Remembering Jaap Zeekant
Jaap Zeekant, a pillar of Dutch and international fundraising died on May 28 at age 69.
Beyond the flash and recognition of the conference speaker’s podium fundraising is a business where the audience doesn’t see or feel the hard work and dedication that goes on behind the scenes.
For nearly 40 years Jaap, with his gentle enthusiasm, kind heart, and titanium dedication worked tirelessly to advance the profession. As founder and chief editor of Vakblad fondsenwerving (Fundraising Magazine). As veteran Dutch fundraiser Henk Smit told me, “the magazine reflected his skill as a tireless reporter and proficient researcher.”
He didn’t stop there. As Founder of the Dutch National Fundraising Day Jaap’s missionary zeal for sharing and showcasing the profession was on display. At the time of his death he was deep into preparation for the 2021 edition of this national fundraising event.
Jaap was also a stalwart supporter of international fundraising. Hundreds of Agitator readers will no doubt recall his ever-present attendance, smile, and support of the International Fundraising Congress. Few cared more about IFC’s success than cheerleader Jaap.
And those who attended AFP conferences in the U.S. remember Jaap and the Dutch delegation that accompanied him. Always the smile, the gentle humor, the inquisitive mind.
When Daryl Upsall, a friend of Jaap’s since 1987, noted Jaap’s passing on his Facebook page the response from fundraisers was nothing short of warm, loving, and generous. Just like the man himself.
With Daryl’s permission I’m sharing these comments from his page with Agitator readers. From these you’ll get the full flavor of our sector’s loss.
As we reminisced about Jaap, Daryl said, “He never sought the limelight. It was never about Jaap. He was unsung but worked so hard and cared so deeply about making fundraising better.”
And make it better he did. In addition to what Dutch fundraiser John van der Vlies, called “his sharp editor’s eye and pencil, he held up a mirror so we could see ourselves as he sought to advance the quality and skill of the profession.” He co-founded the Dutch Society of Professional Fundraisers which has become the sector’s public face on the Netherlands’ nonprofit sector now known, after several mergers, as Goede Doelen (Good Charities) and for years Japp and Jan Krol produced a regular series of continuing education programs for fundraisers that Jan continues to this day.
Japp understood fundraising not just as an outside observer but because he had worked as one with the Netherlands Burns Foundation, and the Dutch Heart Foundation. And in 2000, when the guilder, the then- currency of the Netherlands converted to the Euro, he helped organize a successful national door to door collection of household willing to give their uncovered guilders to charity.
For your optimism, curiosity, caring and generous spirit we thank you Jaap.
Roger
9 responses to “Remembering Jaap Zeekant”
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Thank you Roger. Jaap was a dear friend who was truly passionate about fundraising and fundraising as a profession. He was a true and tireless “changemaker” in the Netherlands and internationally via the IFC.
He was much loved by fundraisers from around the world and will be sorely missed by us all. RIP Jaap… but I have no doubt you will have something to write about wherever you are now.
Hi Roger, a lovely piece; thank you. In the spirit of Jaap’s keen editor’s eye, please note it’s the International Fundraising Congress, not “Conference”: https://resource-alliance.org/events/ifc/. Thank you!
Thanks Roger. As a Dutch contributor to the Vakblad Fondsenwerving, I got to know Jaap well. We met up at the IFC every year and at some of the U.S. Conferences when he came over. Jaap was always full of new ideas! I will miss him and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family. Erica
Nicely done, Roger.
John
Thank you Roger. Jaap was friendly and supportive of me from the very first IFC I attended in the mid-90s. And he was like that with so many fundraisers. To me he was one of the pioneers of linking up fundraisers internationally with the aim of making this profession even more effective. Your profile really catches his spirit and the importance of what he has helped give us all.
To me and my children Chris and Suzanne it is a great comfort to read all your heart warming comments.
Thank you all very very much and promiss you will never forget Jaap.
Dear Marianne,
To you, Chris and Suzanne our heartfelt condolences. I know I speak for hundreds of Jaap admirers and friends in saying Jaap will not be forgotten. We all cherish his memory.
With sympathy and love,
Roger
Jan was a friend. He and Jan Krol took care of me in 2010 when after speaking at the Dutch Day of Fundraising I had s heart attach in the Netherlands far from my home in Canada. And just one year ago I was back to speak again at the same conference and Jaap treated me and my co- speaker Jan Kroupa like royalty. Jaap was so generous with his time. He gave so much to our profession and you could tell he loved his work, the people he worked with and those he served. His life had a higher purpose. He understood philanthropy to his core. He worked tirelessly with all of us … dedicated to creating a better world. So many of us have benefitted personally and professionally from knowing this kind and generous leader. I will miss Jaap. I think we will all miss Jaap
Thank you for honoring Jaap with this post, Roger. Besides all his professional talents, I will also miss Jaap as a friend. Jaap was an extremely faithful person, a great story teller and I what I respect most in him is that he dared to stand out from the crowd, always challenging the establishment. He also was the very first person from the charity sector that visited our little office, when we started our online fundraising agency Solidaid back in 1999, giving us free advice and support. Last year, Jaap drove all the way to Brussels to visit me, when I was living and working there. It took him 4 hours, because of traffic, poor Jaap. The formal reason was that he wanted to interview me, but it was most of all a great get together after 5 years not seeing each other. We had lunch and we shared stories. He told me that he dealt with quite a lot of medical problems the last few years, but he was happy that he and Marianne were finally doing better. And as always he told me how proud he was of Marianne and his children. I really will miss Jaap, he was truly one of a kind.