The Monkeys Weren’t in the PowerPoint 🙈

I thought I had a pretty good sense of Edmonds, Washington - the community where I’ve lived most of my life. It’s a relatively well-to-do suburban town on the Puget Sound with charming shops, good restaurants, and a lovely downtown. 

Food insecurity wasn’t something I associated with Edmonds. Then some friends and I were invited to tour the local food bank, just a short bike ride from those affluent shops and restaurants.

We watched people gather groceries. We toured the storage areas and refrigerated sections and began to appreciate the coordination required to get food into people’s hands. Working inside of a local church, volunteers were managing a massive, complex operation - setting everything up and packing it all away every single week. The Executive Director flashed us a weary smile and said, “What we really need is our own permanent place to serve these good people.” We had zero confusion about why that was true!

Then we heard how many people relied on the food bank week after week. While that was shocking, what stayed with me wasn’t just the size of the need. It was the realization of how much was happening behind the scenes in my own town. People needed food. Other people were finding ways to get it to them. And I lived nearby, with so much to learn about what was happening right under my nose.

You can put some of that in a presentation, of course. You can share the numbers, explain the logistics, and describe the need. But there’s something different about walking where the work happens and meeting with the people who are served. You begin to understand things you might never have thought to ask about.

There’s a special power in vision trips

Vision trips are the number one way that I’ve cultivated and secured major gifts over the last 30 years. There’s not a close second. 

Here’s another example:
A few years ago, I took a handful of supporters to West Africa to experience firsthand the work of a charity serving vulnerable children. One day, we watched a staff member coach and care for a local leader who was helping children reunite with their families. It was one example of similar work happening in hundreds of places throughout the region

We were amazed by what could be accomplished - and overwhelmed by the size of the task. There we were, watching one staff member support one local leader who was caring for children and helping reunite families. Suddenly, our conversations about “scale” had real people in them. What had once been an abstract discussion was now something we could picture, feel, and talk about with an enhanced level of understanding.

In the months and years that followed, those givers and their connections contributed more than $1 million to the cause.

Over the years, I’ve found three elements worth making room for whenever we bring supporters into a firsthand experience of a cause: blessing, feasting, and playing. They work just as well on an international trip as they do during an afternoon close to home.

Blessing

Think about how you care for the people you’ve invited. Give your guests opportunities to encourage your staff and the people you serve. Bring gifts. Look for opportunities to treat your hosts to special experiences.

And be prepared for surprises. Time and time again, my groups have received extraordinary hospitality from the very people we had come to bless. There’s something beautiful about that mutuality. We arrive thinking we’re there to give, and we discover how much we have to receive.

Feasting

Some of our best times together have happened around tables with staff and local supporters. We once visited a restaurant owned by someone we knew and were treated like royalty. The meal was wonderful, but the time together was priceless. We had room to enjoy one another, ask questions, and let the conversation wander wherever it needed to go. 

Not every meaningful experience requires an international flight. For a local cause, it might mean lunch with the team or a favorite neighborhood ice cream stop after a tour.

Playing

At the end of a vision trip to Africa, we went on a safari. It gave us time to debrief, relax, and have fun. We stayed in lovely tents and woke to monkeys chattering nearby. It was such a memorable experience - one that still makes us laugh when we reconnect today. 

Closer to home, playing might mean attending a sporting event, enjoying a local performance, or taking a walk somewhere beautiful. Wherever the setting, make room to enjoy the place and the company.

When I reach out to people who have traveled (and played) with me, we reconnect quickly and warmly. We have shared memories, people we care about, and experiences that still make it meaningful to stay in touch.

Be intentional about financial involvement 

Don’t leave the giving discussions to chance. When I invite people on a vision trip, I nearly always help them understand beforehand that we’re hoping to build or strengthen our circle of financial supporters and connectors. I don’t want anyone to arrive with a mistaken impression of why we’re gathering. At the same time, I don’t want every moment to feel like a fundraising appointment.

Throughout the trip people are often considering their involvement. Toward the end, we’ll usually sit down over a meal and talk about it. I’ll ask what they’re thinking and how they’d like to continue the conversation. There’s no need to manufacture a moment to ask for money. Rather, create the conditions for people to see the need, understand the work, and consider where they might fit.

You may have a food bank operating a few miles away, or a team serving families across an ocean. What might your supporters notice that you could never fully explain in a meeting? And who might you invite to come see those things for themselves?

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If you haven’t explored the free resources I’ve created for major gift fundraisers, this is a great place to start:

• Follow me on LinkedIn for daily pro tips and reflections.
• Major Gift Fundraising MRI Scan - a short, story-based assessment to help you name your instincts and clarify your posture.
• JappaFry Writer - an AI tool shaped by 30+ years of real-world experience, teaching, and strategy.
• Breakthru Newsletter, Blog, and Podcast - ongoing reflections, conversations, and practical guidance for the work you care about most.

These resources are designed to meet you where you are - and help you move forward with clarity and confidence.

If you’d ever like to talk, you can always schedule a free introductory call. I'd love to get acquainted and hear what you’re navigating right now.

‍For organizations ready for more structured support:

‍You may not need a full-time development leader - at least not yet. Sometimes what’s needed is clearer thinking. Sometimes more consistent action. And sometimes, for a season, real leadership.Here are a few ways we can start building momentum together:

* Online Catalyst Course ($199) - A complete brain dump of 30+ years in major gift fundraising - the good, the hard, and the surprisingly joyful. Built around strong fundamentals, the sacredness, and yes, even the fun. Infused with insights from Henri Nouwen. Many who take this course find it gives them everything they need to build healthy, sustainable systems.

* Live coaching ($300-400 / 90 minutes) - Think of this as "brain rental". Focused, strategic, and highly practical. The kind of time that brings clarity quickly and creates real momentum.

* Laser-focused session ($99 / 45 minutes) - For one specific moment that matters - preparing for a high-stakes conversation, navigating an invitation, or working through a decision that needs clarity.

* Fractional Director of Development - For a small number of organizations, I step in more deeply - bringing clarity to your message, movement to key relationships, and structures your team can sustain long after I’m gone.
In the first 90 days, you can expect:

• clearer, more confident communication of your vision
• more meaningful engagement with top givers and prospects
• renewed movement in relationships that may have stalled
• simple, actionable next steps after each interaction
• a sharper sense of who is ready to be invited - and who is not

Most fractional engagements range from $2,500 - $7,500+ per month depending on the level of involvement.Not sure what kinds of support you need? I can point you to a simple Development Readiness Assessment -  just reply and let me know.

And don’t miss connecting with my colleague Ivana Salloum - she's wonderful and can help with scheduling, resources, and getting you where you need to go.

Thank you for the work you do. Truly.I’d love to hear what’s unfolding in your world - and how I can come alongside you.

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