Joan Woods

Q: What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten in regard to fundraising? “Treat all donors with the same level of respect whether they give you a nickel or a million dollars because it’s the right thing to do and because you never know. That small donor may leave you $1 million. [And] the donor is always right. They have the money, and you’re trying to convince them to give you some. When you are giving away money, you’ll make the rules.” — Joan Woods director of development, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice “Do your research. Know your donors’ needs. Know your needs. Dress

Q: What do you feel is the most important issue facing nonprofit fundraisers as we approach the end of 2008? “It seems to me the changing face of philanthropy is the most important issue. We have older, first-generation philanthropists dying and the second generations spending more and not giving as much. We have a new, younger, first-generation wealthy set who were not raised in philanthropic families and really need to ‘learn’ more about giving. And then there is the fact that, with the Internet, we are competing not just against the organizations in our towns, but every nonprofit out there!” — Anne Steuer executive

“Integrating and ramping up online giving (and taking advantage of new media technologies) is one of the most important issues facing fundraisers right now. If we don’t get it right, donors will be giving one way and we’ll be asking for money another way. The nonprofit industry may also be forced by the ailing economy to find cheaper ways to raise our operating and program budgets.” — Joan Woods, director of development, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, as quoted in the Reader Panel Poll in the October issue of FundRaising Success.