As long as I’ve been working in the development field, I’ve been haunted by one question: “What is possible?”
We’ve all seen great things done through philanthropy. We’ve seen both donors and organizations stretch beyond what they thought they were capable of doing. And we’ve seen how much good can be done when that happens.
But is there any reason to think we’ve reached the limit?
Most of us have some notion of what constitutes outstanding fund-raising performance. But does anyone really know what optimal performance looks like?
And does anyone really know how much our organizations of social good might contribute to the world — if they could attract breakthrough philanthropy?
That’s what The Philanthropic Quest is about.
On the horizon are new standards of what can be accomplished through major donor philanthropy — for our organizations, for society, and for donors themselves. (What donors gain from their own acts of philanthropy is essential to the equation.)
What the world is calling for
I realize that all around us, people are talking about constraints. “The pie is only so big.” A tone of fashionable cynicism permeates our society, and too often flows over into our profession.
But there are other voices talking about our potential — powerful forces pulling us toward a better future. My intent is to bring these forces to bear on the advancement of philanthropy.
Since you’ve chosen to read this, it’s my guess that you’re the kind of professional who already knows that your organization could be raising much more money than it does today. (Not just a little more.)
You also realize that there’s much more at stake than money. The issue is what the money can do — for the community and for society.
Our response
What is it that keeps many of our Third Sector organizations from becoming as great as they might be?
It isn’t the competition, or the economy, or the government. And it certainly isn’t lack of effort on our part.
Could it be that we simply set our expectations too low?
Let me be clear: I’m not talking about short-term fundraising goals. The level of success I want you to achieve usually doesn’t come about overnight.
I know that governing boards want to see more money coming in. They often set unrealistic short-term targets for the philanthropic program, without providing the front-end investment of time and money that’s required to attain such targets.
That’s a self-defeating exercise. By demanding quick results, our employers may keep us from doing what it takes to build long-term goodwill and equity with donors — and to generate the kind of philanthropy all of us want to see.
The low expectations that I’m talking about stem from the way we see the value of our organizations, the potential of the relationships we already have, and even our own capabilities.
We could call it the “non-profit syndrome”: We’re famous for helping others unselfishly, but not respecting ourselves. We tend to undervalue the power of our profession, the excitement of our jobs, and the importance of the work that our organizations do.
We may also undervalue the role of the donor and volunteer, and the potential of our relationships with donors. Even they may not realize how much they can accomplish.
What could be possible if we saw and acted on the incredible scope of the possibilities before us?
New leadership for the professional
This calls for a new set of leadership capabilities, far beyond what is taught in the typical fundraising curriculum. (Fortunately, all of these can be acquired through guided learning experiences.)
- The ability to see possibilities that others may not see — and to define a new reality that inspires others.
- Enhanced awareness of the value, strength, and potential of our organizations.
- The ability to overcome the limits that we impose, often unconsciously, on our own effectiveness.
- Genuine curiosity and the capacity to ask questions that energize people and prompt bold action.
- Realizing the importance of our special relationships with people of great stature and wealth.
All of this leads to raising our sights … having higher aspirations … and fulfilling the unique potential of our organizations to create a brighter future and a better world. (And it just may lead to a much faster decision by someone to make a breakthrough philanthropic commitment.)
Most of us have had glimpses of these possibilities. But on the day-to-day level, we often end up settling for less.