#61 | How do we design roads with fewer potholes for aspiring fundraising professionals?

It was a pleasure to connect with Dr. Steven Hairston, Vice President of Institutional Advancement, and Candice Murry, Director of Development, who will be hosting the How Fundraising Really Works roadshow later this month, to talk about fundraising at Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina. This podcast conversation was an opportunity to learn how an experienced leader who has navigated our profession’s many potholes takes very seriously his obligation to create a path for aspiring fundraisers who are eager to learn and grow.

Dr. Hairston was quick to point out that as a young board member with a nearby organization he made a lot of mistakes. He has found it especially important that new board members are afforded opportunities to understand how fundraising and philanthropy work. As trainers, Dr. Hairston suggests we always assess what our board members know when they arrive as well as what they have grasped when we are finished providing instruction. .

Before we wrapped up, I appreciated Candice’s willingness to reflect on her journey towards becoming a great fundraiser and recognize where her growth opportunities are. Like Dr. Hairston, I consider it a great privilege to be speaking into the growth and development of young fundraisers like Candice who will certainly be the fundraising leaders of tomorrow.

Interested in joining us for the next stop on the How Fundraising Really Works roadshow?

Here’s some feedback from those who attended our seminar in Toronto last month.

“I haven’t enjoyed a fundraising workshop as much as yours in many, many years!” — Maryann Kerr, CEO, The Medalist Group, Toronto, 2019

“Probably one of the best days of professional development I've experienced.” — Jack Silverstein, VP, Development at National Capital Region YMCA-YWCA, Ottawa, 2019

“I found the seminar fun, instructive, affirming and educational.” — Sue Ellen English, National Director, Development, Prison Fellowship Canada

If you're interested in joining us at an upcoming stop on the How Fundraising Really Works roadshow, it's it important to know that this is not the typical “Tips and Tricks” experience we've grown accustom to. Instead, we're going to confront the real reasons for why most fundraising strategies are designed to fail, challenge everyone’s assumptions about how fundraising really works, and ensure that fundraising professionals know how to be recognized and admired for meaningful work. Anyone who isn’t thinking more critically about the fundraising profession when they leave wasn’t paying attention.

For more information, go to lewisfundraising.com/events