To be truly great at raising money requires a rare set of skills, say charity leaders, recruiters, and veteran fundraisers.
It takes listening deeply to donors, persistence, and patience with the slow dance of courtship and solicitation. It takes humility—a willingness to put a supporter’s needs ahead of one’s own career ambitions. And it takes an abiding passion and understanding of the cause for which support is being sought.
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Great FundraisersCharities Scramble Over In-Demand Fundraisers
At a time when it takes a median of six months to fill development jobs, nonprofits are looking in unexpected places for great talent. -
Great FundraisersA Leader’s Entrepreneurial Spirit Helps Propel a Giving Revolution
Eileen Heisman, head of the National Philanthropic Trust, makes a point of telling donors what is possible and what is not. -
2014 Fundraising GuideFundraiser Deepens Donor Ties by Putting Them to Work
Margaret Turner, who seeks big donations for the National Museum of African American History and Culture, asks people who give to introduce her to other potential supporters. -
FundraisingA Master of Planned Giving Shares His Secrets of Building Relationships
Jeff Comfort’s ability to attract sizable planned gifts is due in part to his skill as an “active listener.” -
Special Report: Great FundraisersSocial-Service Group Finds Ways for Donors to Give in Hard Times
Ashley McCumber seeks ways to jump-start the imaginations of people who can afford to give big. -
AdviceHospital Fundraiser Knows Institution Inside Out to Help Donors Connect
Grace Ko, chief fundraiser at New York University’s Langone Medical Center, does all she can to match supporters with hospital experts who can heighten their interest in giving. -
Advice
9 Ways Charities Can Help Fundraisers Succeed
Offer flexibility and show them how their work aids the organization’s mission, experts suggest. -
AdviceFinding Great Fundraisers: Tips From the Experts
Seek out people who communicate well and who will be compatible with colleagues. -
Special Report: Great FundraisersYoung Fundraisers Are Ambitious and Impatient but Need Training
Clashes over technology and communication have become a source of intergenerational tension in many development offices. -
Great FundraisersHow Top Fundraisers Succeed: Thank Donors in Meaningful Ways
Lori O’Brien, a fundraiser at Youth Villages, says it’s important to send acknowledgments that are personal. -
Great FundraisersHow Top Fundraisers Succeed: Managing Volunteers to Help Raise Money
Jan Donlan, president of the Indian River Medical Center Foundation, says to be connected and accessible to volunteers. -
NewsHow Top Fundraisers Succeed: Making a Corporate Partnership Work
Lynn Croneberger, of SOS Villages, puts a focus on how her organization can help businesses achieve their goals.