Last Look: An Interview With David Duncan, Director of Membership and Development, Civil War Preservation Trust

FS: Additional thoughts?
DD: Everyone in an organization is a development officer. Even if they are not actively raising donations, every person’s job contributes to the bottom line, as long as they are engaged in creating a quality organization, which, in turn, makes it far easier for the fundraisers to “sell” your mission. Donors in this economy are cutting back to a core list of groups they are willing to support, and I believe they are looking for quality and effectiveness. You must exceed their expectations in every communication with them — mailings, Web site, newsletters, programs, events — or they will take their donations elsewhere.

Joe Boland is copy editor and staff writer for the Target Marketing Group at FS’ parent company, NAPCO. Reach him at jboland@napco.com