Whose Team Are You On? Lessons from College Football for Donor Engagement

It’s college football season, which means Saturdays are filled with rivalries, tailgates, and plenty of school spirit. Here in South Florida it might be easy to assume that everyone around here is (or wants to be) a Florida Gators fan. But we all know that isn’t the case. You’ll find Seminole fans like my family, Miami Hurricane fans, alumni cheering for schools up north, and plenty of people who proudly wear their colors no matter how far they’ve strayed from campus or whether there even is a football program to support.

That variety of loyalties is a good reminder for us in fundraising: we can’t assume we know our donors’ passions and priorities based on where they live, what organizations they’ve supported before, or even what’s popular in the moment. Geography doesn’t dictate team spirit—and it doesn’t dictate philanthropy, either.

And here’s another important twist: not everyone is a football fan at all. For every person painting their face and shouting at the TV, there are plenty who would rather spend their weekend reading, traveling, or doing just about anything other than watching a game. That’s okay! Just as we wouldn’t judge a friend for not knowing the latest rankings, we can’t expect every donor to align with the causes or trends that seem obvious to us. Their interests may be in areas we haven’t even thought to consider; until we ask.

This came up in conversation a lot during my time fundraising in Higher Ed. Donors frequently surprised me with their areas of interest. There was a business school grad who wanted to support scholarships for creative arts students and a scholarship recipient who was ready to fund professor sabbaticals when I expected a gift designated to student support. 

That’s why listening is the single most important part of early donor conversations. Too often, we show up ready to pitch, convinced we already know what will resonate and too eager to hit our sponsorship goals. But when we slow down, ask thoughtful questions, and give donors the space to share, we discover what really excites them. Donors will tell us what matters most but only if we make room for them to speak.

And we can’t discover those things from our desks. Development teams sometimes slip into the trap of writing stories about donors in our heads.

We tell ourselves: “She’s a parent, so she must care about youth programs,” or “He’s a business leader, so his priority must be workforce development.” But until we actually sit down with someone, those stories are just assumptions.

Visits—whether across a coffee table, over the phone, or via Zoom—are at the heart of good development work. They allow us to stop guessing and start understanding. They help us move from presenting to partnering, from making a case to uncovering shared values. And they remind us that philanthropy isn’t a transaction; it’s a relationship built on trust, curiosity, and authentic connection.

So this season, as fans cheer for their Canes, Noles, Gators—or no team at all—let that be your reminder: we don’t know a donor’s story until they tell it to us. The only way to find out is to show up, ask, and truly listen.

If you need help tackling your CRM to identify your best prospects for visits or working on strategies for once those visits are scheduled, please reach out to Team Kat & Mouse.