Tips for Success in the Fundraising Profession
By: Birgit Smith Burton, Founder, AADO, African American Development Officers Network and WOC Advisory Committee Member
As a woman of color in the fundraising profession for more than three decades, I have had good days and not-so-good days. I rely upon my go-to list of tips that have helped me to stay focused, motivated, and successful on my journey to be the best version of myself. This list is continually evolving because I am a work in progress. Here is what I have to offer today:
Be confident but not arrogant. Know who you are and what you offer to the profession every day. People will respect you and be thrilled to engage with you.
Celebrate other women of color. There’s room at the table for all of us. This is not a competition. Lift up each other, empower one another. We are on this journey together.
She who has knowledge has power! Have information, think strategically. You will be invited and included because of the knowledge and value you bring.
Be visible. Join committees, speak on panels, and accept leadership roles. Others will see you and know that women of color are fierce and bold and leading in the profession.
Be teachable and keep learning. Both the world and the fundraising profession are continually changing. By gaining knowledge of current trends and being adaptable, you can adjust to unexpected change and be ready to embrace new opportunities.
Establish your personal board of directors (PBOD). Your PBOD will act as a sounding board, to advise you and to provide you with feedback on your decisions, opportunities, and challenges. They will “tell it like it is!”
Practice self-care every single day! Get proper sleep. Eat right. Exercise. Say no sometimes. Plan vacation time. REPEAT.
Know who the movers and the shakers are. Pay attention to who wields power and influence in the fundraising profession. Follow their blogs, articles, and teachings. You need to know what they know. And it also doesn’t hurt for them to know you.
Create a powerful song list. Put together your favorite songs that motivate, inspire, and encourage you. Blast it on your speaker or pop your earbuds in and close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Smile and get ready to conquer the world.
Be a mentor. No doubt you have had mentors in your life. Think of how valuable they have been to you and your career. As a mentor, you can provide guidance, motivation, and emotional support as well as serve as a role model. Someone’s future begins with you!
Birgit Smith Burton, Founder, AADO, African American Development Officers Network
Birgit Smith Burton is a respected leader in the fundraising profession who has raised more than $500 million during her 33-year career. As the executive director of foundation relations at the Georgia Institute of Technology, she led her team in raising $309 million toward the Institute's most recent successful $1.8 billion capital campaign.
Birgit is a well-regarded speaker on the topics of fundraising and diversity. She has authored articles on diversity in the fundraising profession, co-authored the book, The Philanthropic Covenant with Black America, and contributed to the book Five Minutes for Fundraising, A Collection of Expert Advice. Birgit is honored to tell her personal story in the book Collecting Courage, which shares the lived experiences of Black women and men working in the nonprofit and charitable space (published fall 2020). She was proud to be selected by Georgia Tech leadership to participate in the first cohort of Leading Women @ Tech, which identified the next community of leaders who will guide the institution in the 21st century. Birgit also was chosen as one of the 2020 Faces of Inclusive Excellence, recognizing faculty, staff, and students who are committed to gender diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Birgit serves on the global board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and recently was voted as the chair-elect for 2021. She has the distinction of being the first African American woman in AFP’s 60-year history to serve in this role. Birgit is the immediate past chair of the IDEA Committee (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access). She also chairs the A.E. Lowe Grice Scholarship Fund, serves on the Hosea Helps board of directors, and advises the Aspen Leadership Group. Birgit is the founder of AADO, the African American Development Officers Network, which for 22 years has provided professional development, education, employment support, mentorship, and networking opportunities for fundraisers of color. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
Birgit earned a bachelor's degree in media communications from Medaille College in Buffalo, New York.
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