Ah, what a way to start a Thursday. Just had a brief exchange with someone regarding the big charity/small charity dichotomy.
The other day I posted a rant about small or startup organizations that seek to raise absurd sums of money with zero fund development budgets. One individual remarked somewhat smugly how this is not a concern for them since they work for a large non-profit. When I saw this comment, I instantly felt this person belonged under the category of "Born on third base but act as if you hit a triple".
Having worked with charities of all sizes and types, I've had similar encounters in the past with young and seasoned professionals alike who have spent their entire careers in the big non-profit bubble. They entered the field as part of fundraising machines with six and seven-digit development budgets. Each of their colleagues and mentors specialized in major gifts, planned giving, annual giving campaigns, corporate philanthropy, special events and other facets of fund development.
Boards and campaign cabinets consisted of power brokers and people of influence who each made pace-setting annual gifts. Donor data staff used cutting-edge CRMs, stewardship practices were solid and the case for support was Pulitzer-worthy.
Yes, I realize this is a tad hyperbolic. But some fundraisers have a highly patronizing attitude towards grassroots or volunteer-driven agencies. They don't seem to understand that many large charities endured tremendous struggles in their early years. Odds are there were moments when today's non-profit giants didn't view fundraising as a top priority.
What others like the above-mentioned individual fail to appreciate is the level of sustained fortitude, focus and adaptability that is required to lead an organization through its formative years. The tedium of planning programs, the uncertainty of volunteers, board apathy, the frustration of administrative tasks, and (of course) the paralyzing fear of having enough funds to pay bills are some of the tribulations charity leaders endure during the early stages. Clearly it's not for the feint of heart.
The foundational years chart the journey that an organization will travel to create the change that will solve issues affecting society. These are the critical days when a charity's identity, culture and approaches are defined. Though the selfless people guiding these organizations along the way experience heartache and strife, it's surpassed by the sense of elation and triumph that engulfs them upon seeing the positive change they worked so hard to achieve actually take place.
I wish some in the fund development sector wouldn't be so dismissive of organizations without staff or large operating budgets. We should remember that we didn't pilot these charities from their infancy to this point in their journeys. We are just passengers.
