Fundraising Leadership ™

Executive Coaching, Professional Development, Training, and Career Advancement for Nonprofit Leaders in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

5 Crucial Questions to Help You “Manage Up”

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A white up arrow on a blue background“Managing up” is one of the most crucial skills you can develop as a fundraiser. 

Being good at managing up will continue to serve you throughout your career, whether you’re just starting out, or you’re moving into the role of CEO or Executive Director. 

Managing up is a term that gets thrown around a lot – but what does managing up mean, exactly? 

I like to think of managing up as simply another facet of leadership. It’s supporting and enabling those around you (including those “above you” in your org chart) to feel effective, successful and fulfilled in their role. [Read more…]

Managing to Retain Fundraisers

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In the marketplace for fundraiser talent, demand currently outstrips supply.  There are currently thousands of job postings for fundraisers listed at the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), and LinkedIn.

In the face of this demand, advancement and development leaders often say that one of the most significant challenges they face is managing to retain fundraisers. While the economic forces of supply and demand are putting upward pressure on salaries, a common misconception about fundraiser retention is that it’s “all about the money.” That’s a management and leadership cop-out, and the situation is dire. According to a recent Association of Fundraising Professionals’ (AFP) report, half (50%) of fundraisers surveyed reported that they intend to leave their jobs in the next 2 years. [Read more…]

Why Some Frontline Professionals Struggle as Leaders

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This scenario plays out frequently at many nonprofit organizations: top-performing professionals gets promoted to lead a team but has never been trained to lead or manage. This is often a disaster—results suffer, people head for the door, and the new manager flames out (and may even get fired).

There are a few key reasons why some frontline professionals struggle as leaders and others do not.

[Read more…]

3 Ways to Improve Your Nonprofit’s Donor Service

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Running a nonprofit organization is a tall task.  Many small to medium size nonprofits struggle with insufficient resources (human and capital) to fully execute their missions.  Nonprofit leaders frequently have something on their plate, juggling multiple priorities and stakeholders. It doesn’t matter if you’re the sole employee of the organization, or if you have a large team around you; there’s one thing you can’t compromise on: “donor service.”

For example, how do you or other staff members respond when donors reach out with questions? What do you say when a donor sends you a complaint, expresses a concern, or makes a suggestion? [Read more…]

Extreme Productivity – Using Your Calendar For Everything!

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This week I celebrate my 20th wedding anniversary.

My wife and I have a wonderful relationship, and we live full lives as partners, parents, and professionals. We align on most things and rarely disagree.

There is, however, one realm where we do not align, and it’s been a source of friction for us over the years. It has to do with how we keep track of everything in our busy lives so that we honor our promises and commitments (a.k.a., keeping your word) to each other, as well as to our family, friends, and colleagues.

[Read more…]

5 Ways to Grow As a Manager

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At Fundraising Leadership we are passionate about supporting nonprofit managers and leaders in their growth. We are equally passionate about continuing to grow ourselves. In fact, the Fundraising Leadership team came together as a result of our love of learning. We all connected as a result of completing a 10-month leadership program offered by the Co-Active Training Institute.  [Read more…]

A Survival Kit for the New Nonprofit Leader

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You are an extraordinary producer. Efficient, effective, and on top of your game.

Now, all of a sudden you accept a promotion within your organization to lead a team. Or, you were recruited away to lead a team in another organization.

Either way, the game has changed. Not only do you need to continue to produce results from your frontline work,  you are also responsible for getting results from and through your team. [Read more…]

How to Hire (and Retain) a Top Fundraiser

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In the marketplace for fundraiser talent, we know that demand currently outstrips supply. Consequently, advancement and development leaders often say that one of the most significant challenges they face is the hiring and retention of fundraising talent. While the economic forces of supply and demand are putting upward pressure on salaries, a common misconception about fundraiser recruitment and retention is that it’s “all about the money.” That’s a management and leadership cop-out.

[Read more…]

Creating a Culture of Accountability

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In his 2002 business classic, The Five Dysfunction of a Team, Patrick Lencioni describes “Avoidance of Accountability” as one of the core behaviors that teams exhibit when they are dysfunctional.  In Pat’s words: “In the context of teamwork…it refers specifically to the [un]willingness of team members to call their peers on performance or behaviors that might hurt the team.” [Read more…]