The essence of Campaigning Fundraising by Ken Burnett
For new fundraisers, the world of philanthropy can seem daunting. It is almost as if we are drawing stick figures while more senior artists (who have clearly honed their craft) are over painting impressionist masterpieces. Only a handful of universities offer courses in nonprofit studies, and even fewer chart degree paths; we are left to be students of our own curiosity, piecing together donor motivations, grantwriting, major gifts, stewardship, and all philanthropy has to offer on our own.
I’ve read my fair share of fundraising how-tos – from the guides that make grandiose promises about the ease of donor acquisition to those that read like a resume of the author’s fundraising successes. I’ve spent my time in dry textbooks that are an absolute snoozefest and in essays that make me ponder “who would be willing to give this person their hard-earned money?”. So, it was a breath of fresh air to work my way through The essence of Campaigning Fundraising by Ken Burnett. It took me a solid several weeks to navigate through the book, in part because it includes well over 200 resources including robust online web support and case studies.
But let’s dig into the book itself. Ken starts right where I wish every fundraising manager would begin with a new hire – the WHY behind philanthropy and the value of fundraising. As fundraising professionals, it can be easy to focus on the transactional nature of our work, but philanthropy goes well beyond dollars given and digs into the emotional connection driving that decision. As fundraisers, we do far more than just ask for money – we communicate, we inspire, and we cultivate stakeholders in big societal change.
Ken also reiterates the nature of reciprocity in fundraising. Before we can get, fundraisers must first give. The structure of giving first seems simple enough, but it radically changes how we go about our daily work. In an age of swift calls-to-action and savvy marketing emails, it can be easy to ask away without really thinking about what we’ve first given. The element of selflessness in our work is critical to so many things: building donor trust, establishing credibility, and constructing a relationship that will engage the donor.
For the nerds among us (my undergraduate degree was in history), Ken delves into the history of philanthropy, which is far older than one may think. Campaigning Fundraising assesses wartime philanthropy, the evolution over centuries, and the lessons learned across the 3,500-year span of fundraising.
My last two philanthropy roles have (thankfully) been with organizations that maintain strong and pervasive core values. Among them, integrity and accountability are key, as are innovation and pioneering spirit. Similarly, Ken dedicates time in the book to speak to the critical need for integrity to build donor trust and confidence. He digs into diversity, morality, and the concept of commitment to these values. Unfortunately, I’ve seen fundraisers who clearly don’t carry core values into their roles, and in the best of circumstances, they come off as hollow to donors and peers alike. And above all else – fundraisers should maintain a core value of gratitude. Showing our appreciation to donors will do far more for retention than anything else.
From Lego cathedrals to jaw-dropping print advertisements, the book is FULL of examples of storytelling at its finest. Ken also doesn’t shy away from shining a light on failures and missteps (and I’m sure we all have a few skeletons in our closets). He also shares how to be effective in service as the narrators of our cause’s story. To do this, he delineates between the board’s governance role and the staff’s management mandate.
Having started my career at the American Red Cross, I appreciate the coverage of crisis fundraising, which typically carries significant time constraints and unique opportunities. In addition to discussing disaster fundraising, he also holds space for the global pandemic, and how philanthropy in the wake of Covid-19 mirrors natural and manmade crises. As I sit here and watch the news alerts for wildfires, Moneypox, and new Covid variants, crisis fundraising isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and is well worth familiarizing.
Nuggets that stayed with me:
“Fundraising is truth told well.”
Ken shares an anecdote of Walt Disney insisting Sleeping Beauty’s castle be built first at Disneyland – before infrastructure – so that everyone could see the dream. The big bold dream.
“Expressing gratitude is an act of civility.
“We recognize that healing and liberation requires a commitment to economic justice.”
I appreciate that Ken dedicates time at the end of the book toward building pride as a fundraiser. This job isn’t easy (few nonprofit roles are) and we won’t receive support from every donor we engage with. But building confidence as a changemaker is critical, and I appreciate that the book ends on such a joyful note. Inch by inch, we are building a better world, and The essence of Campaigning Fundraising hones our focus and grounds us as philanthropy professionals. Well worth the read.