Picture this: you’re standing on a stage. There’s no script in your hand, and you’re waiting for a suggestion from the audience. All eyes are on you. Heart pounding. You’re trying to think of something funny to say to break the tension. But that’s just part of the job for an improv actor.
If you’ve ever sat across from a potential donor waiting for the right moment to ask for a major gift, you may know a similar feeling of adrenaline.
At first glance, improvisation and healthcare philanthropy don’t seem very similar. One is a performance, silly, spontaneous, and unpolished while the other is serious, strategic, and meticulously planned. But look closer, you may notice similarities between the two.
That’s what Brooke Rose, Director of Development at Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta and improv actor, dove into during her recent presentation at Convene Canada.
If you want to transform your donor relationships, it’s time to throw away the rigid script and maybe take a few lessons from improv actors.
1. Tatawa: There is Room for You Here
In improv, before the actors even step on stage, Brooke explains how there is a "warm-up." It’s a ritual to get out of actors out of their own heads, help them shake off the day, and regulate their nervous systems.
Fundraisers need this exact same ritual. Before you walk into a donor meeting or click "Join" on a video call, you have to check in with yourself, breathe, and regulate your own energy. If you are anxious, your donor will subconsciously mirror that anxiety.
To build true connection, Brooke emphasizes that we must embody the Cree, the most populous Indigenous group in Canada, word Tatawa, which literally translates to: "There is room for you here." So, in a donor meeting, it’s important to meet them where they are at. You should create a safe, inclusive space where they can be vulnerable. It’s important not to get too lost in your own dialogue.
Your job is to read the room:
- Are they having an emotional, heavy day? Create space for that.
- Do they want to skip the small talk and jump straight into business? Pivot immediately.
It is okay to be real. Improvisors lead with confidence, and so should you as a fundraiser. Showing up as your authentic self, fully present, is what puts a donor at ease.
2. The Art of Listening
There’s a reason we have two ears and one mouth. We should be listening twice as much as we talk.
In improv, if you are busy thinking about the hilarious joke you want to say next, you miss your partner’s offer, something they say or do on stage to push the scene further, and the scene falls apart.
In fundraising, if you are too wrapped up in your internal monologue ("When should I make the ask? Did I mention our 10-year milestones?"), you miss a donor’s “offer.”
Donors constantly throw out "offers." They might mention their kids' education, their upcoming retirement, or a recent health scare. An improv mindset trains you to accept those offers and explore them, rather than gliding right past them to get back to your slide deck.
Look out for Micro-Cues
Brooke explained that human beings process over 10,000 micro-expressions. To really drive your relationship with your donor forward, you must be in tune with their non-verbal communication.
If you’re speaking with a donor in person, notice their shifts in posture. Whether they get excited over a certain program or if they are reluctant about an idea.
Body language still matters on screen even if it can be harder to communicate. Brooke suggests shifting your camera slightly lower so the donor can see your forearms. Subconsciously, seeing a person’s hands and arms on a video call builds trust and safety.
3. The Science of Silly: How to Make an Audience Listen
In improv, a scene establishes a “Platform” within the first 30 seconds: Who are we to each other? What is the objective? Then, a problem is introduced, the problem gets worse, and finally, a solution is found.