Fundraiser Education

As more and more nonprofits are stepping up training of fundraisers, they are finding low-cost yet effective ways to improve the skills of their staff members.

At Berea College, in Kentucky, for example, Bill Laramee, vice president for alumni and college relations, says a monthlong course he teaches about philanthropy helped train and recruit several fundraisers, including two development officers who now work on Berea’s annual fund. The course, consisting of daily classes, covers the philosophical underpinnings of charity and ethical issues related to fundraising.

Here are 15 books recommended by fundraising professionals that could change your life.

BBB Wise Giving Alliance, GuideStar USA and Independent Sector developed a new website, Charting Impact, as a common presentation for nonprofits that allows staff, boards, stakeholders, donors, volunteers, and others to work with and learn from each other.

This framework was developed, tested and refined by nearly 200 nonprofit and philanthropic leaders.

At the heart of Charting Impact are five deceptively simple questions that require reflection and promote communication about what really matters — results

Challenges are many for North Texas nonprofits just as they are for nonprofit organizations across the U.S.

Aging volunteers and board members are ready to hand the reins off to replacements who are proving elusive. Longtime supporters are reluctant to embrace tools like social media. Donors are demanding more than a good cause to give to.

A hope for constructive solutions drew numerous nonprofit leaders to a recent summit sponsored by the Nonprofit Center of Wichita Falls. The morning session included an opportunity to identify problems, then begin a study of new approaches to success.

The Association of Fundraising Professionals has awarded its highest professional certification, the Advanced Certified Fundraising Executive (ACFRE), to Angela Seaworth, director of the Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership at Rice University, which seeks to increase the effectiveness and impact of the nonprofit sector by providing education and nurturing leadership among professionals and those who support nonprofit organizations.

Available only to senior-level fundraisers who've worked in the profession for 10 or more years, the ACFRE is a distinguished achievement earned by only 91 professionals since the inception of the program in 1992.

FundRaising Success to host its second annual virtual conference May 19.

FundRaising Success to host its second annual virtual conference May 19.

If you're looking for a free, valuable chance to learn from some of the fundraising industry's best and brightest minds, join us in a couple weeks for the second annual FundRaising Success Virtual Conference & Expo: Engaging, Enlightening and Empowering Donors.

What book has changed your (professional) life?

The economy … well … sucks at the moment! But does that really mean nobody is giving? Nope! Fundraising is alive and well and even thriving. I have 10 tips to help you get your share of the money that's going around.