Introduction: Being a Fundraiser

The vital work most people overlook

Much has been written about how to fundraise effectively. Research, experience, models and metrics have quickly professionalized the young field of fundraising. Every fundraising leader wants to constantly improve their knowledge and skillset. Good idea! There are excellent resources that will help you with that.

This is not another piece about how to raise money. It’s a weekly column about being a fundraiser.

These pages will focus on the inner dimensions of being one who raises money professionally.

Fundraising skills can be learned… what’s difficult is the inside part.

First, I need to clarify that I am a major gift officer. Fundraising professionals who work in vital areas like annual fund, online giving, data management, prospect research, donor stewardship, communications, events, etc. are surely “fundraisers,” just as fully as those working face-to-face with major donors. These reflections are going to be most relevant for those fundraisers who visit donors in person. Forgive me when I use the broad terms “fundraiser” and “fundraising” without qualifiers. I mean no disrespect. If you find that some of my thoughts do apply in other areas of philanthropy, I’m happy.

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

This fundraising life draws a person to go beyond “How should I do this work?” into asking, “Who am I?”

Fundraisers regularly go to people they don't know, engage them in deeply personal conversation, and ask them to give a significant financial gift as a response to their deepest values. You may ask yourself, “Who am I to do this weird, courageous, exciting, lonely thing?” It’s the right question: “Who am I? Why am I doing this?”

Fundraising skills can be learned, the techniques adopted. What’s difficult is the inside part:

• self-awareness

• courage

• humility

• authority

• change

In other words, we need to be highly self-aware in these important relationships with those who give support to this mission we represent.

Photo by Anna Keibalo on Unsplash

If the philanthropic relationship is to go deep, prospective donors deserve to know who you are. It won’t work if your answer to them resembles “I’ll be whoever you want me to be.” Or worse: “I’m filling a gap.” If you don’t show up embodying real clarity about your role and, more importantly, about your soul, donors won’t trust you.

Furthermore, you eventually won’t like yourself. Your tenure as a fundraiser will be brief.

I don’t want that for you!

For me, fundraising is act two. I was a pastor for about 20 years. After parish ministry, I started raising support for the training of future pastors. I’ve been in statewide, regional and national positions; raised major gifts, planned gifts, transformational gifts. I’ve come to know many different people, with many different motives and desires. Lots of miles, nights in hotels, ample time to reflect within myself and with others.

I’m writing because it matters to me. And I think it matters for you. We have to do the inside work, so the outside work is true and good.

In this internal exploration, we will also try to be practical. Being can’t be separated from doing. But there will be more concepts than anecdotes, more questions than answers. You won’t get a program, but you might create a practice. And if you can’t tolerate dichotomy, this may not be for you.

Because I want this to be a conversation, each column will be followed up by a thoughtful planned response from someone I admire. It’s all offered here on social media so you can respond too. I hope you will.

So let’s start with the central paradox of this conversation. If you are going to be a fundraiser, you need to get comfortable with two truths:

It’s not about you. And it’s all about you.

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