Strategic Fund Development: Building Profitable Relationships That Last, Third Edition

Summary

Quit trying to find new ideas in philanthropy and fund development. Start by understanding and embracing the fundamentals and doing the basics better. And enabling is one of the basics, just like leadership is.

What happens if you don’t enable? Here are just a few results.

• There is too much work for staff, particularly in fund development.
• You create disenfranchised volunteers who may reduce (or not increase) their monetary contributions.
• There are fewer knowledgeable people out in the community advocating for your constituents, your programs, and your support.
• There is less information and perspective (hence diversity) coming into your organization.

Lack of enabling produces role confusion. Without enabling, the lines between governance and management blur and the door opens for micromanaging by the board. Lack of enabling reduces your organization’s capacity to make sound judgments and good decisions.

On the other hand, lots of wonderful things happen if you do enable your volunteers. For example:

• More people know about your organization and advocate on its behalf.
• Volunteers engage in the meaning and processes of your organization as well as its activities.
• The best volunteers stay with your organization and add value to your activities.
• You make better decisions with diverse inputs.
• More volunteers help nurture relationships and build donor loyalty.
• More volunteers participate in solicitation, securing more donors and gifts.

Through enabling, you provide adequate ...