No One Understands What You Do All Day

So you’ve started your new development position.  You’re happy with your work space.  You and your Executive Director seem to have good chemistry.  Your new coworkers are friendly.  This could be great!

Photo by Paul Shanks at Flickr.com

But after a few weeks, you notice that no one seems to understand what you do, or why it’s important.  What can you do to make fundraising feel like more of a team sport?

• Ask for a few minutes at a staff meeting to talk about what you’re working on.  Describe your revenue goals for the year and all the planned activities that support those goals.  Talk about how every person at your organization has a role to play in helping donors see the impact of their giving.  Remind your colleagues that without contributed revenue your organization is not sustainable.

• Every month send a short email update to the whole staff updating them on what’s going on in your department.  Demystify the process of fundraising.  Do you have a special event coming up?  An appeal letter?  A grant deadline?  There are many moving parts to a development plan.  Help your colleagues be more aware of what they are.

• Presenting to the entire staff is important and effective.  But as a development officer, you know how much more effective individual conversations can be.  Make an individual meeting with each program officer to ask about their experience, their vision for their department, and how you can support their goals with fundraising.

• When you receive a major gift, share your success story.  Be generous with giving credit to everyone who had a hand in cultivating the donor.  Explain what the gift will allow your organization to do and why it is important.  Ask for your colleagues’ help in making the donor feel appreciated.

• Personal stories showing the impact of your programs are very effective for fundraising.  To ensure that you have a steady source, hold a story contest each year.   Assign a modest prize, such as a $50 amazon gift card, and recruit a couple colleagues to serve as judges.  Announce the winner and when that person’s story gets used in an appeal or a newsletter, remind people where it came from.

Organizational cultures can be notoriously slow to change, but implementing these simple steps will begin to bring about a new awareness about the importance of fundraising.  Fundraising should never be seen as secretive or shameful.  It’s a joyful process of matching donors with impact and celebrating the results.

Do you have another idea for bringing about a culture of philanthropy?  Please share it in the comments.