Five Ideas for Creating a Successful Partnership

by Susan Fields, CFRE

AFP-NYC EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, July 18, 2019, Scandinavia House, New York City

	“Recruiting a CEO is a highly instructional process for a Board, especially when an organization seeks to become increasingly donor focused.” Rick Martin, Director of Development Ronald McDonald House
	“Collaborate with the CEO in targeting the hardest working  members of the team and validate them for their efforts. Jennifer Beirne, Chief Development Officer New York Cares
	“The greatest challenge of the Executive Director is  defining  the chain of command within the organizational structure."   Susan Newman, Vice Chair New York Edge
	“The CEO and Director of Development need to be strategic in sharing the institutional knowledge of the organization.” Gary Bagley, Executive Director New York Cares

 

The work of a fundraiser can be enormously difficult. There are many factors that contribute to this, but the one that has the most potential for generating stress is the relationship between the CEO/Executive Director and the Director of Development. This can be a marriage made in heaven or hell depending up the capacity and willingness of both individuals to accept the challenges of creative communication and collaboration. This partnership, when functioning optimally, will extend to all the organization’s constituencies, create profoundly positive change, and dramatically increase fundraising revenues.  People come to their jobs with distinctly different personalities, skills, and capacities, and there is no one recipe for building and maintaining a successful working relationship. For that reason, it is important to treat the ideas and concepts listed below as guideposts to understanding and avoiding the most common pitfalls and moving toward boundless professional growth.

1.        Accepting and working with imperfect situations. We have all heard about boards that contribute millions to their organizations as well as CEO’s who are eager to spend a lion’s share of their time soliciting major gifts. It is easy to wonder why these things aren’t happening in your organization and you may even accuse yourself of failing in some inexplicable way. Whether you are new at your job or have considerable experience, keep in mind that you do not have control over the culture and structure of your organization. What you can do, however, is define the barriers that stand between your nonprofit and successful fundraising, and take incremental steps in creating change where possible. You might also consider that some organizations are more apt to raise major gifts due to their history, the constituencies they represent, and the appeal of their mission.

2.        The source of conflict between the CEO and Director of Development. The structure of a nonprofit is inherently unique in that it requires leadership to manage and motivate a broad range of constituents and staff members, all with different goals and agendas: program staff, volunteers, board of directors, donors, community, and fundraising staff. While it is the prime responsibility of the CEO to direct the overall functioning of the nonprofit, the role of the Development Director is that of chief revenue generator. The former is the protector of the entire institution, with the latter serving primarily as advocate for the organization’s donors. When the CEO views fundraising as a necessary evil, spends limited time cultivating donors, and is reluctant to ask for money, the Development Director can easily feel unsupported in their role. On the other hand the CEO may justifiably feel torn in terms of priorities.

3.        Dealing with the “miracle worker” syndrome.  Often a Director of Development is hired to “save” an organization in financial distress. This unfortunate state of affairs is most usually a symptom of poor management and neglect of the fundraising process by the CEO and Board of Directors. For this reason it is important for job candidates to ask questions during the hiring process regarding the CEO and Board of Director’s commitment to fundraising. If you find yourself working in such an environment, accept the fact that you will be toiling long hours. At the same time this scenario can prove as a training ground for leadership and an opportunity to create substantial change in a nonprofit’s future. It is likely that during a crisis the CEO and board chair will be more amenable to accept counsel from the new Director of Development as to what needs to change. This can be fertile ground for building a relationship with the CEO in re-harnessing the power of the organization’s constituencies.

4.        The CEO as advocate for fundraising.  As the chief administrative officer, one of the most important roles of the CEO is to integrate the work of development team within in the organizational structure. This means educating the board and staff regarding the importance of fundraising.  As part of this process the CEO encourages the Program Director and Director of Development to work together in supporting one another’s goals. It is also the responsibility of the CEO to work with the Board Chair to create a document which defines the role of the board in fundraising which should include give/get expectations, attendance at events, and establishing a Board Development Committee. In support of the Director of Development the CEO also helps secure funding for the human and material resources needed to fulfill his/her responsibilities. Annual evaluation of the Director of Development allows for feedback and validation regarding performance as well as collaborative goal setting for the coming year.

