Six Steps On The Leadership Journey Of Development Professionals

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Have you taken the time to assess your expertise as a development professional from a leadership perspective?
Through the execution of a range of administrative, communication, and managerial responsibilities, the development professional gains a thorough understanding of both fundraising strategies and organizational needs. Due to this collective mastery, your work offers an invaluable skill set that uniquely positions development professionals for leadership at nonprofit and philanthropic agencies. So, if a leadership role interests you, look no further than the approach you bring to the position.
Development professionals employ six practices to be successful in their role. While the demands of each activity may vary, the advancement is a step-by-step process. Embracing a long-term view of these practices not only unlocks your nonprofit’s growth potential, but also builds and reveals your own professional aptitude for organizational leadership.
The forward-thinking development professional performs the following six practices:
Regardless of whether you do face-to-face fundraising, ensuring that the organization is prepared to fundraise is the development professional’s main priority. Your work behind the scenes is to establish a structure—plans, systems and processes—by which the nonprofit may reach its advancement goals. Organized recordkeeping is key. Systematically keep track of the following:
Up-to-date photos of constituent events and publications that illustrate the impact of your work are readily available. Timely submissions and consistent, personalized stewardship signal to internal and external constituents that your nonprofit is ready to effectively participate in the fundraising arena.
Consider development as a marketing function. Funders will make financial gifts if what you offer aligns with their philanthropic or personal interests. Your proposals serve to gain their interest and “buy-in.”
Utilizing both demographic and neighborhood data, you position your organization as an active part of the service-delivery system.
Writing proposals introduces the opportunity for new or enhanced programming. As a development professional who is in tune with constituent needs and funder interests, you’re positioned to think strategically and creatively in a way that those implementing the programming may overlook. It’s not about chasing the money, but rather about enhancing your offerings to better serve, broaden, or diversify your audience.
Developing funding proposals and gathering constituent feedback puts the development professional in a great position to assess the organization’s strengths and assets. Earned income streams are a valuable strategy for diversifying revenue sources and increasing financial sustainability for a nonprofit organization.
Complement the administrative, communication, and managerial expertise you’ve gained as a development professional with training that will broaden your perspective even more. You’re already familiar with the objectives below. Prioritize seminars or online courses that build upon these professional assets to strengthen your capacity to lead:
Development professionals make a transformative difference in the success of nonprofits while honing essential leadership skills. These six practices, thoughtfully applied, will continue to benefit the organization long after the exemplary development professional has moved on to the next phase of their leadership journey.
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