I have always enjoyed the opportunity to introduce employees who are inexperienced with fundraising to major donors. Barb and Peggy have similarly enjoyed these moments when their colleagues have experienced fundraising as meaningful work for the first time. We wrapped up with the observation that incorporating more voices ensures that the donor relationships are not solely in the care of one individual or department. 

Much like myself, Chad recognizes himself as a bridge between larger age cohorts; and we discussed a number of ways we can all break down the barriers that exist between the generations in the workplace today. Chad kicked off our conversation with the idea that employers need to steward relationships with emerging fundraising talent in much the same way that they do their donor relationships.

My conversation with Steve begs the question of what will our response as fundraising professionals will be to this movement. As Steve and I discussed, the information that Steve is encouraging other New York City charities to access removes some of the traditional barriers that we’ve all become accustom to.

I was very grateful when Holly reached out to me after reading my book and suggested that we talk about the three fundraising personalities that I described in The War for Fundraising Talent. Holly introduces herself as someone who fell in love with fundraising in college and believes the profession offers a significant opportunity to young professionals.

Anyone who has raised meaningful gifts understands the tension between being an advocate for the donor and an employee of the organization. What I found most encouraging about my conversation with Karen was how responsive her organization was to helping her resolve some of that tension.

This certainly tops the chart of questions that get some fundraising professionals really stirred up. Even the mere suggestion of commissions and other performance-based incentives will quickly get you tossed out of some clubs. Just like Travis, I too have been in a conference room where some brave soul dares to suggest that commissions could be part of a solution to our turnover problems.

Lisa and Mary are two of the organizers of Fundraising Day Wisconsin where I will have the privilege of speaking in a few weeks. After we answered last week’s question of what sometimes drives us crazy, this week we shifted gears to what we most wanted for aspiring young professionals when they attend professional development events.

What I have learned is that, while the donor will occasionally frustrate us, and sometimes with very unreasonable and inappropriate behavior, more often than not it is the internal organizational culture that most interferes with a successful fundraising program. It’s unfortunate that unrealistic expectations from boards, bosses and colleagues is at the top of the list of what drives fundraising professionals most crazy.

My wish for every nonprofit on the planet, large and small, is that they would enlist someone like Angeline who has a singular focus on ensuring meaningful relationships with their donors. As some organizations have discovered, such deliberate focus can sometimes only be accomplished by experimenting with flexible work environments.

It’s always helpful to test some of my beliefs and assumptions with my podcast guests. I was grateful that Judi North and I were able to compare notes on how CEO’s and consultants can get in the way of their talented fundraising staff. Judi has enjoyed experiences where both her boss and consultant provided support and encouragement without creating interference in the process that she was accountable for.

David Burgess is boldly asking the question of whether a college degree or similar requirements are necessary prerequisites to a fundraising career. David believes his efforts to break down such assumptions will not only improve opportunities for those without college degrees but also make a positive impact in the diversity, equality and inclusion efforts that are underway at the IoF.

With increasing regularity, nonprofit organizations seem to be at odds with their major donors. Rather than draw my own conclusions about what’s happening, I enlisted some other voices. Today’s podcast is the second in a two-part conversation about the UA-Culverhouse story with two guests who are a lot closer to the story than I - Randy Kinder, former Executive Director of Annual Giving at UAB, and Daphne Powell, Director of Donor Relations at Birmingham Southern College.