Читать книгу Achieving Excellence in Fundraising - Группа авторов - Страница 25

Fundraising professionals are what is known as “boundary spanners,” functioning in the space where the organization interacts with its external environment (Kelly 1998). They are like marketing and sales personnel in business and foreign ambassadorial staff in governments. Those who live in these roles must have the strength of character and confidence to represent the organization to its constituents, to negotiate on behalf of the organization, and to represent the views and values of constituents and donors to organizational leadership. They must become trusted agents to both internal and external parties. Thus, it becomes important for fundraisers to articulate: “I know who I am; I know what I do; and, I know why I do it.”

Early leaders in the field of philanthropic studies challenged scholars and practitioners alike to work toward and advance a philosophy of fundraising (Burlingame and Hulse 1991). Thirty years ago, Hank Rosso (1991) offered his perspective on essential elements of ethical philanthropic fundraising based on a lifetime of teaching and reflection, the status of fundraising as an emerging profession, and society at the time of first edition of this book. His essay “A Philosophy of Fundraising” was printed in the subsequent editions and shared widely.

Today, we acknowledge the ever‐changing dynamics of fundraising in the twenty‐first century and suggest each fundraiser should have their own philosophy of fundraising based on the contexts of time and culture, study and understanding of fundraising and philanthropy, and experiences over the course of a career. This chapter will help readers develop a personal philosophy of fundraising through multiple lenses – the personal, the societal, and the organizational – and distill lived experiences, beliefs, and values. A personal philosophy of fundraising is a guiding force for a meaningful career. Throughout this chapter, the authors demonstrate the formation of a philosophy of fundraising by sharing examples from their own lives and careers.