Everyone is a Fundraiser

 

By John Campbell, 2016 ProInspire Fellow
Fundraising. It’s a word that causes people to feel uncomfortable, donors to feel like prey, and can even make nonprofit executives squirm. For too many organizations, fundraising is seen as a ‘necessary evil,’ separate from programs and the ‘real’ work of the organization. While fundraising is necessary, it most certainly is not evil, and it isn’t relegated to one individual or team in an organization. While this may surprise those of us who are sector jumpers, the reality is that everyone is a fundraiser — regardless of title, position, and ability.

As Fellows, we transitioned into the social sector for a myriad of reasons: an interest in something new and different, a passion for a cause, the desire to give back, or simply the need to gain or grow a particular skill set. Regardless of the reason, there are certain truths that come to light shortly after joining a nonprofit for the first time. Among them is the ‘all- hands-on deck’ mantra, where your title is just that — a title, and not a job description. For many of us, this truth surfaces quickly; we are pulled in a number of different directions from day one as the needs of our organizations change and evolve. While the adjustment to our new reality of blurred job descriptions can be difficult, many in my cohort see it as an opportunity to dive in and get involved with the core missions of our organizations, which feeds the reasons we jumped sectors in the first place.

The ‘all-hands-on-deck’ mantra and our desire to seize opportunity should not exclude fundraising, but rather embrace it.  Everyone from the board chair to the occasional volunteer has a role to play in an organization’s fundraising efforts. The programs are the cars that drive the organization, and the fundraising is the energy that gets the cars started and keeps them going. With an organizational approach to fundraising and development, a synergy is created that elicits a positive response from donors; helps employees better understand the value of their efforts, and allows everyone to share in the good work of the organization.  

So how can we as Fellows — and the organizations with which we work —better adopt a culture of philanthropy? It’s simple. Here is a short list of ways that board members, volunteers, and staff can get involved in fundraising efforts:

  • Thank donors
  • Attend programmatic and other non-ask, community-building events
  • Share contacts with your Development team
  • Write blog posts or articles about the programs you work on
  • Grab coffee with a member of the Development team to share the amazing work you do
  • Collect and share client stories

For me, fundraising and the development of strategic resources is a passion I have cultivated for nearly eight years; however, unlike most Development staff, it is not what I first set out to do.  My goal was to build strong, meaningful programs that changed lives. Fundraising seemed like the necessary evil many claim it to be. Yet I quickly fell in love with telling stories of our success, answering questions from anyone who was curious, ands sharing the expertise I had gained in my role managing programs. It was then that I realized I was building capacity in a new way for my organization: fundraising.

The list above is not exhaustive, and my anecdote won’t fit every situation, but they can serve as a starting point to turn fundraising from a ‘necessary evil’ into a thriving culture that raises all ships. The next time you, a colleague, or a peer say that fundraising is not their job, I encourage you to share this blog post with them. Remember, fundraising is the energy that fuels the programs, keeps the lights on, and pays the salaries.  Without it we would be left in the dark.


John Campbell is a ProInspire Fellow at Eagle Academy Public Charter School, a school that builds the foundation for a promising future for Washington, D.C.’s most disadvantaged youth. At Eagle Academy, John is responsible for the development and management of strategic resources and partnerships. Prior to Eagle Academy, John was Development Director for Equality Pennsylvania, an organization committed to advancing LGBTQ equality in Pennsylvania, where he was responsible for designing and implementing a $2 million development strategy. John graduated from Lebanon Valley College with a degree in Business Administration and Economics. Currently, John attends graduate school at the Kogod School of Business at American University where he is pursuing his MBA. Outside of work, John is on the board of directors for the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly, an organization that supports and promotes D.C.’s Southwest quadrant. John also enjoys wine and traveling with his partner, Jacob.

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