Philanthropy is a Team Sport
No one can do it alone, sitting in their own little corner.
Not the E.D. Not the development director. Not the development committee of the board. Not the fundraising consultant.
One-person shows don’t work in fundraising.
This isn’t tennis, figure skating or golf. You’re not one person trying to be the best you can be, with all the glory accruing to you. You’re part of a team, all pulling together in the same direction, with the glory accruing not just to your team but also to your fans and your community.
Siloes don’t work in fundraising.
You aren’t saving up grain for the winter. Besides, simply hoarding won’t help enough. Development operations must figure out how to grow and harvest as much grain as possible so you can feed more and more people in need. Hoarding in siloes is a scarcity, not an abundance, mindset. A status quo, not a growth mindset.
If you have vision and big goals you need a team to see you through.
How Do You Build Your Development Team?
Begin with recruitment of stakeholders.
Look around you. Who do you see? You see internal and external stakeholders. People who care about your organization winning.
Generally, you’ll see:
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