Fundraising scares off potential nonprofit leaders

This explains a lot: a new report called "Ready to Lead? Next Generation Leaders Speak Out" (see report on the AFP website at Biggest Pressure for Future Nonprofit Leaders: Fundraising found that 68% of those surveyed are not interested in taking the top leadership position at a nonprofit. But here's the shocking part:

When asked why they did not aspire for the position of president or executive director, the most popular reason (41%) cited by respondents was concerns about or dislike for fundraising. This finding complements data from several recent surveys which shows that fundraising is the least liked responsibility among current executive directors and boards of directors.

On one hand, this is good news: Potential leaders who don't get it about fundraising are a little less likely to take top leadership position, where they can do real damage to fundraising (see How nonprofit CEOs kill fundraising).

But it's troubling, too. Why is it so common in the nonprofit culture to be so wrong about fundraising?

How is it that fundraising is a bothersome distraction from the "real" work of so many nonprofits?

If these leaders paid attention, they'd see fundraising in a different way. They'd realize that what it does for donors, for causes and for society are astounding. They might come to understand that fundraising is so great, so important, that it matters as much as their primary mission.

And then these emerging leaders would be flocking toward leadership positions, so they could get in on the power and excitement of fundraising...

Serving donors. Raising a ton more money. And changing the world in more ways than they probably even know about.

Until then, we'll have to be satisfied that many of the clueless ones are at least staying out of the way.

The survey is available at the Meyer Foundation for download (PDF).

Technorati Tags: leadership, npleadership

Comments

[Ray German, CFRE, Principal, BMG Associates, Inc.]

After 30 years in this field little surprises me anymore. No one is required to give. There are no penalties for not giving. People need to be asked by someone knowledgeable and responsible.

I believe giving is an act that affirms the future yet, the stigma associated with fund raising remains prevalent in our society. If NFP leaders choose not to embrace fund raising how do they expect to operate their organizations? Will the funding simply fall from the sky? Will someone resuce the agency with a large doncation? No!

Relationship is the key and if NFP leaders do not want to embrace fund raising then I suspect the next generation of NFP leaders will be fund raisers and not drawn from program or administrative backgrounds. That could be a good thing. Maybe relationships would be honored best by those who understand that they are at the root of successful fund raising.

[Sara W.]

Perhaps instead of summarily dismissing these potential leaders, we should take a very close look at these folks' specific concerns about fundraising, and logically address those concerns.

Obviously there are many wary of our profession. The Chronicle just published yet another article about how folks generally distrust nonprofits and the way they raise and spend money.

(http://philanthropy.com/premium/articles/v20/i12/12001201.htm)

It's even obvious within our own circle. Every other day, it seems, I read another blog whose title could be "we're not bad, and this is why!" Inevitably, that post cites scientific studies that show how giving makes people healthier and happier.

And giving does make people healthier and happier! But we're obviously not getting that message out to the masses, at least not effectively. We're not even getting it out to many of those who want to be leaders of our causes.

So perhaps we would be better for answering to our detractors with solid reasoning instead of simply dismissing them with, "they just don't get it."