Get to Know Us: Q&A with Shirley Coly

Asking for money isn’t always the easiest thing to do, and your role involves making numerous requests daily. What method do you follow to stay energized and avoid burnout while securing donations?
I like to think of my role as a matchmaker in that I’m helping people connect more deeply with causes they are passionate about and where their support can move the needle. Over the years I’ve learned not to take “no” personally, and that it often means “no, not right now.” When the match is good, seeing the joy and connection people get from giving back energizes me. I’ve learned to be a better listener. I meet so many interesting people who want to make a difference in their community—hearing their stories reminds me of why I do this work. And, spending a day in one of our parks or attending a workday for a partner organization is the perfect antidote to burnout.

You’ve been fundraising for more than 25 years. Can you share some of the ways that fundraising has evolved over the years and your experience adjusting to those changes?
Communicating impact and sharing stories from the field is much easier using various social media tools. There’s also been a shift from giving by mail to most gifts coming via the internet. Another big shift is the Donor Advised Fund (DAF) as a giving tool. DAFs make it easier for donors to plan their giving and receive the optimal tax deduction. For fundraisers, it sometimes makes it hard to communicate directly with the donor, which can be challenging. What has remained constant over my career is generous people investing in their communities.

As you’ve been connecting with community members, what insights have you gained about the motivation behind their donations? You’re also one of our many generous supporters—what inspires you to give?
People connect strongly with our mission because they care about parks and public spaces, and because they understand the value SPF brings to our partner organizations who are deeply rooted in community, connecting people to their surroundings and to each other. I sense people have a deeper connection to nature here than in other cities where I’ve lived and I think that’s because Seattle has been intentional in planning and managing its parks and public spaces. Many of our supporters are deeply engaged in activities in their neighborhood parks and benefit from the connections that parks create. And of course, the respite that our parks and green spaces provide is becoming increasingly important as we feel the climate changing.

I only ask people to support an organization that I would donate to myself and that is definitely true for SPF. As a city resident, parks are my backyard, and I frequent them often. I also appreciate how SPF supports community engagement through its partner organizations. This is like work I did in the Peace Corps and in international development. Supporting communities to define their priorities and address their needs is when real and lasting change happens. The free t-shirt offer motivated me to set up a monthly donation.