With little to show but enthusiasm, the development staff at the National Constitution Center managed to fund a dream.

By Margaret Battistelli Gardner

Except for Specter, the staff has very little fundraising experience, which, Seiter says, allows them the freedom of not being bogged down with baggage from old jobs and ways of thinking. And she stresses that the staff is encouraged to work together toward the goal of moving donors up the pyramid.

“As a leader I can set the tone that we all need to work together. Everyone knows the goal is to get that $25 dollar donor to leave you in their will,” she says. “The membership people know they’re creating the pipeline and giving us the wonderful names.”