You know when we talk about Legacy in fundraising, it’s generally in the arena of planned giving. We think of something that is carried on after someone dies. But, the other night I heard Michelle Barnes of Interim Leadership Solutions speak about succession planning at the SVP Board Match and it made me really think.
Michelle talked about building the legacy of the Executive Director, Board, Volunteer, Staff, and Donors of an organization as an integral part strengthening the organization’s resilience in times of change.
So, it’s about what we leave behind that then becomes woven into the fabric of the organization and its work.
Executive directors leave behind a shift in business model or a great new program. Board Chairs leave behind a new strategic plan or strong governance practices. But Fundraisers? Do we ever think about our legacies?
I know – we just want to raise more money. But what else do we want to accomplish that we want the organization to carry in its DNA? What do we want future staff to remember us for?
It could be a shift in focus from foundation funding to fundraising from individuals that makes the organization more diverse and sustainable.
It could be implementing really excellent donor service that people remember and talk about.
It could be creating a middle donor program that paves the way for a transformational major gifts program.
What would it be for you?
We move around too much in the fundraising world. As Michelle pointed out the other night, the average tenure of a development director in Colorado is 18 months. And we all know that really nothing gets done in 18 months. It takes years to build a legacy.
Think about it.
p.s. As an extra goodie, here’s a link to Michelle’s great checklist for succession planning that she passed out the other night. Thanks, Michelle!