5.        Personality Traits of the Director of Development. We all come into this life with a unique of combination abilities and a distinct style of relating to others. Because the leader of a fundraising team works with divergently different constituencies it is necessary to have the ability to switch communication styles with each group based upon their unique needs. This means possessing the intuitive skills to read the mindset and expectations of a major donor as opposed to a member of the program staff. A temperament of patience, flexibility, and the proclivity to create a calm and accepting work environment are paramount. This includes the willingness to work behind the scenes while giving others center stage to receive accolades for their achievements. Nothing is more important than bringing these personality traits to bear in working with the CEO in creating and maintaining a partnership that will best serve the mission of the organization that they represent.

Jill Scibilia, CFRE, AFP-NYC Secretary

“Do something every day that scares you,” was the advice of one of my early mentors, a high school teacher.  I am not sure I do something that scares me every day, but I will recount something I did recently that scared me.  

I ran a race last month and invited folks to sponsor me to raise funds for my organization.  

Of course we call this peer-to-peer fundraising in our industry.  There are now a multitude of excellent solutions provided by vendors who serve our industry, many of whom are generous in supporting our AFP chapter.  Their solutions are easy to use and sync with all of the social media platforms.  As fundraisers, we equip those who agree to walk, run, bowl—and yes, even rappel from a building—to raise funds for our worthy causes.  We provide tool kits, messaging, training, swag and pep talks.  All designed to make it easy, right?

Yes, and no. 

During my tenure as a fundraiser, I have helped to position more individuals than I can count who agreed to raise funds for worthy causes by inviting people to make gifts in their honor—individuals who agreed to be honored at a gala, those who agreed to walk or run…and so on… 

Now I found myself in the shoes of these individuals. 

I can recall many pep talks that I have had with these individuals over the years including some prominent figures with names you would recognize.  They asked questions like: Will people support me?  What if I fail to make my goal?  I always had a ready supply of answers for them.  But I had not truly been in their shoes or understood how it felt—until now.  

It is a humbling experience, and I will admit that I wondered who would respond and sponsor me and if I would make the fundraising goal that I set.  

The race was last month; I finished and completed my fundraising campaign, and I did make the fundraising goal I set.  I am deeply grateful to all those who supported me and encouraged me along the way.  And yes, I am grateful for the turnkey solutions provided by those who serve our industry.  Equally gratifying is what I learned from the experience.   

I encourage you to follow the advice of my high school teacher—maybe not every day, but with some regularity. Doing something that scares us (or that is outside of our comfort zone) can teach us so much.  It also allows us to achieve goals we did not think possible.  Think for a moment about the collective impact this makes on the organizations, causes and people that we serve.    

AFP provides the support and network that helps us to think big and to step outside of our comfort zones (and often the much-needed pep talk from a colleague).   

Thank you for the work you do and for the ways you stretch to make the world a better place.  Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season.

Gary Laermer, AFP-NYC President

Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations
Pace University 

While I am beginning the final weeks of serving as the President of our great Chapter, I’ve had the chance to reflect on the role AFP-NYC will play in shaping the future of our profession.  In the process, I came to realize that probably at least one-third, if not half of the positions and titles that will lead development shops beyond the next decade don’t even exist today.

There is great interest today in how philanthropy professionals will significantly move the needle on transforming direct response campaigns into “movement campaigns” that have broad appeal to both current and non-donors to your cause.

How will data analysts and social media experts begin to lead our old-school time-tested annual campaigns and turn them into lower cost funding and advocacy efforts?  How will our research offices write briefings about a potential donor whose first contact from us might be an IM, shared posts, or some other experience, rather than just cold-calling and asking for the chance to meet? Which of our development shops will lead the way in realigning our organizations’ honored giving societies and turn these efforts into community building initiatives around what donors are most passionate about? How will the building of these communities be staffed and led?  Which development shop will find the resources to add a behaviorist to the team and help organizations really understand how their donors behave, give, volunteer – and most importantly, why? 

Of course, we’ll also have to look at the role of development offices in planning new and compelling strategies for using brand positioning and cause and impact reporting to stay relevant in the minds of donors and supporters. 

With all of these potential changes and more coming to our profession, I suspect the role of our AFP chapter will only become more important in helping our sector leaders stay current and well prepared to face the challenges of the future. 

