Get Back to Basics

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Get Back to Basics

I'm a professional fundraiser. And I've been around for awhile.

It means I'm quite knowledgeable about fundraising and all the details that go with it. Systems and policies. Data and volunteer management. Development writing and prospect research. Planned giving and financial analysis. Ethics and events. Campaigning.

These are critically important.

Yet in the planning and executing, sometimes the most important thing of all can get lost.

Philanthropy at its core is about love of mankind. In fact, that's what the word means. It's about connection. Community. Lifting up. Being part of something bigger.

So we're getting back to basics this year. Person to person. Heart to heart. Really talking. Really listening.

And my soul sings in joy.

2 comments:

WebcootSeptember 12, 2009 at 1:44 PM
Ninette,

I couldn't agree more about your thoughts about philanthropy. I work with 3 or 4 organizations that always need support. They have learned that personal connection, integrity and a shared purpose is what keeps them going.
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NinetteSeptember 18, 2009 at 7:19 PM
Thanks, Webcoot. It's true that people give to people!
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A Note on Flying Pigs and Why I Have the Best Job

The phrase "When pigs fly" has had the negative connotation of noting something that's impossible. Not here. I'm leading the movement to help our friendly rotund buddies shed this reputation. In fact, I believe that the image of little piggies flying and swooping through the air evokes what is possible through the power of acknowledging everyday blessings. They add up to the most amazing happenings.

Which leads me to my work. I have the perfect job, because gratitude is a feeling I feel every day for the donors, volunteers, teachers, and many individuals who make everything good happen at St. Luke's. Philanthropy is my passion. That I can live and breathe it in my work and on behalf of an institution I love -- AND where my children attend -- is an indescribable pleasure. I get to meet and interact with passionate people, people who are making a significant difference in the world, each in their own way. They inspire and motivate me.

I hope I do justice to the people I honor and to all the wonderful acts of giving, both big and small, at St. Luke's.

When Pigs Fly - Seeing the Extraordinary in the Ordinary

Thursday, September 10, 2009