Building a culture of philanthropy is a goal of many nonprofit boards and institutions, but how do organizations actually achieve it? According to the nonprofit fundraisers in a recent podcast, the path to creating a culture of philanthropy requires practical steps beyond catchphrases.
First, an organization must involve more people than just the development office.
This means educating faculty, students, administrators, and board members about fundraising. For example, one fundraiser described giving a scenario to faculty members showing how much potential donor funding was left untapped due to their lack of involvement. Although the faculty was initially frustrated, it demonstrated how their lack of understanding about development has real costs. With education, more groups will see development as a shared priority rather than solely the responsibility of fundraisers.
However, education is not enough. Stakeholders throughout the organization must take action to build donor relationships. As one fundraiser said, “It has to have actual, like, practical stuff, not a bunch of memes from Facebook.” For faculty and students, this could mean offering to give tours to donors or speaking about their work. For board members, this includes making introduction to their networks and personally meeting with key donors. Every stakeholder has a role to play to cultivate a culture of giving.
Finally, breaking down silos is key.
At larger institutions with more complex development operations, fundraisers noted the challenges of lack of collaboration across the organization. Different schools, units, and programs may operate in isolation, missing opportunities to make cross-departmental connections for donors. Building a culture of philanthropy requires a “one university” approach where the priorities of the whole institution come before territorial interests. Partnerships, communication, and lateral leadership are needed across bureaucratic divides.
While a culture of philanthropy begins with a vision from leadership, it only takes root through practical action. By educating stakeholders, mobilizing them to build donor relationships, and transcending organizational silos, nonprofits can transform a vague goal into a thriving fundraising culture. The path is challenging, but fundraisers agree the reward of more sustainable community support is worth the effort.
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