Who's Responsible For A Nonprofit's Culture Of Philanthropy?
If you’re a fundraiser bemoaning the lack of your nonprofit’s culture of philanthropy, you don’t get off that easily.
You’re part of the problem.
In fact, you may BE the problem.
Why is that?
Because you are the one person, or one department, actually charged with living and breathing philanthropy on a daily basis. It’s in your job description. You are the philanthropy facilitator.
As such, you must do everything within your power to make philanthropy flow. And it’s not an individual sport. It takes a village.
The pioneering, pull-no-punches Simone Joyaux, who passed away too soon on Sunday May 2, 2021, understood this well before people were talking about it. It’s a fitting tribute to quote her here, and carry on her legacy.
“Fund development is, first, organizational development… It’s a big job, serving as a development officer. Bigger than far too many development officers (or their bosses and boards) think.
You choose. You can be a grant writer or direct mail specialist or fundraising events specialist. All marvelous and very critical technician specialists.
Or you can be a generalist and see fund development as organizational development. Choose to be a development professional and not just a technician.
— Simone Joyaux, “Philanthropy and Fund Development Planning”
What Is a Culture of Philanthropy?
The concept can be a bit challenging to define precisely. I can articulate it best by noting that in a true culture of philanthropy:
- Everyone understands that fundraising, at its core, is about facilitating transformational opportunities for donors to invest in a greater good through your organization.
- Fundraising is embraced by all stakeholders as both a privilege and a responsibility.
- Fundraising is seen as making a difference by and for everyone, not just your “customers” but also your organization and your fundraiser.
In other words, in a culture of philanthropy, there’s no such thing as “that’s not my job.” It’s everybody’s job.
Signs You May Lack a Culture of Philanthropy
Fundraisers work in a silo. The development department (or development officer) is the lone fundraising champion. Everyone else at the nonprofit is too busy. Nobody really gets excited by fundraising; it’s just that necessary thing you have to do to keep the lights on.
Fundraisers operate from scarcity. There’s only so much money out there, so you’ve got to beat the competition to get it. You look at other nonprofits as adversaries.
There are barriers to fundraising (e.g., the board just wants donors at the table; paid staff don’t participate in fundraising; the president never makes donor calls). Program staff don’t understand the connection between fundraising and their work. There’s a transactional, rather than relationship-oriented, approach to philanthropy. Giving is viewed as charity, not philanthropy. Constituents are called “donors” (which implies their value is about the money they give), rather than “investors,” “partners,” or “supporters.”
Fundraisers feel alienated. They’re not consulted for strategic advice on fundraising and not included in strategic leadership conversations. They’re treated as hired service providers. They’re not mentored or provided professional development. They’re micromanaged and denied autonomy. They work in a state of perpetual reactivity, just trying to meet the next deadline. They burn out and leave. With great frequency.
Steps to Building a Culture of Philanthropy
Step 1: Look in the mirror
Look at your own behavior. Are you committed to transformational fundraising — or are you just trying to make your metrics? Are you speaking the language of philanthropy? Are you making a solid business case for investment in your organization, or are you just making pitiful pleas?
Vow that you will raise the bar, be an organizational leader, and act as a philanthropy facilitator.
Step 2: Make it about more than money
Change your language. Stop calling people donors. Stop calling it fundraising. They’re investors. They’re stakeholders. They’re partners. It’s investment facilitation. It’s stewardship. This may seem like a small thing, but language matters. When you begin to shift the frame for staff, board and community about what fundraising really is and why it’s important, attitudes will begin to shift.
Step 3: Understand the systems — and barriers — in which you work
What’s your nonprofit’s position in the broader philanthropic landscape? What’s the culture at your specific organization? Perform a SWOT analysis, paying careful attention to the cultural barriers to transformation that may be at play. This is going to involve some frank conversations with leadership. Prepare yourself for these.
Step 4: Engage the whole organization in thinking about philanthropy as transformation
Find your allies in the organization. Who else gets it? Who else is excited about the possibilities? Map out the conversations you need to have, and with whom, to bring others along in building a culture of philanthropy. This won’t happen without internal advocacy.
Step 5: Be inclusive
Invite board members, volunteers, program staff, and management team members to participate in conversations with donors and prospects about the work and impact of the organization. Facilitate those conversations. Help others learn to speak the language of philanthropy and to feel comfortable in donor-facing roles. Remember, your major donors are going to want to meet the people doing the work.
Step 6: Demonstrate that you and your work are valued
Make a case for investment in professional development for the fundraising function. Show leadership how other organizations that invest in their development function do better at fundraising. Break through the overhead myth: make the business case for investment in systems, training, and people as investments that yield returns in a healthy bottom line.
In other words, educate your leadership that fundraising is not “dead money”; it’s the engine that makes everything else possible.
Step 7: Model the values and behaviors you want to see
Live the values. Talk about the values. Be seen to live and talk about the values. Help others understand and adopt those values. Create a system of recognition and appreciation within your organization for those who champion the values. Help donors to feel valued and appreciated.
Bottom line: Building a culture of philanthropy starts with you, the development professional. You can’t just wait for it to happen. It won’t. You have to make it happen. That means doing some hard work around organizational culture, even when — especially when — it’s not in your job description.
Get going!
