Fundraising Tip: Building Community

Community includes those who support you.

As professionals in nonprofit fundraising, we are constantly working on building relationships and community.

Building community is typically based in connecting others with the mission of your nonprofit.

In my fundraising, I am constantly out and about talking with people about mission and impact. From Rotary Club meetings to places of faith to political gatherings, any opportunity I have to meet new supporters and engage with conversations on how others can support the mission.

Building community also includes building a network of other nonprofit fundraising professionals that you can seek out for growth and support.

When I first moved from Denver to Los Angeles, I knew no one in nonprofit fundraising. As I got to know the area and got settled in with my new position leading fundraising efforts, I also had a yearning to build community among other leaders in nonprofit fundraising.

This is critical.

What this looked like for me was to attend events where there were others in fundraising. Fortunately, there are organizations here that focus on supporting nonprofits, so I had events to go to. I also started with social media to find others, with the goal of building my circle.

Within a year I was having monthly lunches with a group of five or more other fundraisers.

These individuals became my personal community. At lunch we would talk about all things nonprofit, fundraising, and leading awesome fundraising teams.

We talked about thrills and challenges.

We all related.

I know you’re busy. You may even be reading this thinking, “When would I possibly have time to do this?”. I encourage you to take steps to build your community.

It does take time. Having this personal support network, what I call my inner circle, will become something that you cherish, something that allows you to not feel alone, and to grow in ways that you never imagined.

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Take a risk. Be of service. Support your colleagues. Be kind.

New! As an avid reader, I have been sharing what I am currently reading on other platforms and decided to begin adding it here!

I’m currently reading “Our Immigrant Souls” by Héctor Tobar.