Fundraising and development is essential to survive.
Without a good fundraising and development department, most nonprofit organizations would not survive. For this reason, board members are careful and selective about who they hire for these positions. They look for someone who is smart, driven and dedicated enough to their cause to bring in a lot of money so the organization can maintain itself and develop further.
Annual Goal Setting & Planning
Those working in the fundraising and development departments of an organization are responsible for setting and fulfilling goals for the year so those working in other departments can plan their events and operations based on the amount of money that will be coming in. Development professionals need to set realistic goals that can be met while at the same time taking a bit of a risk to push the organization to grow on a yearly basis.
Business & Donor Networking
Because most nonprofits depend at least partially on the donations of other businesses and wealthy individuals, those who work in development and fundraising need to have good networking and people skills. This includes telling donors what their money was used for, how successful the organization has been and why they should continue to support it and its mission.
Grant & Proposal Writing
Lots of grants are available to nonprofits and individuals working for a greater cause, but it takes work to access them and prove your organization worthy of the money available. Good writing and communication skills are essential in any candidate seeking a job in fundraising and development.
Budget Planning
Anyone who works for a nonprofit organization knows that money is tight, and every last penny counts. Fundraising officials need to realize this and make the money allocated for fundraising go as far as it can to yield a high return. In planning the budget, no detail of cost or expense can be left out.
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