I believe that AFP NYC  is in great hands with the Chapter’s incoming leaders, and I would like to thank Steve Jacobson, Jill Scibilia, Craig Shelley, and Michele Hall-Duncan for commitment to our work and wish them great success in leading the Chapter forward.  I would like also sincerely thank each of the Board members and staff leaders I have had the privilege to work with over the past two years.  Bravo for a job well done!!

Steve Jacobson, AFP-NYC President-Elect and CEO, JCA, Inc.

How Do We LEAD?

Three weeks ago, fellow AFP-NYC board member, Kerry Watterson, and I headed out to Phoenix, where we had the pleasure and honor to represent our chapter at the AFP LEAD conference.  

Steve Jacobson, AFP-NYC President-Elect
CEO, JCA, Inc.

While there were certainly sessions about how to lead and manage a chapter at the LEAD conference, there was quite a bit of programming around how you, as a development professional, can lead at work and in your personal life. Even though Kerry and I did our best to split up and attend as many of the sessions as possible, there were often competing sessions with compelling content that we just couldn’t get to. Yes, the content was that deep and good.

Paul Schmitz, the CEO of Leading Inside Out (https://www.leadinginsideout.org/), delivered a really inspirational opening keynote. Paul has spent much of his professional career helping organizations and communities build their collective leadership to achieve greater social impact. He regaled the audience with true and poignant stories from his 21 years of service at Public Allies (https://publicallies.org/), whose signature program has helped more than 5,000 diverse young leaders turn their passions to make a difference into careers working for community and social change. Paul, himself, was the poster child for this “anything is possible” message. As a teenager, Paul turned his passion to effect social change into a career and now, 25+ years later, he’s become a beacon in the sector for harnessing leadership potential.

There were a number of other LEAD sessions that I found to be incredibly interesting and helpful. One session, led by Karen Dyer, focused on the role of emotional intelligence in a person’s ability to lead effectively. Fun fact: emotional intelligence is twice as important as technical skills or IQ as a factor in effective leadership. Don’t feel that you have a high level of emotional intelligence? You can learn!

If you’d like to find out more about emotional intelligence or any of the other LEAD topics, you can download the conference materials here: http://afplead.org/handouts.

While the LEAD conference was fantastic, AFP outdid itself in presenting the inaugural Women’s Impact Summit immediately following LEAD. The Summit was a tremendous success, as it was completely sold out with 200 registrants. A couple of highlights: our partners at The Ohio State University released the research findings on the prevalence of sexual harassment in our industry – notably from colleagues and donors. The Women's Leadership and Development Program also graduated its first class of participants.  Congratulations!  And, we heard from incredible leaders in our space, including Mpumi Nobiva, Kim Churches, and Teresa Younger.

This may seem like a pitch for each of you to attend next year’s LEAD and/or Women’s Impact Summit. Well, it is! There is so much that AFP offers our members and I urge you to take advantage of these benefits. I hope to see at next year’s LEAD conference October 1-3, 2020 in Indianapolis.

Jill Scibilia, CFRE, AFP-NYC Secretary

Jill Scibilia, CFRE, AFP-NYC Secretary 
VP, Development
Phelps Hospital Northwell Health 

My colleagues have written about the state of the fundraising sector in the last few leadership briefs, reflecting on results from a recent study about low retention rates among fundraisers.  They shared some insightful reasons for this and how we as a profession can work together to address this.

I think it is critical that professional fundraisers work together to ensure that the worthy missions we serve have the well-trained, effective fundraising staff they need and deserve.  The Association of Fundraising Professionals-NYC (AFP-NYC) gives us the platform and resources to do this.   

Training is an important part of the equation. AFP-NYC offers this through our flagship one-day conference:  Fundraising Day in New York, our best-in-class Professional Advancement Series and through a multitude of other continued education offerings. 

We also need to have the heart to do the work of fundraising to be truly effective.  Fundraising is exciting work, but we have tough days.  Our impact as fundraisers is not always apparent and truly transformative gifts can take months and even years to secure.  

