Do Great Fundraisers Ever Really Retire?

Do Great Fundraisers Ever Really Retire is a thoughtful article written by nonprofit veteran Jim Eskin. Here’s what he has to share:

For the record, I proudly am a contrarian. I fully accept that in many respects I am different from most people. And that’s what makes life interesting and fun.

A huge example is retirement. I genuinely respect that most people relish the thought of their so-called senior years giving them freedom over their time — not having their daily schedules dictated by employers, clients, deadlines and other workplace expectations.

After a very satisfying career leading advancement for three institutions of higher education, I took a long-anticipated step of launching my own fundraising training/consulting practice in 2018. I purposely selected a narrow niche. I had worked with too many distinguished business and community leaders who were fearless in virtually every part of their lives with the exception of asking for gifts for favorite causes. I am convinced that this is primarily a fear of the unknown. My job is to pull back the curtain and demystify the art and science of fundraising.

Seven years later, though there have been bumps and formidable hurdles along the way, this has been the most exciting, satisfying and fulfilling chapter of my professional life.

Do Great Fundraisers Ever Really Retire?

I am not getting rich, but I welcome each day with a sense of purpose and exhilaration over the opportunity to decide precisely when and how I can devote my time to do my part in empowering the inspiring men and women who energize our non-profit sector through a multitude of noble missions that touch, improve and save more lives, especially helping those who are struggling.

Eskin Fundraising Training has allowed me to conceptualize, plan and deliver more than 250 fundraising workshops, webinars, webcasts, podcasts and board sessions; author more than 150 guest columns, two books, and publish a monthly e-newsletter all with the sole purpose of helping non-profits replace the fear of fundraising with comfort and confidence so that they can more successfully turn their visions and dreams of a better world into reality. In every way possible, it is a privilege to partner with them.

I have no interest in stepping down or away. To put it bluntly: Only God is going to retire me!

This is based on a wide range of motivations.

1. Paying back the numerous family members, supervisors, colleagues, mentors and friends who gave so much helping me to learn and grow. This starts with my parents. My father, more than anyone else I ever knew, enjoyed the success of others. My mother, more than anyone else I ever knew, made a complete mockery of ageism, attending Zumba classes three times a week until she passed away at age 93. Everyone in this golden circle believed in me and aided my journey for which I am ever grateful. Nothing gives me greater joy now than being able to mentor, guide and support the success of others who I can assist in their career paths.

2. I cherish working in the non-profit sector and being part of the beautiful ecosystem in which people so generously share gifts of time, talents and treasure. They live up to the inspiration behind Abraham Lincoln’s “better angels of our nature.”

3. As a sole practitioner teaming up with my wife and two cats, I love squeezing entrepreneurial grapes for all they are worth. Taking chances and experimenting is stimulating. I don’t shirk from challenges, I welcome them. One of my top priorities is empowering virtual learning communities to achieve their greatest potential. For sure, face to face professional development is always the best, but the constraints of time, travel and budgets are insurmountable for too many, particularly those from smaller organizations. Remember, more than 90% of our nation’s 1.5 million non-profits have annual budgets under $1 million. I see so much potential in improving the power and enjoyment of coming together and learning under a virtual roof.

4. My role more than anything else is to facilitate the wisdom of the whole. No one has all the answers. I certainly don’t. A learning community nurtures the conviction that everyone has experience, knowledge and personal insights to enrich discussions. Collectively — whether in person or virtually — the answers are almost always in the room. Our virtual learning community is aptly titled “Fundraising, Friendship, Fun.”

5. Fundraising is the ultimate process improvement discipline. Every interaction with donor prospects whether the response is yes, no, or I need more time, teaches us something that we can put into our toolkits. So much is gained when professional and volunteer non-profit leaders share recent experiences — what works, opportunities for improvement and more. Our mantra: We can do better.

6. You make new friends all the time. Men and women through a shared commitment to the social sector often have similar values, priorities and needs. As you get older it becomes more and more crucial to make friends of all ages. In a dangerously polarized nation, philanthropy unites us.

7. There are endless new challenges to meet that require all the creativity, problem solving and collaborative skills that you can muster. Helping those in need get through the enormous challenges presented by the pandemic was just the latest example.

8. The demands placed on the non-profit sector and philanthropy are only going to escalate. Regardless of your political persuasion, it is clear that the level of government aid is going to decrease for the immediate future. Societal needs aren’t going away. It will be up the philanthropy to fill the gaps and give those in need the opportunity to lead better lives.

9. Innovation and discovering new and better ways of providing programs and services is at a premium. Relentlessly, the non-profit sector is challenged to do more with less. This means we all must pursue more efficient and more cost-effective solutions to the problems we are addressing.

10. One of my childhood heroes is John F. Kennedy. He reminded a group of foreign students in 1963 that the ancient Greek definition of happiness was the full use of your powers along lines of excellence. Advising non-profits on how to achieve the strongest possible returns on their investment of finite time and resources puts everything that I have learned during my professional, personal and civic journeys to the test. I couldn’t ask for anything more.

Many of my closest friends are enjoying are enjoying well deserved sabbaticals from lifetimes of hard work. They are spending more time with family and loved ones, traveling, cultivating old and new hobbies and many other joys. I feel great for them. But life is all about making choices. Entering my seventh decade, my choice to enrich my body, mind and soul is to continue my passion to contribute to the best of my capabilities to train, consult and partner with all the remarkable people who champion good works and a brighter, stronger and more socially just future for all.

Do Great Fundraisers Ever Really Retire was first posted at INSIDE CHARITY

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

After a successful career leading advancement for three institutions of higher education, Jim Eskin’s consulting practice, Eskin Fundraising Training launched in 2018, builds on the success of his more than 250 fundraising workshops, webinars, webcasts, podcasts and board sessions, and provides the training, coaching and support services to equip non-profit leaders to replace fear of fundraising with comfort and confidence. He has authored more than 150 guest columns that have appeared in daily newspapers, business journals and blogs across the country, and publishes Stratagems, a monthly e-newsletter exploring timely issues and trends in philanthropy. Sign up here for a free subscription and invitations to free learning community activities. He is author of 10 Simple Fundraising Lessons, a 82-page common sense guide to understanding the art and science of fundraising, and How To Score Your First or Next Million-Dollar Gift, 104 pages are filled with strategies, best practices and homework assignments. Both are available in both print and digital formats through Pathway, the book distributor, and Amazon. Quantity discounts are available to non-profits who want to share books with teams of management, development staff, board, and volunteers. He is also available for customized virtual training for boards, staff, and fundraising committees. His newest customized service, Fundraising Urgent Care, offers 48-hour turnaround in addressing general strategy and tactical challenges that require immediate responses.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Eskin Fundraising Training
10410 Pelican Oak Drive
San Antonio, TX 78254-6727
Cell: 210.415.3748
E-Mail: [email protected]
eskinfundraisingtraining.com