Fundraising: Smoke Alarm, Fire Escape, or Security Blanket? | Part Three
Thursday, April 23, 2009
By: Dr. Lilya Wagner

This is the third in a three-part series as part of our feature, Fundraising Nightmares and How to Wake up From Them. Read the first installment here.

In the second installment, our last account of Joe’s misadventures ended with Joe’s statement--

Next time, he vowed to himself, I’m going to wrap myself in a security blanket when it comes to a fundraising job.  I’m going to look for an organization that has a sustainable, active, on-going, successful fundraising program where my talents can be used and I won’t be lowering the fire escape ladder!

A noble ambition, but how to accomplish it, especially during challenging economic times when much is expected from fundraisers?  Joe called his mentor, who suggested he attend a training workshop in order to rejuvenate, to interact with peers who could encourage as well as provide job leads, and to learn the latest in fundraisinig professionalism and techniques.  Joe scraped together some money—emergency money he had been saving once the situation became precarious at his last job—and enrolled in a university-sponsored five-day course. (Note: Many excellent training opportunities exist, but many professionals and experts still maintain that the five-day Principles course of The Fund Raising School is still a premier offering, well worth the price.  Readers are encouraged to carefully think about where they invest their resources.  Watch for a future column on this.)

His mentor proved to be right.  Energized by the course, the faculty, and in particular, his peers, he quickly began to look ahead instead of bemoaning the past.  The use of “emergency funds” had been worthwhile.  During the brief times he took for reflection,  (which weren’t many because his classmates vowed to have no idle evenings, and meeting with the faculty also took time), he jotted down a list of what to look for in his next job.  He carefully enumerated those points which would ensure that fundraising was a security blanket rather than a fire escape!

1. Check the job description against what is said during an interview.  Are the expectations realistic?  Is the interviewer willing to answer hard questions, such as “Is the board giving 100%?  How good is the database?  Does the president get involved in fundraising?”  If an executive search firm (usually known as headhunters) is doing the preliminary interview, this becomes more of a challenge, because headhunters try to weed you out rather than fit you in.  But persist in finding out as much as possible, in polite, professional, and factual ways.

2. If the job sounds really good, be wary.  If the job description sounds ideal, be doubly wary.  It all might be good, but check and double check on what’s really going on.  Using the information gathered from the five-day course as well as peers, know what to look for.  Few organizations are perfect, but some are better than others.  Also, some challenges may just fit your personality and skills, while others could do you in.

3. Unless you are establishing fundraising prgram, ask if there is a plan, a report on previous accomplishments and progress, and records you could peruse.  This will also be a good indication of what’s possible to achieve, and you can measure this information against the job description as well as what’s said in the interview.  Certainly many items should not be distributed to job candidates, but at the same time, enough information should be shared so the candidate can make an informed decision—or bow out and not waste more of anyone’s time.

4. If asked to establish a fundraising program, ensure the support is present, that the president and board are involved and supportive, that there are resources to invest in the effort, and that the expectations are realistic.  It takes money to raise money, and it takes time to identify, cultivate and solicit all kinds of donors.  Ensure you won’t be the scapegoat or victim if in the second month of your employment you haven't paid thuosands of dollars. 

5. Even if you’re not acquainted with the geographic area, find peers through AFP or other networks and ask about the organization.  Remember the six degrees of separation theory—surely you can find some unofficial recommendations or cautions by professional peers or others “in the know.”

6. Ask questions, when appropriate and in appropriate ways, about board giving and involvement, the track record of the CEO for raising funds (in appropriate ways for him or her), the buy-in element from the rest of the organization, the budget, how goals are set, and even technical aspects such as computer capability and support.  Also try to gauge the corporate culture—much can be observed through behaviors, the way questions are answered, materials, and mood.  Even the most cerebral of us can detect what the “feelers” already know about the climate and environment in which you might work.

7. Don’t ask about salary and working conditions until you are offered the job—although this information might often be presented during the interview.  Avoid being a prima donna while being appropriately self-confident and professional.  Negotiations will come in good time. 

Joe glanced at his list.  He had covered those areas that had been his major pitfalls, and felt he was equipped to move ahead with the next phase of his fundraising career.  Just to be sure, he would continue to read professional articles and books, talk once again to his mentor, definitely discuss his list and aspirations with selected peers, and be wiser the next time he looked for, investigated, and accepted a job.  His final thought was, “Why do I do this?”  As he glanced down at his materials for the course, his eyes fell on the quote, “It is a privilege to be a fundraiser.  There is no greater calling than to be in a position which encourages and enables people to achieve their philanthropic goals.  Fundraising professionals are vital to a nonprofit organization’s success.”

About the Author

Dr. Lilya Wagner, CFRE, is an experienced fundraiser, consultant, editor and author, teacher and trainer. She can be reached at coplilya@cs.com.