Leading Freedom (and Fundraising) Forward

Goals met — and then some

Monies raised aside, the LFF campaign touched the ACLU at its core, starting with the relationship between the executive director, development and program staffs.

"Part of what is remarkable here is that we've engineered a culture shift in the place," Romero explains. "At a lot of nonprofits, the development staff are the stepchildren. The Strategic Affiliate Initiative began in a conversation with the development and affiliate staffs, which shows how seriously we take the development staff. Program people are the experts, but they have to partner with the development staff."

LFF also solidified the focus on major-gifts strategies and left the ACLU with programs that will sustain it well into the future. And it changed the way the organization sees itself and the way donors see it.

"That's transformative. That's an important, lasting legacy," McKay says. "Now donors see us differently. Their philanthropy matches their passion. We had to believe in ourselves before we could ask donors to believe in us at that level.

"This campaign raised all boats," she adds. "Every affiliate in the country and the national office is stronger because of the campaign. We have so much to build on now. It's very exciting." FS