Nonprofit Fundraising 101. Heyman Darian Rodriguez

payroll, benefits, rent, and utilities are overhead or administrative expenses.

      .. believe you have a fundraising plan in place if you fail to take the time to document it in writing.

      .. create a fundraising plan without integrating your strategic plan into it.

About the Expert

      Andrea McManus is president of The Development Group and a recognized leader in the nonprofit sector. With more than 29 years of experience in fund development, communications, media, public relations, and marketing, McManus has particular expertise in environments where major changes, restructuring, or transition require innovation, leadership, creativity, and an entrepreneurial attitude.

Resource Review

      The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) (www.afpnet.org)

      AFP is a great resource for fundraisers. They have regional chapters all over the world that produce quality events, as well as a large international conference, and a storytelling conference. You can also find helpful resources on their website.

      Future Fundraising Now (futurefundaisingnow.typepad.com)

      Jeff Brooks is a regular contributor to Fundraising Success Magazine, and his blog is full of great posts and resources. Check out his podcast, “Fundraising Is Beautiful.”

      Ahern Donor Communications (www.aherncomm.com)

      Tom Ahern’s blog is a great source for case studies, sample critiques of fundraising materials, and links to useful resources.

      The Fundraising Authority (www.thefundraisingauthority.com)

      Find helpful resources including articles, webinars, books, and podcasts. Check out their “Beginner’s Guide to Fundraising” and the article, “How to Write a Successful Fundraising Plan.”

      Joyaux, Simone P. Strategic Fund Development: Building Profitable Relationships That Last (3rd ed.). John Wiley & Sons, 2011.

      This book focuses on long-term strategic fundraising, rather than the typical transactional approach that fails to nurture your most important donor relationships.

      Network for Good’s Fundraising 123 blog (www.fundraising123.org)

      Find a variety of posts and resources on all things fundraising, including the “Fundraising Planning Worksheet: A Tool for Creating Your Annual Fundraising Plan” by Mimi Ho and Priscilla Hung.

      Nonprofit Quarterly (https://nonprofitquarterly.org)

      A print and online publication that provides articles on a variety of nonprofit topics. Check out their webinars, and sign up for their daily digest.

      M+R Lab (www.mrss.com/lab)

      A free collection of articles and advice from a group of experienced nonprofit consultants; includes case studies and covers a wide variety of topics, including reports on industry benchmarks.

      The Agitator (www.theagitator.net)

      A great online blog from industry experts Tom Belford and Roger Craver that provides information and advice on nonprofit fundraising and marketing strategies.

      Idealist (www.Idealist.org)

      A very robust website that offers tons of links to useful resources and articles, plus it gives you access to a global community of volunteers and nonprofit peers.

      Chapter 2

      Hiring and Training Development Staff

      “Good plans shape good decisions. That’s why good planning helps to make elusive dreams come true.”

– Lester R. Bittel

Introduction

      I’ve gone to great lengths to document and articulate all the tips, tools, and tactics you need to succeed at fundraising in this book. But without the right team in place, none of them matter. The staff, board members, and volunteers charged with spearheading your development efforts are the single most important factor in your success. From interns to senior management, event volunteers to engaged board members, each and every person driving your fundraising machine is a critical part of building a successful, high-functioning development infrastructure. Surrounding yourself with the right people, properly training them, and fostering their professional growth will result directly in you raising more money. It will also keep employee morale high and provide stability for your organization and its donors. Fundraising is about building relationships, and each person on your team plays an important role in your interaction with supporters. From entering gifts into your database, to sending acknowledgment letters, to answering the phone, and making an ask, each team member represents a link in the chain and influences how contributors feel about your organization.

      Building your fundraising dream team is only possible if you learn and follow best practices around hiring and training. Investing resources in the hiring process will help ensure you bring the right people on board and keep employee retention high, saving valuable time and resources in the future. And by dedicating resources to training and professional growth opportunities for employees, you can grow your team from within, expanding their expertise and capabilities, and helping you promote from within. Ultimately, a stable development staff leads to more knowledgeable and passionate fundraisers who can develop deeper relationships with donors.

      To learn more about how to hire the right staff, efficiently and effectively bring them into the organization through training, and foster their growth, I sat down with Missy Sherburne, chief partnerships officer at DonorsChoose.org, who outlined the following seven tips.