Strategic Fund Development: Building Profitable Relationships That Last, Third Edition

Isolating Fundraisers and Fund Development

Most nonprofits/NGOs recognize how critical fund development is to the organization. Nonetheless, fund development is often isolated from other operations. Many staff and volunteers do not understand how intertwined fund development is with the overall organizational system.

Sometimes fundraising consultants and development staff choose to stay away from the rest of the institution. Other times, organizations deliberately keep fundraisers at arm’s length from other areas of operation.

Location, Location, Location

I’ll never forget the location of my first office as a development officer: at the end of a dead-end hallway. No one even passed by periodically. They had to want to come to my office. And that didn’t happen with the program staff or even the marketing/communications staff.

Think about those development offices and buildings located on the hospital or university campus … far away from the heart of healthcare and education … far away from mission and impact. Sadly, that’s emblematic of the whole situation, if you ask me.

What Are Fund Development Activities?

Early fundraising practice states that an organization needs three things to produce dollars: case, prospects, and volunteers. I wouldn’t say only those three anymore. But I do know fundraisers that stop there. Or, rather, focus only on fundraising strategies and tactics, instead of the whole organization.

Too often fundraisers focus on strategies to meet the financial goals. ...