Be careful before you answer. It might be a trick question.

I’m sure all Agitator readers regard themselves as ‘professional’, at least in the sense of making some ongoing, applied effort to be seriously competent — i.e. not regarded as a dilettante.

But now consider this passage from a recent blog post by fundraiser extraordinaire, Giles Pegram CBE, writing in his role as vice chair of the UK’s Commission on the Donor Experience. He’s writing about ‘professionalism’ as an unfortunate transformation in fundraising … fundraising as a ‘technique’.

“Charities started to become more professional. In itself, this is no bad thing. But ‘professional’ is a double-edged sword. Fundraising should always be about connecting donors with the cause. Yet many professional fundraisers stopped being in touch with donors.

“Sometimes managers were appointed who had no idea of the original concept of ‘charity’. Or the centrality of donors. The charity was now at the centre. It did good work. It needed money. So it employed fundraisers to raise the money from donors.

“Fundraising became an activity to raise money for the charity, not a vehicle to connect the donor with the cause. Fundraisers were fundraising at people.

“Within some charities, the fundraising process became mechanised. Fundraising departments became smooth, slick, operations.

“There is also a fundamental dichotomy. Even though relationships with donors should be long term, fundraisers are judged by monthly performance against budget.

“Donors became the means to the end.

“And so the inevitable happened. Charities needed more money. Sometimes, pressure was put on fundraisers to raise more money. They then put pressure on donors. Ask. Ask more.

“Ask more and more often.

“Donors responded. But did they feel good?

“The donor had been lost.”

So back to the opening question: Are you a fundraising professional?

If you see your role as facilitating a positive donor experience, then yes, you are.

If you see your role as pressing and manipulating donors to give, then no, you aren’t. I’m not sure what that makes you.

But it does mean you should probably be kept away from charities, fundraising and donors.

Tom

P.S. For fundraisers who want to be truly professional, there’s an incredible amount of guidance at the Commission on the Donor Experience. Not just from Giles and co-founder Ken Burnett, but from a cast of the best professionals in the business of serving donors. You can find their outputs here. If you missed it, read Roger’s guide to the Commission’s work across 22 fundraising categories, compiling the best thinking from dozens of collaborators.