For nonprofit fundraisers, success is built on infrastructure. According to Heather Thompson, Chief Development Officer at NorWest Community Action Partnership, investing in the underlying systems and processes to support fundraising is critical.
When Thompson started at NorWest CAP, the 55-year-old organization had no fundraising program. Her first priority was not raising money but establishing the infrastructure to enable long-term success. She focused on goals like finalizing a donor database, developing professional messaging and marketing materials, and building a fundraising committee. These foundations allowed the team to start small by submitting grant proposals and holding a community event.
Two years later, the organization is achieving fundraising wins, but Thompson acknowledges they are still laying groundwork. Fundraising infrastructure is not built overnight. However, many boards and executives do not understand this and push unrealistic expectations. “No fundraiser meets the bare minimum. We want to do everything to support our mission,” Thompson said. But doing so risks burning out and failing to build sustainably.
Fundraisers must educate leadership about infrastructure needs by setting incremental goals and outlining resource requirements.
At NorWest CAP, Thompson leveraged available data and metrics to make the case for a donor database and marketing investments. She worked with receptive board members to get buy-in before presenting to the full board, using their advocacy to overcome objections.
Starting small and scaling up worked for NorWest CAP. Thompson set modest revenue targets, focusing instead on foundational goals like donor retention and new donor acquisition. An annual event aimed to raise brand awareness rather than large amounts of money. In year two, lower ticket prices and more sponsors led to greater impact and community participation.
For fundraisers in startup or rebuilding mode, Thompson’s experience shows infrastructure comes before short-term gains. Educate others, set incremental goals, start small, analyze and iterate. Success will follow at a sustainable pace. The key is patience, persistence and remembering that fundraising is a long game. With the right infrastructure in place, the wins will come.
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