Browsing by Author "Nathan, Sarah K."

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Breaking the isolation: fundraisers, informal support groups, and professional growth
    (2018-11) Shaker, Genevieve G.; Nathan, Sarah K.; Janin, Pat D.; O'Connor, Heather A.
    Although understanding of the fundraising profession is growing, less is known about fundraisers working in smaller nonprofits, with limited access to professional associations. In this grounded theory study, we conducted focus groups with fundraisers who created an informal professional association. Literature has indeed shown that such associations can provide self-regulation, knowledge diffusion, and professional identity–similar to that offered by larger, formal associations. Our objective was to explore why, when, and how fundraisers in small organizations form and use informal associations for professional growth and confidence. We created a model/theory describing one group’s process with implications for supporting the profession.
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    Fundraisers in the 21st Century
    (2017) Nathan, Sarah K.; Tempel, Eugene R.
    Who are fundraisers today? How and why do individuals become fundraisers? And, what is the situation with fundraisers in the various nonprofit subsectors? Fundraisers in the 21st Century provides fresh insight into fundraisers’ career paths, challenges, successes, and the overall growth of the field. As a comparison to a 1996 study of fundraisers, this study reveals that the profession continues to mature – more people are choosing it as a first career and tenure is up, for example – but challenges remain. The white paper analyzes survey data from 1,826 fundraising professionals.
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    Professional Identity and the Determinants of Fundraisers’ Charitable Behavior
    (Sage, 2020-08) Shaker, Genevieve G.; Rooney, Patrick; Bergdoll, Jonathan; Nathan, Sarah K.; Tempel, Gene; Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
    This survey-based study (n = 1,663) addressed charitable behaviors of fundraisers—key arbiters of others’ donations. Our research question was as follows: Are fundraisers’ charitable behaviors related to their professional identity? We found several anticipated differences in giving and volunteering behaviors (and their social determinants) in comparison with the general public and the influence of some fundraising-specific variables. Nearly all the fundraisers gave time and money and were more like one another than the public. On average, they gave more money and donated a higher salary share than the typical household. They volunteered at a higher rate and, excluding outliers, more hours than the average American. We contend that fundraiser charitable behavior and professional identity are interwoven. The professional norms regarding personal philanthropy may also be influenced through the self-selection of the inherently philanthropic into fundraising. Future research should examine formation of fundraiser professional identity and its outcomes more broadly.
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    The Role of Philanthropic Studies in Equipping Students to Articulate their Personal and Vocational Purpose
    (Sagamore, 2020-10) Nathan, Sarah K.; Shaker, Genevieve G.; Danahey Janin, Pat; Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
    Positioned within the larger discussion regarding the outcomes of a liberal arts education, this qualitative study examined Philanthropic Studies undergraduates’ articulation of purpose. Fifteen majors participated in this grounded theory study, providing insight into the student experience in this new, liberal arts discipline. Findings are expressed in a theoretical framework showing how most students’ articulation of purpose successfully evolved to include and integrate personal and vocational aims. Most of the Philanthropic Studies students held a strong, values-based orientation that underscored their experiences and perspective but was not enough to assure a confident vocational purpose on its own. The framework aligns and complements theories of student development and illuminates a number of personal and programmatic factors that facilitated or hampered the students’ progression. The study suggests that liberal arts-based curricula can do well with a holistic approach that attends closely not just to students’ academic achievements but also to their sense of personal purpose, career interests and vocational concerns, while using experiential learning strategies in generous measure.
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    Sequential Online Course Redesign: When “It Just Takes Time” Works No Longer
    (Wiley, 2014) Shaker, Genevieve G.; Nathan, Sarah K.; Dale, Elizabeth J.
    Despite the increase in formats of online education, evidence suggests that the academic achievement gap could widen without iterative adaptation. This comparative case study analyzes the implementation of an online undergraduate course delivered consecutively in hybrid and fully online formats. Student feedback and instructor reflection address adaptive processes for online learning and adjustments to enhance the second course following a sequential redesign. Results include students’ challenges with technology and workload, benefits of cross-course collaboration, instructor efforts to mediate challenges without sacrificing rigor, and advice for educational developers as they support online teaching through rapid adaptation by design.
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    Turnover intention and job tenure of US fundraisers
    (Wiley, 2022) Shaker, Genevieve G.; Rooney, Patrick M.; Nathan, Sarah K.; Bergdoll, Jonathan J.; Tempel, Eugene R.
    Fundraisers secure financial resources that organizations need to achieve their missions. Raising money, particularly large gifts, can follow years of relationship building with individual donors. When fundraisers leave these efforts can be set back substantially, making fundraiser turnover particularly worrisome and worthy of exploration. This analysis addressed the issue with US survey data (n = 1663) and examinination of three research questions. What are the job tenure and intent to leave of fundraisers? How is fundraiser job tenure affected by intent to leave? What relationships do job tenure and intent to leave have with fundraisers' individual demographics, position attributes, and organizational characteristics? We found that the study participants had current mean job tenures of 3.6 years (median = 2 years) and mean tenures across their fundraising jobs of 3.9 years (median = 3 years). Twenty percent intended to leave their organization and 7% intended to leave fundraising within the next year. Of the tested variables, salary consistently had the largest effects and was the most significant. Older and more experienced fundraisers had longer tenures. The study provides nuanced information about fundraisers' job-related behaviors, includes careful attention to theory and related research, and presents specific ideas for organizational interventions for increasing fundraiser tenure.
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    Understanding Higher Education Fundraisers in the United States
    (Wiley, 2017) Shaker, Genevieve G.; Nathan, Sarah K.; Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
    Since their earliest days, the U.S. higher education institutions have relied on philanthropic support to achieve their missions. What began as incidental is now a highly organized process of fundraising that accounts for tens of billions of dollars annually. As institutions' desire for private support grows, so too does the demand for successful fundraising professionals. Drawing on qualitative and quantitative analysis, this survey‐based study (n = 508) of U.S. higher education fundraising personnel provides new knowledge and grounds fundraisers' position in historical and contemporary literature about fundraisers and professionalism. The findings highlight notable generational, income, and gender differences within the higher education sector and between higher education and the greater profession. The analysis shows an established knowledge‐base and set of learnable skills for higher education fundraisers—which are best applied when combined with particular personal attributes. Although the latter are critically important, without full and fair attention to the former, the occupation is unlikely to garner full professional status. This study highlights, the path forward highlights the complexity of contemporary fundraising, is a reminder that fundraising is relationship‐ and information‐driven, and indicates that select, strategic efforts can further professionalize the field. In particular, fundraisers in the education sector may have special opportunities to advance the professionalization of their occupation.