Book Description

Like those in any field becoming rapidly professionalized, fund raisers want to know more about their jobs so that they can plan their careers more proactively and effectively, as well as respond to increasing calls for accountability in nonprofit organizations. This book is one of the first to help fund raisers examine their career environment and make smarter choices about their careers. Fund Raisers offers an overview of fund raisers--their educational and career backgrounds, their values and concerns, and the challenges and rewards they experience in their work. Based on a three-year national study that included a survey of over 1,700 professional fund raisers and eighty-two personal interviews, it presents a comprehensive, detailed picture of contemporary fund raisers at all levels of professional achievement. The authors examine the critical issues facing the field, including: *The levels of compensation and overall compensation practices *Factors involved in entering and advancing in the field *The status of women and minorities in fund raising *The scope, impact, and reasons for turnover in the field *Perceptions of fund raisers from both inside and outside the field *Issues of accountability, ethical practice, licensing, and regulation Throughout the book, information from the survey and interviews provides the basis for discussion of these critical issues and the resulting conclusions and recommendations. The authors also include extensive case studies of many of the fund raisers interviewed in their research, who describe--in their own words--their own career paths, the satisfactions and challenges of working in fund raising, and their perceptions of the field's strengths and areas in need of improvement.