Fundraising results depend on the whole organization
You might know that I spent a good number of years working for regional theaters. It’s where my nonprofit career began. And theater is still close to my heart.
But over the years – whether in my first theater, where I managed the box office, or in subsequent jobs as a fundraiser – I noticed a particular friction.
And fundraising was usually involved.
Who’s in charge of the organization’s funding?
If you haven’t been part of an organization with two or more income centers, this might seem ridiculous to you. Why allow anything to get in the way of the organization’s lifeblood?
But all too often, it happens.
Often, it’s between two outward-facing teams: marketing/communications and fundraising. Maybe that’s because there’s so much overlap in their skills. And both teams are trying to reach outside audiences.
But when their aims are at odds, no one wins. Struggling to show their worth, the teams begin worrying about resources. Who gets adequate staff? Who has the bigger budget?
Good grief: even who gets to use the email list! (Yes, I’ve been there!)
It’s not just fundraising and marketing/communications teams
It can happen with program staff and fundraising, too. Can the fundraising team get access to good stories? Can we see the work happening? And if we’re told no, what do we do to get it right?
This is cutting off your nose to spite your face. Because your organization needs both teams to succeed. And setting them up to compete is not the key to success.
It’s a management issue
I don’t want to point fingers at any one area of an organization’s operations. Because this is a management issue.
Every part of the organization needs the tools to do a good job. And most organizations hit a wall when it comes to budget. If you run the organization, do not leave teams to fight it out themselves. Make the tough decisions – then adjust your expectations accordingly.
Those expectations hinge on resources, but also on who sets the rules. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve seen good fundraising squashed by well-meaning communications staff. (Who have usually been told what’s “right” by well-meaning consultants.)
Fundraising isn’t marketing with dollar goals. But dollar goals matter to the entire organization… and especially to your mission and beneficiaries. So fights over language or even fonts… just don’t. Let fundraisers fundraise, please.
Fundraisers should work with colleagues in marketing/communications. Those colleagues have good skills that will help with fundraising… if you work together.
You, dear fundraiser, can do something to help
You’re not powerless. It’s about the hard work of team building across areas.
Years ago, I had the opportunity to return briefly to Hartford Stage, where I had begun my fundraising career. As a staffer, my experience was that we were intentionally set up to compete with the marketing team. And, at least at first, held at arm’s length by the artistic team. That made a hard job harder.
But when I came back for a consulting stint years later, all that had changed. They were now one team with shared goals. The difference was amazing. And it meant not just better results for both fundraising and marketing… it meant better audience/donor experiences and a better atmosphere for the staff.
The people who give to your organization don’t think in terms of fundraising or marketing or any department.
You shouldn’t, either.
That email about the new season? There’s no reason it shouldn’t include an invitation to give in the footer. And the fundraising newsletter can certainly let people know subscriptions are on sale. You’re one organization to outsiders. Help them connect as they wish.
Reach across divides. See how you can help when you have a little downtime. Invite opinions; offer your own.
Just as fundraising is all about relationships with people who give or may give, it’s about internal relationships, too.
You know how to do this. And it will result in a happier, more productive organization.
Leave a Reply