Changing Jobs

Q. I am an associate director of development at a nonprofit organization, but I would ultimately like to work as a philanthropic adviser. What is the best way to make the transition from fund raising and how can I prepare for this change over the next two years?

A. The first thing you should know is that securing a job as a philanthropy adviser is not easy and is likely to take longer than two years, says Penny Fujiko Willgerodt, vice president of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, in New York. Your experience in fund raising will be helpful as it will demonstrate an understanding of the nonprofit field, she notes, but having grant-making experience is usually considered a requirement in the field you hope to enter. So she recommends that you first try to make a move into the grant-making world. To shift gears, she says, start building your professional network. “Foundation contacts and donor friends can keep their eyes and ears open,” Ms. Willgerodt says. They may also be able to suggest when you need further education to reach your goals, and what kind.

She also suggests contacting your local regional association of grant makers to learn if they offer any public workshops on careers in philanthropy. Visit the Giving Forum’s Regional Association Locator to find the association nearest you.

To help you make contacts, you might also consider joining professional groups that are focused on philanthropy. For instance, membership in the National Committee on Planned Giving is open to individuals whose work or interests include developing, marketing, or administering charitable planned gifts. Your fund-raising background would probably qualify you.

King McGlaughon, professor of philanthropic studies at the American College, in Bryn Mawr, Penn., recommends learning as much as possible over the next two years about the tools of the trade.

“As an associate director of development, I assume that you’ve had significant experience in annual and major-gift fund raising,” he says. “But in order to present yourself as a competent philanthropic adviser in an increasingly crowded field, you will also need experience and knowledge of major planned-gift vehicles and planned-giving strategies beyond current gifts, such as deferred and multigenerational gifts.” Educational courses may help you prepare. American College, for instance, offers a graduate-level chartered adviser in philanthropy certification.

For more information, check out the resources offered by the Baltimore Giving Project, an organization devoted to increasing philanthropic giving in the Baltimore area. Its Web site includes “The Art of Charitable Planning,” a free report available for download. The National Center for Family Philanthropy also offers information on becoming an adviser: Click on “Advisor’s Role” on the left-hand side of the Web site’s front page and you will be led to numerous free resources.