The Fundraising Talent Podcast
Business:Non-Profit
Alex isn’t kidding when he says it seems like The Chronicle of Philanthropy has been retelling the same story about disillusioned fundraisers for a long time. Those of us who have been around for a while are well aware of the fact that, at any given time, at least half of the fundraisers out there are looking for another job and that very few boards and bosses have come to a consensus about how fundraising really works. As of late this familiar story has zeroed in on how poorly prepared some employers are with making hiring decisions and how often they miss opportunities by relying on an arduous interview process.
Alex believes hiring managers need a wake up call; and, on the flip side, he insists that candidates need to know how to see the red flags that distinguish between an job where you’re being set up to fail rather than given an opportunity to thrive. For example, Alex wants fundraisers to listen more closely to whether an employer characterizes the work as exchanging gifts with those who share a genuine and meaningful relationship with our organization; or does the employer believe that the donor is merely a passive consumer and an opportunity to close a quick deal.
I was grateful to hear that Alex had taken my recent recommendation to read Benjamin Barber’s Consumed which likens our consumer society to that of a child whose impulsive behavior prevents them from achieving their full potential. As I have said many times before, this is where I believe fundraising finds itself today: in the midst of its messy adolescence and unable to discern between what’s really working in its favor versus getting in its way. I am confident that as we develop a collective willingness to wrestle with tough questions of the sort that Alex and I did today, and as donors are afforded opportunities to play active, citizen-like roles with the organizations they support, our sector and society as a whole will reap the benefits that accompany mature, sustainable relationships.
As always, we are grateful to our friends at CueBack for sponsoring The Fundraising Talent Podcast.
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226 | How can my nonprofit create a new fundraising strategy in one-week?
225 | Has the annual fund become fundraising’s comfort zone?
224 | Can our culture of philanthropy emerge from authentic story-telling?
223 | How can nonprofits effectively reframe their fundraising opportunities?
222 | How do we get the relationship between CEO and Chief Fundraiser right?
221 | What if fundraising technologies could shift our focus from initial to subsequent gifts?
220 | Has the pandemic readied fundraising for a growth spurt?
219 | Is it time for fundraising to abandon the notion of “going directly to the cause”?
218 | Why isn’t your nonprofit using a multi-channel approach to fundraising?
217 | Who is to blame for your organization’s arms-length fundraising habits?
216 | What might be possible if digital fundraising really shoots for the moon?
215 | What does an ideal partner for lane one fundraising look like?
214 | Is now the right time to outsource your lane one fundraising efforts to someone you trust?
213 | How can fundraisers take their acknowledgement efforts to a whole new level?
212 | How can nonprofits leaders ensure that they are building authentic donor relationships?
211 | Should we look for fundraising professionals who stay put a bit longer?
210 | Is now the time to drop the fundraising formulas and experiment with something new?
209 | How can fundraising professionals push a little harder on their DEI efforts?
208 | Why is early specialization so dangerous for fundraising professionals?
207 | How do we ensure that both marketing and fundraising are given their due?
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