Fundraisers are naturally curious, tenacious, noisy folks, because we know the key to providing funding for our organizations is leaving no stone unturned. What may seem an improbable source of funding could be turned into a success with a little more digging, some optimism, and creative thinking.
An example that comes to mind of unique fundraiser skills in action is when I was researching funding sources for an institution that cared for abused and neglected children. I came across a foundation which gave grants to organizations helping the homeless. Someone less experienced, less optimistic might have moved on from this foundation, because the children my organization assisted had a roof over their heads; however, I knew that initial view of our population wasn't entirely accurate. Some of the children had families to return to, but others were essentially homeless: their only legal guardian was a government agency and when they aged out of the child welfare system, and thus out of our organization, they would be without a home. I spoke to staff to figure out how many children qualified under this definition of homeless and applied for a grant to fund educational activities that would enhance the lives of these homeless children and their peers/housemates.
To this day that $7,500 grant award is one of my proudest professional moments even though it is not the largest award I ever received. I think most true fundraisers would agree that it is the opportunities which most test our abilities and show that we have a unique skill set that bring us the most satisfaction. A satisfaction, which for me, turned to joy when the lives of some of the most wonderful, strong, and curious children I ever had the pleasure to meet were positively impacted!
An example that comes to mind of unique fundraiser skills in action is when I was researching funding sources for an institution that cared for abused and neglected children. I came across a foundation which gave grants to organizations helping the homeless. Someone less experienced, less optimistic might have moved on from this foundation, because the children my organization assisted had a roof over their heads; however, I knew that initial view of our population wasn't entirely accurate. Some of the children had families to return to, but others were essentially homeless: their only legal guardian was a government agency and when they aged out of the child welfare system, and thus out of our organization, they would be without a home. I spoke to staff to figure out how many children qualified under this definition of homeless and applied for a grant to fund educational activities that would enhance the lives of these homeless children and their peers/housemates.
To this day that $7,500 grant award is one of my proudest professional moments even though it is not the largest award I ever received. I think most true fundraisers would agree that it is the opportunities which most test our abilities and show that we have a unique skill set that bring us the most satisfaction. A satisfaction, which for me, turned to joy when the lives of some of the most wonderful, strong, and curious children I ever had the pleasure to meet were positively impacted!
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