Raising money for your organization is hard! Whether you’re a one-person fundraising shop, part of a big, bureaucratic organization, or somewhere in between, there just aren’t enough hours in the day. For me, a career in fundraising and advancement leadership has been incredibly rewarding, but it took 30 years of practice to learn how to thrive in this field of work. Here are a few things I would share with my younger, fundraising self.
Be Proud of the Noble Work You Do
When someone asks you what you do for a living, how do you respond? Early in my career, I hesitated to tell people I was a fundraiser. Eventually, it became amusing to hear responses like “Oh, I could never do that!” or “How do you ask people for money?”
Now, I take pride in the fact that fundraisers make the magic happen—we facilitate the flow of donor resources to amazing work that improves lives. We are privileged to help others make an impact at our organizations, in our communities, and in the lives of countless individuals.
Craft and proudly share the story of how you became a fundraiser or joined this noble profession. Use your personal experiences to explain your “why” and how it meaningfully connects you to the work you do (or to your organization).
Watch Your Language
Challenge yourself to use language in your story and elsewhere that is respectful to donors and to the profession—even when you think no one is listening. Jim Hodge and Scott Arthur are on a mission to change the lexicon of philanthropy. Terms like “suspects,” “prospects,” “targeting,” and “pitching,” are all wince-inducing (and if they’re not, they should be!). You can read more about the importance of language here. Certain terms are ingrained in our systems and processes, and it will take all of us watching our language to create a new dictionary of dignity and respect.
Contribute to a Culture of Joy
Use that newfound professional pride and dictionary of dignity and respect to contribute to a culture of joy. In philanthropy, joy is experienced by donors and fundraisers alike. Development Magic happens when a donor’s personal story connects to an organization’s philanthropic opportunity—and when we get to make those connections, it’s fun!
Too often, I have seen competition for donors and dollars overshadow the fun and pure joy of this work. The drive to meet metrics and achieve your goals can reinforce a culture of fiery competition, but don’t fan those flames! Instead, contribute to a culture of joy by collaborating with colleagues and focusing on all the good, fun things that come from it.
Cultivate a Mindset of Abundance
It’s hard to be joyful if we feel like philanthropic funds are scarce. Luckily, charitable giving in the U.S. reached $557 billion in 2023, according to the most recent Giving USA report. And, an estimated $84 trillion (yes, trillion!) is expected to transfer from older generations to younger ones over the next two decades, with some of that money being destined for philanthropy.
Cultivating a mindset of abundance matters (even when data shows philanthropic funds aren’t as scarce as they might seem). The pie isn’t limited to eight slices—there are more pies than you could eat in your lifetime.
The real challenge is finding the stakeholders with the capacity and inclination to support your organization. Keep in mind that individuals give nearly two-thirds of all donations. This is great news for fundraisers! While we cannot influence an individual’s capacity to give, we can discover and influence the deliberations they have about how they want to give.
Exude Gratitude
Gratitude can result from cultivating a mindset of abundance and is essential to contributing to a culture of joy. Saying “thank you” often and with specific, genuine appreciation is important. Make it a mindful habit to exude gratitude and you will build stronger relationships with donors, colleagues, leaders, and volunteers in your organization.
“Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.”
—Gertrude Stein
Each week, make the effort to tell others “thank you”—send an email, or even a hand-written note. I still have the notes of appreciation my first supervisor wrote for me. Remember, what you appreciate appreciates…what you pay attention to, and express appreciation for, multiplies in your life and work.
Lean on Mentors and Coaches
As you exude gratitude, others might not be doing the same (yet) and sometimes you just need a personal cheerleader. This is where a mentor or coach comes in. Their job is to see our strengths when we can’t see them ourselves. It’s invaluable to have a critical thinking partner—someone to help expand your field of vision or look at challenges from a different perspective; someone you trust to have your best interest at heart, and to give you candid feedback and advice. Don’t be afraid to lean on a mentor or coach for support when you need it. I became a coach because my own experiences with coaches were so positive and impactful that I wanted others to experience that kind of support too.
Be Politely Persistent
Even with support, it might feel like no one wants to meet with you when you’re new to the profession, to your organization, or have a less-developed portfolio. As fundraisers, it’s essential to develop the ability to overcome rejection. Part of that ability includes being politely persistent to the point that it may feel uncomfortable for us. Remember two things: 1) It’s not about you, so don’t take it personally. 2) Donors are busy, and you (and your organization) are simply not top of mind.
Reach out to donors in a variety of ways, using their preferred method(s). If you’re struggling to connect, change up which day of the week and time of day you reach out, and if there’s a “gatekeeper” who could help you, try to connect with them. One of my most successful donor relationships began with multiple phone calls over the course of several months—an alum’s wife didn’t think he would be interested in talking to me, but with polite persistence, I kept calling. When she finally told him about my calls, he was excited to reconnect with his alma mater. Eventually, the couple became passionate supporters of the university—partly due to my polite persistence.
Help Leaders Think Bigger
Being politely persistent applies to those you work with too. The leaders, faculty members, researchers, and physicians (in other words, the subject matter experts or SMEs) you work with are focused on their tasks, goals, and areas of expertise. While securing needed funding is one of their goals, they rely on you for your expertise in fundraising to do so. As mentioned earlier, there is no shortage of philanthropic funds in the world. There is, however, a shortage of vision and ideas that are big enough, bold enough, and innovative enough to inspire donors to give. It’s part of your job to help your SME colleagues translate their amazing work into something designed for a donor audience, and this process requires persistent effort. You may need to bring together a team to ideate around a concept and encourage your SME colleagues to think bigger for the benefit of all.
Oh, the Places You’ll Go…
This work benefits everyone, and that includes you. For me, those benefits became apparent in places I never imagined. I’ve met with donors in places ranging from manufacturing plants, to wheat fields, apple orchards, and vineyards, to swanky clubs and restaurants around the world. I’ve toured an archaeological dig site, a plant assembling a Boeing 727, a tea farm and orchid garden on the Big Island of Hawaii, and even an oyster farm in Puget Sound. I’ve even visited Alaska’s North Slope oil field and gazed out over the Arctic Ocean.
The best place this work took me was to Kodiak Island in Alaska. A group of researchers from the Washington State University Bear Center were studying the Kodiak Brown Bear. We flew out in a float plane, stayed in a remote cabin, and sat on the bank of a river for two days watching the bears feed on salmon. It was absolutely magical!
Fundraising opens up all kinds of interesting opportunities, but what I’ve loved the most was the opportunity to learn something new every day. In this field, you’ll benefit the most by staying curious and embracing chances to learn about the work of your organization and how it impacts others. Doing so will help you design more effective engagement opportunities for donors.
Not every moment will be magical, but you will look back on your career someday and be very proud of what you did to connect donors to your mission and make the world a better place.
What have you loved most about your fundraising career? Let me know!