Fundraising as Vocation

My job is to talk about money, religion, and politics. While many people consider it taboo to bring up any of these topics at a dinner party – much less all three—I feel privileged to engage in these conversations regularly in my role leading fundraising for the Friends Committee on National Legislation, a Quaker peace and justice advocacy organization.

Fundraising has the reputation as a field that people happen into rather than prepare for. I have heard so many people say some version of, “No one dreams of becoming a fundraiser” or “No one studies fundraising.” I contend that working in fundraising should be just as lofty a goal for a young person who wants to make a difference in higher education as in other professional fields. I also believe that fundraising is a ministry—one that can have a profound resonance within Quakerism.

My journey as a fundraiser started early in my college years when I visited Nicaragua with a community development organization. I realized that one of the main forces for good in the world was nonprofit organizations and that I wanted to dedicate my career to strengthening these organizations. I started raising money for the organization, enrolled in my college’s nonprofit management certificate program, and built a major around nonprofit management. Since then, many universities have added nonprofit management degrees or minors, as well as programs in philanthropy with increasing recognition that these are worthy fields of study.

My introduction to Quakerism started in 2008 when I began working at FCNL. Since then, I have become more deeply engaged in the faith while continuing to stay connected to the small Christian denomination I was raised in. In my experience, Quakerism’s focus on individual experience, that of God in all people, and nurturing individual and collective leadings all connect deeply with nurturing fundraising as a profession.

At its best, fundraising is a process where we explore together problems the world faces, examine resources we collectively have to address them, and then discern ways we each can respond. Throughout history, Quakers have been far weightier in creating nonprofit organizations than our small numbers would indicate. Friends throughout history have seen the needs of the world and responded by launching efforts and in some cases organizations to address those needs.

In our society, money is a tool that can be used to drive the kind of change we want to see in the world. In addition, raising money, especially in a spiritual context, means recognizing the inequalities built into the capitalist system that fundraising is part of. A reason we need more fundraisers who see this work as a vocation, who have studied and trained in it from that perspective, is so that we can be prepared to navigate these challenging issues. As fundraisers we need to accompany those who want to use their resources to support their values in their decision-making.

I have been in so many visits with donors over their kitchen tables talking about their highest values, their deepest concerns, and their greatest aspirations. These conversations are inherently spiritual. I often reflect on my visit with a Michigan donor whose giving had indicated she had significant wealth. However, she was living well below the poverty line, saving money fastidiously, and sending $1,000 to FCNL whenever she could. She started our dinner together, which was primarily from her garden, with a hymn, and ended our visit with another one.

I have had many sensitive conversations with donors about how much money they want to leave their children, conversations about family needs, and the kinds of goals that donors have for their wealth after their death. On the other end of the wealth spectrum from the Michigan donor, I remember a powerful visit with a supporter in California who let me know that their family trust, that has served as their primary income, was liquidating soon. She was struggling with how to bring her children into the planning process for that transfer of wealth and discern their charitable priorities. This kind of deep accompaniment is one of the most powerful parts of the job, and the reason why I consider fundraising a ministry.

Right now, we need more people with fundraising training and experience to help shift resources toward causes that are Friends’ concerns because the need is greater than ever. The federal government is stepping back from core basic services, and funding that traditionally flows from the federal government, down to states, and then to local nonprofits, is coming to a standstill. It is a time when we need to step up as donors, advocates, and fundraisers. If you don’t have fundraising tools in your personal toolbox, consider whether you are being called to gain them at this time. If you see opportunities to encourage young people to pursue fundraising training, please do.

I want to be clear—there are enough resources to accomplish the world we seek as Friends. As FCNL’s vision states: “We seek a world free of war and the threat of war, a society with equity and justice for all, a community where everyone’s potential may be fulfilled, and an earth restored.” Our federal government is speeding in the opposite direction at an astonishing rate. And yet, we live an abundant world. As of 2023, the total assets of foundations in the United States was $1.48 trillion according to the National Philanthropic Trust. This includes both private foundations and donor-advised funds (DAFs). There is far greater capacity among individuals across the country even in challenging financial times.

Quakers and Quaker organizations are stepping up in many ways across the country to meet the moment. Leaning into our roles as philanthropists and fundraisers are critical ways to step up in this moment. These roles are also deeply fulfilling. In a time when many are asking how to help, fundraisers can step in with a host of opportunities for people to put their values into action.

Stephen Donahoe is the Associate General Secretary for Development at the Friends Committee on National Legislation where he has worked for more than 16 years. He studied nonprofit management at the undergraduate and graduate level and has the Certified Fundraising Executive and Certified Nonprofit Professional credentials.