(Team) Building Blocks
[Editor's Note: Recently, FundRaising Success Editorial Advisor F. Duke Haddad submitted a story intended to guide development department heads in the tricky process of finding the right people to build a successful fundraising team. It's a straightforward look at the special qualities required to really nail the duties of specific job titles.
It immediately reminded me of a blog post by global fundraising and management guru Bernard Ross that outlined roles that needed to be filled in any organization looking to cultivate change within its ranks to best optimize its fundraising efforts. Bernard is all about shaking up the status quo and not letting anyone, anywhere, get too comfortable. In the ever-changing and challenging landscape that is fundraising today, keeping things fresh is as important a goal as raising specific amounts of money — only not as easily defined.
Because they highlighted the important building blocks in the process of creating a vibrant, high-functioning team, the two stories seemed to be a good fit. — Margaret Battistelli Gardner]
Building Your Fundraising Team
Whether you’re new to a development leadership role or a seasoned executive, you must consider personnel issues. Much like a football coach who takes over a team, think about each part of the organization and how the pieces fit together. A fundraising coach knows that success depends on a total team concept. Each fundraising organization has elements of governance through its board of directors and administration with executive leadership and staff. These various individuals must execute strategic and operational plans for success to occur.
Directing a fundraising team is difficult because, in many cases, staff stability is an unknown. According to a survey by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the average tenure for a development officer is 18 months, and his or her median salary is upward of $60,000. Many organizations find they cannot afford that payroll expense. At the same time, an individual needs at least one year to completely understand the organization’s history, culture, and key internal and external players. A leader needs time to evaluate the staff makeup to seek a blend of experience, diversity, skills and personalities.
Duke Haddad, Ed.D., CFRE, is currently associate director of development, director of capital campaigns and director of corporate development for The Salvation Army Indiana Division in Indianapolis. He also serves as president of Duke Haddad and Associates LLC and is a freelance instructor for Nonprofit Web Advisor.
He has been a contributing author to NonProfit PRO since 2008.
He received his doctorate degree from West Virginia University with an emphasis on education administration plus a dissertation on donor characteristics. He received a master’s degree from Marshall University with an emphasis on public administration plus a thesis on annual fund analysis. He secured a bachelor’s degree (cum laude) with an emphasis on marketing/management. He has done post graduate work at the University of Louisville.
Duke has received the Fundraising Executive of the Year Award, from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Indiana Chapter. He also was given the Outstanding West Virginian Award, Kentucky Colonel Award and Sagamore of the Wabash Award from the governors of West Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana, respectively, for his many career contributions in the field of philanthropy. He has maintained a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation for three decades.
