The chief development officer (CDO), in most cases, has the major responsibility for the development plan. The CDO establishes goals for the department including creating the development office budget. This person also develops the objectives and strategies to reach these goals, and usually...
The role of the development staff in your capital campaign should not be underestimated. Although not every organization will have a development staff with campaign experience, it is critical that staff can devote sufficient time to the campaign. If your staff is over-involved in planning and...
Where have you been? To go forward, we usually look back first. We call this a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis. And, although many of us use this method when doing a strategic plan, it’s equally important in the development planning process.
Your...
If your organization is overly involved in special events, board members can easily get burned out. Your board members will not be happy if they are expected to sell tickets to their friends and family members for too many special events. Many of them will not be interested in golf, running,...
So, what are some typical specialties one finds in the development office?
Planned Giving:
This is a career path often chosen by attorneys, financial planners or bankers who want to leave the for-profit world and work in development. While not usually as high paying as a career in law or the...
In my opinion, volunteer campaign leadership is the single most important factor in campaign success. The right campaign chair can inspire volunteers, donors, board members, and staff. Volunteers bring to the table contacts, cash, and clout. Choose your volunteer leadership wisely because...
When all else fails, you may need to look seriously at your board and restructure it with people who are willing and able to be involved in fundraising. Following are some ways to help you restructure your board:
- Make certain to include a provision in your board position description that...
If you’ve read my previous articles in this series and answered the questions posed, and you feel that you’re in pretty good shape to begin your campaign, what’s next?
First, you want to get the approval to launch a campaign from your board of directors. You need to think about...
As we mentioned in the previous articles, you will likely have a limited amount of time, so get to the point quickly without too much chitchat. Although it is usually wise to spend a bit of time commenting on the company’s success, the business leader’s accomplishments, or general...
Several years ago, I was honored to receive the Barbara Marion Award for Outstanding Service to AFP. I served on AFP’s Foundation for Philanthropy Board for about eight years during two terms and have been in various positions on the Professional Advancement Division for AFP. I was...
I seem to recall a national politician getting into trouble a few years ago for saying “corporations are people too,” but let’s face it, businesses and corporations are run by people. Yes, they are separate entities, taxable in different ways from how individuals are taxed. Yes,...
One of the greatest people I ever met was Desmond Tutu. It was at an AFP conference, where he talked about the noble profession of fundraising. Too many people, sometimes even fundraisers themselves, see themselves as beggars. We need to abolish the “Tin cup mentality” that often...