #
Thanks for the pick-up, Peter.
To KinDC, I have to wonder how many average donors read the Chronicle of Philanthropy. If a nonprofit’s donor audience is highly sophisticated about the field of philanthropy, I could see your point, but I don’t think that’s true of your average person who gives to charity.
— Kivi Leroux Miller Aug 10, 05:03 PM #