If you’ve ever heard me speak before, you know how passionate I am about fundraising and nonprofit leadership. My “no-nonsense” attitude comes across loud and clear about board members’ roles and responsibilities with regard to giving, as well as the Executive Director’s important role in fundraising.
The following might seem more like a rant — which may help you confirm or deny your feelings about certain aspects of nonprofit leadership and get you agitated about others. Either way, speak up in the comments.
Nonprofit Leadership: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
I didn’t distinguish the following into categories of “good, bad or ugly,” as many of the topics could fit under more than one heading depending on the situation.
1. Executive Directors and nonprofit staff are generally underpaid.
This is generally accepted as a way of life in the nonprofit sector. Sometimes low pay stems from a true lack of financial resources, but often it’s some crazy perception by the public and/or the organization’s leadership that people should be paid poorly in our sector.
I couldn’t disagree more.
If the general public and supporters of our organizations truly want the organizations to be run efficiently and effectively, then we need to pay people with skills and competencies to do the job.
As the saying goes, “you get what you pay for,” which is why so many nonprofits are running into the ground these days. If possible, give raises each year to the staff you want to keep. (And fire the others — don’t wait for them to get the hint.)
2. Nonprofit leaders are passionate about the mission and the cause of their organizations.
This is clearly under the “good” category, because I have yet to come across an ED who doesn’t feel passionately about their organization. Kudos to them! If the mission of your organization doesn’t speak to your heart, it’s time to move on.
3. Board members often don’t have nonprofit experience.
Board members, in theory, are the leaders of our organizations. But unfortunately they often haven’t been recruited properly, given good direction, job descriptions, training, or expectations. Although there are certainly exceptions, I find that most boards (as a whole) are a major work in progress.
Boards are essential for successful fundraising. So help your board members by providing them with the training, resources, and the direction and guidance they need to be effective leaders, as well as passionate about your organization.
4. Executive Directors need to lead the board, not be led by board members.
Although the board is “the boss” of the Executive Director, when EDs don’t provide leadership, the organization flounders. If you’re an ED, don’t let the board walk all over you. You’re in the daily grind and board members should not be micromanaging. You need a heavy hand in creating agendas and goal setting for the board.
5. Executive directors must fundraise.
Need I say more?
If it’s a matter of confidence or fear, try a good training program — like Mastering Major Gifts — to get out of your rut.
6. Your organization is making the world a better place.
Despite all of my complaints above, I do love the nonprofit sector because individually and collectively, we are truly making the world a better place.
A Final Note to Executive Directors
Invest in yourselves and your staff.
I spent some time with a colleague the other day who personally pays for all of her professional development. I was horrified!
If you want your staff to stick around and be with you for the long haul, you need to invest in them — as well as yourself. It’s unlikely that you went to school to become an Executive Director, so make sure you’re the best you can be by going to management classes and utilizing fundraising training programs.
Agree or disagree with my points? Speak your mind below in the comments.
Dear Amy,
This is terrific! And clearly your definition of a rant and mine are quite different ;). I’d add, alond the line of Linda Lysakowski’s post “What Should Nonprofit Leaders Expect from the Development Officer?” (http://tinyurl.com/5tsgjsv) on Sandy Rees’ blog: most non-profit boards have no real understanding of how the development process works. many are stuck in the “tin cup fundraising” philosophy, or think that events are the only way to raise money.
They want to know why you haven’t raised 1.5X your salary, and deny you tools to do your job because “you haven’t even raised that much money yet.” Imagine telling a program person they can’t have what they need to do their job until they bring in the fees! This is why the ethics of our profession prohibit commissions based on what we raise.
Board members deny that 100% board giving is necessary, and ask why you haven’t gotten any grant money from foundations yet – while at the same time they are not enforcing their own term limits or attendance and quorum rules.
They recruit their friends to the board, who do not give, and then ask why another non-profit is so successful – looking at the development person for the explanation.
It’s classic – the board doesn’t want to fundraise, so they look to the ED, who tells the Board they need a development person, they hire a development person, and ask why they have’t raised any money. The development person leaves after 18 months of frustration and the cycle begins again.
You’re right on the mark. And, by the way, great rant! I love it. Thanks for sharing.
I could say a whole lot, but I’ll keep it short. I whole-heartedly agree! Especially #1! And I second Laura’s comments below regarding fund raising. We just have to keep educating.
Amy,
I wish I could say that every Executive Director I’ve met was passionate about their cause. I’m reminded of a particular client I was working with to revitalize their board … at one meeting, an AHA moment happened when the board team realized that a big part of their own malaise was that the ED they had hired to fix a financial mess (and had done that) really wasn’t terribly committed to the cause.
So put Executive Directors without passion into the Bad, and maybe even Ugly category.
Yes, but hopefully that is the exception, rather than the rule!
Just as bad and ugly are the Executive Directors with passion but little skill or ability. Too many Boards excuse poor leadership because the leader “has a heart for the mission.”
If I were to have a rant, it would probably focus around #3 – board members not being equipped to lead the organization. I’ve known organizations (and I’m pretty sure that I’m not the only one) that recruit people – not based on their skills, knowledge or passion – but based on the fact that they’re the easiest ones to convince to say yes.
Yes – it’s important that we educate recruiters – whether they be staff or fellow board members, to understand what characteristics we are looking for in new board members, not just an easy “yes”.
I think your paragraph on boards being key to successful fundraising is all of the above – good, bad and ugly. However, boards that are informed (read orientated) about their roles and expectations go along ways towards keeping it in the “good”.
It’s ashame you didn’t include the CEO title. I showed this to our CEO and he thinks it doesn’t apply to him due to the verbiage.
Also – we are a foundation… he’s the ceo guy r the parent org. Another “out” in his mind.
What a great post! Personally, I’ve been paying for my own professional development for years, including my AFP membership, and taking vacation time if I’m attending a conference. I’ll never go for CFRE because I just can’t afford it. My boss always says there are funds for professional development, and for the first year or so I would forward selected conferences and workshops to him if I thought they were worth the investment, but he always sat on them or forgot to bring it up with the ED. I don’t bother anymore.
And I’ve been with my current organization for three years and haven’t even received a cost of living increase in salary.