7 Virtues of High Achieving Fundraising Shops

I got to spend time in Omaha this week, one of America’s great philanthropic cities, and was happily reminded of the force for good that is a high-functioning fundraising department. Show me a focused group of professionals devoted to donor relationships and revenue targets, and I can anticipate world-class results.

We have had a fond look at the bad habits of shabby fundraising shops, but what are the virtues that define successful programs? What makes for a good fundraising department? Is it plentiful staffing and high salaries that leads to success? Often, alas, that matters little.

What, then, makes for a high achieving fundraising team?