So how do we avoid losing the heart we need to do our work effectively and the heart we need to stick with this work?  AFP-NYC is also a convener.  It brings fundraisers together so we can share stories that inspire us and speak to the heart of what we do.  We share best practices, and when needed, support each other on the tough days.  

I thought I would share a recent story of an encounter I had with a donor that spoke to my heart. 

I was speaking with a donor about a gift he intends to make towards a project that has meaning to him. We touched on many topics over the course of the conversation including the uncertain state of the world and his concerns about the future. 

Then he said something I will always remember. He said, “Jill, you know what I find? I find that Americans are generous people.” 

With this simple statement he reminded me that as fundraisers we have the privilege of matching generosity with mission.  This is the heart of what we do and it is why I love the profession.  

It is not every day that I hear this articulated by a donor so clearly—though there is a long tradition in the United States of solving problems through philanthropy.  We know generosity can change our communities and the world.

So that brings me back to our profession as a whole.  Worthy missions and the donors who ache to support them through their generosity need us. They need fundraisers who are effective because of the skills and heart we bring to our work.  

The Association of Fundraising Professionals understands this.  AFP is not just committed to advancing the fundraising profession; AFP is committed to advancing philanthropy to ensure non-profits can achieve their missions and make the world a better place. 

Through my engagement in AFP, I have the opportunity to meet and make connections with more fundraisers than I can count. It has made a huge difference to me and has helped me find heart on the days I needed it the most.

Thank you for your engagement in AFP.  I want to encourage you to attend National Philanthropy Day, our flagship event of the fall, scheduled for November 6, 2019.  This event is all about heart.  It celebrates inspiring leaders and nonprofit trailblazers in New York and throughout the world, and the power of inspirational stories to motivate generosity.

I hope to see you on the evening of November 6^th or at another upcoming AFP event.

Thank you for all you do to make the world a better place.

Craig Shelley, Orr Group

By Craig Shelley, CFRE, Chapter Treasurer &
Managing Director, Orr Group

There’s a lot going on in our sector right now.  We’re debating the ethics of fundraising in the wake of the college admission and Epstein scandals.  We continue to worry about fundraiser retention as yet another study illustrates many of us are unhappy in our jobs and planning to make job or career changes.  In the midst of these scandals we approach the “giving season” and I am certain are daily faced with looming fundraising objectives and the need to increase philanthropy to support the work of our organizations.

In this hectic environment it would be easy to ignore the Association of Fundraising Professionals, our own professional development and our peers.  That would be a mistake.  When our sector is stretched as it is now is the most important time to ensure we’re investing in ourselves and our profession and connecting with our peers.  Our AFP New York City Chapter is a safe place in which you can discuss the crises we face, learn from peers facing the same challenges you are and, yes, if you’re one of those fundraisers we keep reading is eager to change jobs network to your next professional adventure.

Through our professional development events, member only gatherings, Emerging Leader Happy Hours, National Philanthropy Day and our signature event, Fundraising Day in New York, AFP NYC offers unique opportunities to grow as a professional and grow our profession.  Now more than ever I know we all need that.  I encourage you to check out and attend one or more of our upcoming events.  You won’t be disappointed and you can find the calendar here.

If you have ideas or suggestions for our AFP chapter please always feel free to contact me directly at cshelley@orrgroup.com.  If you’re interested in my thoughts on fundraising and news in the sector, sprinkled with the occasional picture of my kids, please follow me on Twitter @craigshelley.

Thank you for everything you do.

By Susan Fields, CFRE

For years nonprofit organizations, as well as for-profit businesses and corporations, have been talking about achieving “diversity and inclusion” in the workforce. Unfortunately, over the past twenty-five years little has changed with 18% of nonprofit CEO positions held by women, and one woman of color at the helm of a Fortune 500 Company. The “glass ceiling”—an invisible barrier that separates women, racial and ethnic minorities, as well as other marginalized groups from access to leadership positions—seems to be alive and well in the workplace. Even in fields that are traditionally labeled as “female dominated”—education, social services, and nursing—the few men hired are often fast-tracked to administrative positions.  We could explore the reasons for the affinity toward white male leadership and put forward ideas for correcting this form of discrimination, but the purpose of this AFP educational program was to provide hands-on tools that women and other minorities could use when acquiring the leadership positions they are seeking. The five strategies below for “climbing the ladder” as well as the attached handout distributed at the event are tailored to provide every advantage toward reaching that goal. 

