Browsing by Subject "fundraisers"

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
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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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    The Generosity of an Urban Professoriate: Understanding Faculty as Donors and Academic Citizens
    (CUMU, 2012-01-01) Shaker, Genevieve G.
    Although faculties are often portrayed as institutionally uninvolved, evidence exists that many of them are actually academic citizens who contribute beyond requirements and expectations. Using a phenomenological approach to examine major giving by faculty and their academic citizenship at an urban university, this study of limited sample size shows that faculty citizenship was grounded by philanthropic values such as those that inspired financial giving among the participants.
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    A Grounded Theory Study of Major Gift Fundraising Relationships in U.S. Higher Education
    (SAGE, 2021-11-26) Shaker, Genevieve G.; Nelson, Deanna
    Nurturing relationships with major donors is a priority for nonprofits, and “relationship fundraising” is the dominant paradigm. This grounded theory study addressed practical needs and a dearth of research by analyzing how fundraisers develop relationships. In a first-of-its-kind study, we interviewed 20 pairs of higher education fundraisers and major donors (n = 40) from multiple U.S. institutions. We discovered five tiers of relationships from a basic connection, personalized association, confident relationship, purposeful partnership, to a consequential bond. Fundraisers initiated the progression until the final tier; the theoretical model shows their intentionality in the relationships’ development. Major gifts occurred in all tiers. The model illustrates how fundraisers build relationships, explores donors’ expectations, and affirms the relational nature of major gift fundraising. It provides some of the only empirical evidence regarding major donors, and the relationship fundraising philosophy touted in practitioner literature. The analysis reveals connections to theories from social psychology and relationship marketing.
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    Professional Development for Nonprofit Leaders in Rural Alaska: Perceptions, Access, Utilization, and Needs
    (2015) O'Connor, Heather
    This mixed-method project explores the nature of professional development for fundraising professionals on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska. The data illustrate a limited awareness of existing resources, preference for in-person training opportunities, and limitations in time and resources necessary for travel for professional development opportunities. The training content’s applicability to rural Alaskan communities and facilitator experience with Alaskan or rural nonprofits are noted as primary concerns when considering participation. The majority of participants do not view nonprofit resource development as a career path or vocation, but instead, see themselves as generalists attracted to the mission of the organization. Findings from this project may inform content, design, and marketing of professional development curricula for rural nonprofit professionals, as well as modes of delivery.
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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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    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.