Triage and nonprofit fundraisers

Nonprofit fundraisers could use some applause

I wrote last week about our smaller donors and how wonderful they are. The often unsung backbone of many organizations (or the smart ones, anyway), these folks don’t ask for much and offer what’s probably a lot to them.

But without sounding too self-serving, I’d like to celebrate another unsung group of people – nonprofit workers. Especially the fundraisers.

My friend Vu Le wrote another of his wickedly funny and smart posts directed at the business community. In it, he laid down the bare truth about life in a nonprofit. I read it while stuffing envelopes. While printing new envelopes to replace the ones our old printer messed up. And making a mental to-do list. The list kept getting longer and scarier. And as I mumbled to myself, trying hard to focus and push back the panic, the following words popped into my head:

I can do each of those things

But I can’t do ALL of those things.

At least not without help.

But somehow, my fundraising friends, we manage to juggle those lists on a daily basis.

And somehow, we manage to get it done. And when we do, we help make the world a little kinder, a little more beautiful.

So here’s to you, you fixer of old copy machines, you wizard of outdated software, you sovereign of ancient websites and clunky email clients.

Here’s to you, you ever-patient listener and mediator and re-worder, you late-night emailer and early-morning worrier.

You are the unseen pathway between your organization’s work and your organization’s needs. You are the welcoming smile. You are the master of the game face.

I see you. And I think you’re doing a great job.

Nonprofit fundraisers, thank you for all you do.

Photo courtesy of Gratisography