This is an unedited and unproofed excerpt from a forthcoming book: Transformational External funding for Zoos, Botanic Gardens, Aquariums and similar site based organisations By John Regan and J.J.W Edwards to be published in 2010.
The professionalization and professional acceptance of development as a career remains at unequal stages in different countries and different sectors. Recognised routes into a career structure in external funding are only just emerging. It is arguable that in the botanic and zoo community at least ( and especially beyond the USA) insufficient status is accorded to practitioners, compared to, for example, accountancy, human resources or other professionals.
Given the size of resources to be won and given that, when properly pursued, the cost/ benefit ratio in external funding can be quite staggering, this is some ways perplexing.
Standards in management expectation and management support are often too low resulting in poor morale and a ‘revolving door’ , and it is to be wondered at that site decision makers are willing to ‘play fast and loose’ in recruitment. Conversely it is undoubtedly true that fundraisers themselves often do not have the highest standards, are loath to constantly upgrade their skills and can sometimes easily ‘hide’ within large organizations or charitable brands whose very profile attracts funding without any great proactive activity. The global recession that looms at time of writing will certainly change this!
So in recruiting staff, look for these attributes:
- Enthusiasm: if they do not care about and are not interested in your site and its outputs, they will make poor advocates. Beware however of candidates who are too immersed in the zoological or botanical fields. An accomplished practitioner should be able to see your organization as an outsider sees it, and the skills required are a matter of technical advocacy, not scientific detail.
- A good balance between strategic and opportunistic attitudes: a fundraiser needs to plan carefully, whilst not becoming obsessed with strategy (“the paralysis of analysis”) and being able to adapt quickly to emergent opportunities and challenges.
- Writing, speaking and presentation skills: this requirement may seem pretty straightforward, but it is surprising how many young people, otherwise of the highest educational and intellectual attainment, are incapable of writing a simple letter. Whilst we accept that differences in generational attitude may be at play here, at the point of this work’s publication, the majority of funding decision makers will themselves be middle aged, and it is their ‘prejudices’ can must count. An additional point is that no matter how conversationally eloquent a candidate may be, the funding process will nearly always culminate in writing of some form, so this technical ability must be tested
- Persistence, patience and politeness: a refusal to become demoralized by inevitable occasional rejections must be balanced by a subtlety in renewed approach, and a willingness to put in time and effort keeping close to funders and donors even when not actually about to make an approach
- Creativity and flexibility: a good fundraiser should be looking beyond practices of the past towards fresh sources of funds and fresh ways of accessing funds. They should be able to respond imaginatively to an ever changing environment
