Establishing a Culture of Philanthropy at Work
For far too long, many non-profit organizations have relied solely on specific departments or individuals to take care of their fundraising, placing a very real segmentation between the members who facilitate the funds and those who put the hard-earned building blocks into action.
This separation often results in an overall lack of cohesion among team members and even a lapse in funding when certain offices remain vacant or insufficiently fulfilled. Every once in a while, even the most hard-fought fundraising efforts fall flat, resulting in finger-pointing and the feeling that something just isn’t clicking.
It’s become clear that effective fundraising takes more than just a great development director. Fulfilling impactful fundraising goals takes a village and the effort and dedication of an entire team, not just a few members. To bring in groundbreaking funds and game-changing donations, you need to get the whole team on board by establishing a culture of philanthropy in the workplace.
What is a Culture of Philanthropy?
Setting a culture of philanthropy within an organization makes fundraising the base and primary focus, a way of doing business, rather than just a piece of the operation. A strategy focused on fundraising (which is the very lifeblood of a non-profit) means very little if the remaining operations aren’t committed to supporting it.
In a workplace culture built on philanthropy, everyone in the organization—including board members, staff and executive directors—has a major role in raising resources. The key to making this work is helping your team understand that those resources (particularly from relationships) are something each member can contribute. Furthermore, keeping donors is just as important as acquiring them, which relies heavily on the relationship an organization cultivates with its donors.
In an organization that embraces a culture of philanthropy, fund development isn’t just a single factor of operating—it’s the center of everything they do.
Why Philanthropic Culture Makes a Difference
Successfully establishing a culture of philanthropy within the framework of a non-profit organization can feel like giving the entire mission a steroid shot. A philanthropic culture is undeniably positive and goal-oriented, helping teams meet objectives on every level with a confident stride.
Advocates for philanthropic workplace culture suggest that the concept improves every area of a fundraising organization. A culture of philanthropy can help organizations increase giving levels and donor retention. The positive influence behind the culture shift is also likely to strengthen trust, cooperation and engagement among members of the organization, much like team building activities do, resulting in enhanced teamwork, efficiency, productivity and employee happiness.
The key effect that a philanthropic culture has within the workplace is the absolute capacity to align mission and program goals more seamlessly with actual revenue generation, so every action and meeting drives further toward that shared objective.
How to Implement a Culture of Philanthropy
Several key components generally characterize a culture of philanthropy:
An integrated and seamless mission
Emphasis on funding as engagement
Forging and maintaining strong donor relationships
Accepting—even encouraging—shared responsibility for development from top to bottom
Even more, the bottom line is more about the philanthropy itself, not money.
Some ways to begin implementing a culture of philanthropy within the workplace include:
Integrate fundraising into every meeting, on every level.
Regularly ask staff members for input and advice on development materials and strategies.
Encourage team bonding and spend time individually to get to know team members and their connection to and passion for philanthropy.
As often as possible, share stories about individuals and groups who have been positively impacted by the mission you champion.
Invite donors to join your board, even as guests, and invite their input.
Create regular opportunities for staff in different departments to share ideas and collaborate.
Celebrate success. No matter how big or small, celebrate achievement everywhere it happens.
Keep everyone in the loop and up to speed, always. This includes staff, board members, trustees and other supporters.
Personalize pitches and all other communication with donors. Remember, it’s not just about numbers anymore.
Philanthropy is defined as “a love of mankind and voluntary action for the common good,” which begs whether the concept can be inadvertently bestowed upon an organization’s members or staff. To that comes the very nature of culture that relies on the habits, beliefs and values of a group and the undeniable desire that teams in the non-profit sector have to drive positive, meaningful change in the world we share.