Should You Know or Do Fundraising?

I’ve been debating (with myself) lately about the difference between knowing fundraising and doing fundraising. This internal conflict came up as a result of a class I am helping develop. Although I have taught university-level courses in fundraising and nonprofit management, I still consider myself a fundraising practitioner, not an academic, so that’s the lens through which I view this discussion.

Given that when I started in fundraising, there were few courses, no Internet or webinars and only a small offering of books and publications. I first learned fundraising through (referred in Wikipedia terms to as) “the School of Hard Knocks”—the “(sometimes painful) education one gets from life's usually negative experiences.” I’ve occasionally mentioned the first fundraising book I ever bought: “The Art of Asking: How to Solicit Philanthropic Gifts” by Paul Schneiter. At that time, that book cost me princely sum of $7.95.

We’ve come a long way as a profession since then, but the question remains (at least for me): Is it better to know fundraising or do fundraising?

As with many of these types of questions, I am convinced that the answer is both. Learning is done best when there is context. It would be difficult to understand the difference between stick shift and automatic and why routine maintenance matters for safe driving before you have learned to drive. By the same token, it’s difficult to understand the nuances of asking for money unless you understand the vehicle in which that ask will be delivered—in person, via a letter, at an event, etc.

I gravitate toward certain aspects of fundraising, because I have tried them and found a measure of success and enjoyment as a result. I tend to avoid or at least minimize my role in other aspects of fundraising, because I have tried them and found less fulfillment (for me and the cause). That’s neither an indictment of the method nor me—it’s a matter of where my skills and interests are best served. As a result, the fundraising methods I enjoy most are the ones I dig into in terms of gaining more knowledge.

A challenge comes if you have never tried some fundraising method. You may be an untapped major gift cultivation superstar in your organization, but if you never actually do it, you’ll never know that. So sometimes we have to take a chance and try, hopefully in a situation where someone else can mentor us who is exceptional in that skill.

Your organization may provide opportunities for you to increase your hands-on skills, or you may have to look at volunteer experiences to get a chance to experience new skills. Either way, expect to have to do your homework and get input on best practices; don’t assume you can go in cold and start “winging it,” because the outcome matters too much to not prepare for success.

It can also help to read an overview of fundraising to get a broader feel for the mechanics of a technique. An old edition of “The Complete Guide to Fundraising Management” by Stanley Weinstein was a guide for me for years, and that’s why I was honored to work with Stanley on the latest edition, available here. You will also want to choose a few authors whose content regularly resonates with your needs and keep an eye out for their new posts, publication and articles.

So back to where I began: Should you know or do fundraising? This old dog recommends you increase your knowing by adding to your knowledge, and then expand your doing based on what you are learning and where you think you have affinity and ability. You may find your fundraising passion in an unexpected place if you’re willing to keep learning and trying.