• Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Nonprofit Career Academy
  • Contact us
  • My Account
  • Cart
  • Checkout
  • 0Shopping Cart
DCS Robin L. Cabral, MA, CFRE | Development Consulting Solutions
  • About Robin
  • Products
    • Webinars
    • Board Development Group Mastermind Coaching
    • Templates
  • Resources
    • Blog
      • Board development
      • Campaigns
      • Donor relations
      • Grant Writing
      • Individual Giving
      • Major gifts
      • Online
      • Planning
      • Small shop fundraising
    • Subscribe to Newsletter
    • Videos
  • Speaking
    • Topics
    • Schedule
    • Testimonials
  • Community
  • Services
    • Coaching with Robin L. Cabral, MA CFRE, MFIA
    • Consulting
    • Speaking topics
    • Clients
    • Testimonials
  • Australia Office Services
    • Visit our Australian website
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
Blog, Campaigns, Donor relations, Planning, Resources for the professional, Small shop fundraising

The “too busy” fundraiser!

“I don’t have the time!”

Development professionals probably have one of the most demanding jobs in an organization. There are so many expectations, and the work is full of deadlines that need we need to meet. The too busy fundraiser

We work long hours on grant proposals, travel across the country to visit donors, and need to prepare budgets and outcomes for board reports and donor communication publications.

Just recently, I overheard a development professional say, “I don’t have time for that!”

My ears perked up. I turned around, and thought, when have we ever become too busy to stop and immerse ourselves in the mission of our work?

This type of behavior is unacceptable. Organizations have a right to dismiss those who are just “too busy” to engage themselves in their core work. The fundraiser should – no must – be the first one at the table saying, “I will be there” or “how can I help?”

We, as development professionals, raise money to fund our mission, and we can never say that we are too busy to immerse ourselves in what it is that we support through our organizations. We should embrace and relish these opportunities as moments that we connect with the soul of our institutions and better equip ourselves to represent our organizations to our donors.

It is our work. We can’t say we don’t have enough time, or we have too much to do. We can’t even THINK that.

In saying that we are acknowledging that we are too busy for those that we serve and for the work that we are doing. How can we do that work right, if we can’t make time for it and those we serve including best representing our work to the donors that we serve.

If there is anyone in an organization that should live, breathe, and exhale the mission, it is the fundraiser.

If you are too busy, perhaps you don’t belong at your “job” because that is probably all that it is.  Non-profit work is a vocation.  We are responsible for other’s lives and well-being.  This type of work is not just simply a “job.”  Without us, our clients and participants would not have the services and level of care that they do.

Shame on you, shame on us – that we have ever become that busy.

September 18, 2016/0 Comments/by hireacfre
Tags: board of directors, board of directors giving, board of trustees, consultant, consultants, Ethical fundraising, fund development, fundraising, individual giving, new bedford, New england, nonprofit fundraising, One shop fundraising, welcoming new donors
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • Share on LinkedIn
You might also like
Let’s ban the title Newsletters – all in favor?
I have a motive, and it is a bequest.
How to qualify major gift prospects
New “DCS” interim development services
What’s next after your capital campaign feasibility study?
How to have the most leverage in your new fundraising office
0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Contact

Development Consulting Solutions
New Bedford, MA
(508) 685-8899
rcabral@developmentconsultingsolutions.com
Join Our Community

Schedule Free Session

Schedule your first 30-minute complimentary session to see if we are a great fit!

Book Now

Quick Links

  • Visit us on Facebook
  • Visit us on Twitter
  • Visit us on LinkedIn

Join our Newsletter

Fill out this form to sign up for our email newsletter

© Copyright - Development Consulting Solutions | Privacy Policy
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
The intersection between mission and mergers Meetings – are you positioned right?
Scroll to top

Get my FREE Ebook on the Building Blocks for a Successful Case for Support

Sign up to get FREE instant access to this Ebook now.

Fill out this form to sign up for our email newsletter.