Stephen Cotterill: Fundraisers, step up to the C-suite now

Thinking of stepping up to the C-suite? Don't delay, your sector needs you

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There’s been a move recently to get more fundraisers onto boards. There’s also been a push to get more boards into fundraising. Both of these are welcome advancements that can hopefully go some way to challenging old perceptions and stripping away doubts that fundraisers may have about their own abilities outside of their specialist subject.

At the C-suite level, the perception of fundraising can sometimes be sketchy at best, dismissive at worst. This is mostly because trustees and senior leaders with a non-fundraising background either haven’t taken the time to fully grasp what is involved in raising funds for their cause or regard it as a “dark art” that they would rather not sully their hands with. Both are antiquated ways of thinking and do nothing to further the sustainability and impact of their charities.

The more fundraisers that take the step to CEO level or become trustees, the more these perceptions can be dispelled. And that is not just a good thing for the careers of professional fundraisers, it is also a good thing for their causes.

The case studies in this month’s cover feature highlight that fundraisers not only have all the skills needed to run an organisation, they have them in spades. As CEO of Bristol and Weston Hospitals Charity Katie Walker says in her interview on page 11: “Fundraising gives you a broad view of an organisation. You need to understand strategy, finance, communications, governance, operations and impact, while constantly connecting people around a shared vision.

“Fundraisers spend their careers understanding people, communicating purpose and turning great ideas into support and action – these are relevant skills to chief executive leadership.

So, if you are considering taking the next step in your career or joining a board of trustees, have confidence that the skills you have learned as a fundraiser are transferable, relevant and in high demand. Don’t delay, your cause and your sector need you.

Stephen Cotterill is editor of Fundraising Magazine.

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