It's the least I can do

You hear it all the time in donor conversations. I’ve heard it in focus groups, supporter events, even in one-to-one chats. Someone mentions making a donation—and then quickly adds, almost apologetically: “It’s the least I can do.”

It’s said with warmth and sincerity, but also with a hint of embarrassment. Like giving money isn’t really enough. Like it doesn’t count as proper involvement. It's a phrase that says so much. Gratitude. Modesty. A deep, human urge to help. And sometimes, a sense that it still doesn’t feel like enough.

For fundraisers, this little phrase is a window into the donor's heart. It tells us that giving is emotional. It’s driven by empathy, trust, connection, and a desire to do good. But it also tells us something else: many donors feel like giving money is a passive act—something less meaningful than volunteering, campaigning, or showing up in person.

And that’s where we come in.

Because here’s the truth: giving money is showing up. In fact, there are few things more valuable than financial support. It’s what powers every programme, pays for every frontline worker, every campaign, every policy change, every single life impacted by a charity. Donations pay for people. Infrastructure. Safety nets. Innovation. Speed. Scale. Flexibility. In so many organisations, it’s unrestricted income that allows teams to respond quickly, take risks, and meet urgent needs. Without donations, none of it happens.

Yet donors are so quick to downplay their role. Why? Because we let them. We thank them, of course—but do we really show them what they’ve made possible? Do we make them feel like co-creators in our mission? Do we tell them, explicitly, that their gift is not the least they can do—it’s one of the most important things anyone can do?

Donors want to feel connected. They want to know they matter. Many wish they could do more—give more time, offer more skills, be more involved. But life is busy. Families, jobs, health, distance—it all gets in the way. And so, for many, a donation is the one thing they can do.

Our job as fundraisers is to make sure they know just how powerful that is.

That starts with language. With storytelling. With invitations—not just to donate, but to feel something. To see the real-world impact of their generosity. And to be seen in return—not as a faceless supporter, but as someone essential to the cause.

We should never let “it’s the least I can do” go unchallenged. Instead, we can gently—and gratefully—say:

"Actually, it’s one of the most important things anyone can do. And we couldn’t do any of this without you."

Because donors aren’t just giving money. They’re giving hope. Possibility. Momentum. Impact. And that’s never “the least.”

It’s everything.