GuideStar Blog

As the yearly calendar starts anew, you may be busy renewing your gym membership, searching for that lost diet plan, or shopping for a new agenda to keep yourself organized. On a professional level, now is also a great time to pause and reflect on your career accomplishments and goals. Perhaps you are looking to expand your responsibilities or break into a leadership role, but how do you make that leap? How can you ensure that you are adequately prepared for that next big promotion?

Do you ever feel stuck in your job?? Most of us have felt that way at one time or another, particularly if you’re working for a nonprofit. It can be frustrating to see other people around you being promoted, or to be overlooked for outside candidates when the time comes to hire for a higher-level position.

How can you move on up in the nonprofit world?

Jerold Panas, fundraising’s most prolific author, died on July 14, with wife Felicity by his side. Mr. Panas prepared this excerpt for GuideStar a month prior to his passing.

Is there a fundraising type? A combination, say, of Elon Musk and Angeline Jolie that is outgoing, people-oriented, well organized, and goal oriented?

A young fundraiser in a new job recently told me that he has been calling donors to introduce himself. “They don’t want to talk to me,” he said sadly. “They want to talk to program staff or the executive director.”

I wanted to encourage him, but there was a sliver of truth in his discouragement. It is more gratifying for a donor to get the attention of a frontline worker or a leader than the development staff. On the other hand, throughout my fundraising career I have solicited many five- and six-figure gifts as the sole representative for the organization.

Even if you fundraise perfectly, not knowing this could leave you unemployed in one year.