Build an Ethical Fundraising Program to Last

I laughed. And I cringed.

I was attending a session at a fundraising professionals conference, where two consultants from the same company and a volunteer were presenting on a campaign that happened more than 15 years ago.

It wasn't the time that had passed that bothered me (although I couldn't believe a conference committee would allow it).

It was the pain I had endured cleaning up the mess that those two now-consultants had created as CEO and senior development staff member at the organization all those years ago. The volunteer, who was campaign chair at the time, used the process for recognition, and the staff used him to gain additional compensation.

I had been hired as chief development officer for this major organization. Soon after my arrival, I realized that the figures that were being reported on an annual basis and in this particular capital campaign didn't add up.

Smoke and mirrors.

Some of the information just wasn't factual. Some was double counted. There was no accountability throughout the organization on what was counted, how and why. Growth in the organization—and in the CEO's compensation—seemed to be the goal; the heavy debt that came along with that seemed irrelevant.

The campaign chair convened a heavy-hitting committee over lunch at his office every few months. But the reality of it was that in a $50 million campaign, the chair was only responsible for his own gift and one or two others. There was no real strategy (which is why things had to be counted in multiples) and other than engaging the committee in some high-end "awareness tours" and "thank you events," the committee chair had no real function. But the arrangement did help the CEO get closer to the committee, who were prominently highlighted by the organization and many of whom, coincidentally, sat on the his compensation committee.

I worked for three years to clean up the mess, wrap up the capital campaign they had in shambles, and have annual giving figures accurately reflected in what was reported. Despite the organization being driven by ego and growth, finally we managed to set a flat annual campaign goal to allow for integrity in the system.

My goal was to develop a program that would outlast me. I think we did that. I often think of "Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies" by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras.

Those of us in the nonprofit arena have a responsibility—and an accountability—to build things that outlast us. It's not about us as CEO, or chief development officer, or board chair, or board member. It's about building an organization that is sustainable and can grow in support of a worthy mission.

For this organization, we prepared a development plan with aggressive, sustainable goals. Getting to that point wasn't easy, considering the mess I walked into, but the roadmap cleaned things up and served the organization well moving forward.

We encourage every nonprofit to have a plan, a roadmap. To build an ethical fundraising program based on real results. This allows focus and accountability. It allows you to build a system that will outlast staff and volunteers. Your worthy mission deserves it. Your donors deserve it.