General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: I wish we could talk sanely about the Clintons and their long history [View all]rbnyc
(17,045 posts)I've spoken a few times about my role as a not-for-profit fundraising executive. When an organization has major donors with obvious interests, it's very hard for programmers not to consider those donors when making choices about what to include and exclude in programming, even if they are dedicated to the mission and don't want to be influenced.
My strategy for preserving mission integrity has always been to move away from major gifts and grow the base of modest individual gifts.
It is scary for organizations to move in this direction, but when done correctly, organizations grow and preserve program integrity at the same time.
I've overseen unprecedented growth in my current organization, one that formerly spent tremendous energy cultivating major donors, and now spends the bulk of its resources creating excellent community programs.