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5 Ways Fundraising is Like Baseball

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Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too. – Yogi Berra

Fundrasiging is like BaseballAs I entered my current role at Eastern Kentucky University, I knew it was important to lay the groundwork for the new team. To do this, we took a trip to the Great American Ball Park, home of the Cincinnati Reds. During the trip we explored baseball as a metaphor to understand the profession.

Consider these five ways that fundraising is like baseball. For your own use, some team discussion questions are provided at the end of each section. Please share any comparisons you have seen from your time in the “field.”

1. There’s no shame starting in a farm league

You can observe a lot just by watching. – Yogi Berra

Entering the profession usually starts in the trenches. Learn the ropes by watching more experienced players. Slowly get playing time.

Similarly, fundraisers typically start out as a development assistant or in annual fund. These roles have the responsibility of lots of travel—with relatively few major gift asks AND lots of phone calls and writing. These roles are both important. They force you to learn the importance of fundraising theory through repetition and practice of the fundamentals. Professional practice will reinforce proper mechanics… which will eventually be replaced by experience and success.

  • How did you start in fundraising?
  • How did that early experience shape your work today?

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Titles for Fundraisers Revisited

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businessman sitting sofa question mark over headNot long ago I bookmarked a blog posting by David Lawson asking the question, “philanthropy, when did it become about fundraising?” In his post on Working Philanthropy, Lawson correlates the role of fundraising and a healthy nonprofit organization to the legacy of Steve Jobs. “Fundraising is a necessary part of philanthropy, but it in no way should define philanthropy any more than the marketing and sales department at Apple defines their products.”

This brings to mind my ongoing conflict regarding the use of professional titles for fundraisers. In a past post titled reconsidering the titles we give professional fundraisers, I explored the titles fundraisers use and the occurrence of personal pronouns for professional areas versus the ways donors and organizations refer to their fundraising practitioners.

“Professional titles (doctor, accountant, lawyer) brings with it connotations of trust, confidentiality, expertise, and ethics. I proudly wear the banner of ‘fundraiser,’ but know that this title is not fully descriptive of my profession and of my responsibilities.”

Nearly two years later and this issue is still front of mind. I find it reassuring to know I’m not alone. Since posting that original article, the search term “titles for fundraisers” has directly resulted in over 350 visits to this site. With all this latent curiosity, I wanted to give a little more attention to exploring available options.

Titles for fundraisers usually contain two or more elements from the following categories. Mix and match

  • Positional descriptions: Chief, Director, Manager, Associate, Assistant, Coordinator, Officer
  • Functional titles: Development, Advancement, Fundraising, Philanthropy, Strategic Partnerships, External Relations
  • Discipline details: Major Gifts, Principle Gifts, Annual Gifts, Leadership Gifts, Planned Giving, Campaign

Using these elements, the pieces for fundraiser titles that give me pause are the functional titles and the discipline details. The functional titles lack specificity. They are also not broadly recognized by people outside the main of professional fundraising. The discipline details, on the other hand, are overly descriptive and focus on the transactional nature of the position.

My ideal professional fundraiser title would include a positional description and some functional title that communicates an emphasis on encouraging philanthropy that is mutually beneficial to both the giver and the recipient. It would be nice if this title also reflected the importance of social investment, positive change, and ongoing stewardship. I still don’t know what that title would be.

Any suggestions?

Now Hiring: AFP Director of Annual Giving

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AFP Foundation for PhilanthropyOccasionally, folks send me job descriptions to seek assistance in finding an ideal candidate. A few days ago, Suzan Weihofen from the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy, sent the following listing for the AFP Director of Annual Giving. Considering this is a fundraising position associated with a fundraising member organization, this is guaranteed as a very unique opportunity.

To Apply:

Send cover letter, resume and salary requirements by e-mail to employment@afpnet.org with the job number of CL102 and job title of Director of Annual Giving in the email subject line (example: CL102 Director of Annual Giving). According to AFP, please do not contact the organization with questions about this position, because of the high volume of resumes received will make it impossible to respond to inquiries about the status of a resume or search. You may also find more information on the AFP Career Center – Job Search Website.

2011 AFP NC Philanthropy Conference

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AFP NC Philanthropy ConferenceIt’s my pleasure to have been invited to present at the 7th Annual AFP NC Philanthropy Conference in Durham, NC on August 11, 2011.

My session, International Perspectives to Inform Our Best Practices, explores the context for philanthropy and charity for international cultures such as those in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

By understanding these unique cultural perspectives, fundraisers are able to incorporate a diverse approach to their fund development efforts stateside. This should result in improved donor interaction, regardless of target donor demographics.

For your reference I am happy to provide a copy of the presentation handouts (PDF) referenced during my session at 3:15 p.m. on August 11, 2011. The session is located in the Crown Room of the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Durham, NC.

Donor-Centered Planned Gift Marketing [Book Review]

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If you’re like me, the term “planned gift” immediately conjures up visions of accountants, lawyers, and financial planners gathered around a large table stacked to the ceiling with superfluous paperwork situated in a musty building not far from a nursing home.

Morbid? Yes. Accurate? No.

Enter Michael Rosen’s book… a resource I wish existed several years ago when I was studying for the Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) exam. At the time, Planned Giving Simplified: The Gift, The Giver, and the Gift Planner (AFP/Wiley Fund Development Series) was among the best book on the market (it’s still a great survey on the topic). Donor-Centered Planned Gift Marketing: (AFP Fund Development Series) picks up where Robert Sharpe’s book leaves off, but brushes off the perceived complexity of planned giving and challenged my stereotype of the topic. I’ve found it to be a welcomed resource on my bookshelf and I’m sure you will as well.

If you’re a donor considering Rosen’s book to help inform your own philanthropy I would also like to recommend an essay on endowments located in volume five of ESSAYS ON ECONOMICS AND SOCIETY 2 VOL SET (4 & 5) (Collected Works of John Stuart Mill). I believe you’ll find this will challenge your perspective on perpetual gifts. Conversely, I would also like to recommend the chapter titled “The Best Fields for Philanthropy” found in Andrew Carnegie’s The Gospel of Wealth Essays and Other Writings (Penguin Classics).