FIVE STRATEGIES FOR NAVIGATING CAREER ADVANCEMENT

1. Know who you are and exactly what you are seeking. This requires clarity of goals and an arduous search of the type of organization that best fits your skills, talents, personality, and work style. If you detest bureaucracy and need “space to move around in”, the last workplace you should be considering is a large university or hospital that separates its employees into silos and discourages creativity. Also understand in advance exactly what skills you will need to excel at the job from the very first day and make sure that you come prepared to “hit the ground running.” If you are still uncertain of your preferences, the best course to take might be to seek a position that isn’t completely perfect, but interests you—and put 100% of your effort behind it regardless of its drawbacks and limitations. By doing this you will develop confidence in your ability to succeed, define your likes and dislikes, and build the skills which will hold you in good stead once you decide to take the next step in advancing your career.  

2. Learn your organization’s culture. A company’s personality lies deep within its expressed and unexpressed values, and determines acceptable and unacceptable behavior on the part of employees. Notice the way in which your peers and administrators dress, talk to one another, and the manner in which meetings are conducted. For instance, if you are working in the development office of a large private high school, you will probably find yourself working with divergently different groups of people. Talking to a group of teachers will require a different approach than meeting with the school’s development committee or a group of alumni. In situations like this you might learn that the head of the athletic department holds almost as much power as the President—so tread lightly until you know the ground you are walking on.  Also avoid politics like the plague, steering clear of involvement with factions that might crop up around certain issues. The best course of action is to work hard and keep your own counsel.

3. Stand out from the crowd. Do anything and everything to make sure those who are in power know who you are and how hard you are working. Seek out extra tasks that will make the job of your boss and the people around you easier. Arrive early and leave late, and involve yourself in organizational events and activities that will give you the opportunity to make valuable contacts. It’s interesting how popular the employee who organizes the company holiday party can become almost overnight! Avoid negativity, give a helping hand to fellow workers when necessary, and foster your trustworthiness and dependability in all that you do. Along the way it is also a good idea to seek feedback from your boss now and then, implementing his/her suggestions in the projects you are working on. Know that whatever you put out will be returned to you in the form of respect and possibly that promotion you are seeking.

4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. All too often employees would rather struggle with a project than ask a team member or the boss for help. This doesn’t mean throwing up your hands and becoming impatient and irritable. But sometimes it’s necessary to have a meeting with your supervisor to discuss the problems you are undergoing and review possible solutions. For instance, the last thing that you want to do is conceal the fact that one of your organization’s publications—about to be distributed within a week—has a glaring error on the cover, or that one of its most generous donors is about to bail because they had an argument with the board chair. It’s at your discretion when to seek help, but be certain that you aren’t trying to “go it alone” when seeking advice might be the best course in avoiding a catastrophe. The same might be true with requesting additional assistance with a project that has become far more complex and work intensive than planned.

5. Make a move or create your own career. If you find nothing you do seems to work in getting that promotion, maybe it’s time to seek employment in an environment more amenable to your skills. Warning! This does not mean that you immediately quit your job and assume that you will find another within a week or so. If you haven’t already done so, join a professional organization to support you in your search and speak to a trusted mentor who can also assist you in the process. Contact people in your network who can send out the word, and review websites that have job listings in your field. If you are really ready for a risk, possibly it’s time to look into starting your own business. Whatever you do, keep in mind that in order to move to a higher level position, your work in your current job needs to be both extraordinary and exemplary! So the best thing to do is review the four suggestions prior to this one to make certain that you are living them out each and every day. 

Click the link below for
Tips for Women in Leadership Positions
distributed at this AFP Educational Program

Gary Laermer, AFP-NYC President

Much has been said and written about a recent Chronicle of Philanthropy survey that found that 51% of fundraisers plan to leave their jobs within the next two years, and 30% plan to leave the fundraising profession altogether.  An article in the last edition of Fundraising Matters’ Leadership Brief noted that the survey found that about 55% of fundraisers feel unappreciated. Why? Pay was certainly a factor, but it was also due to management and Boards not understanding the challenges of development work.

I thought I would comment on the finding that Boards do not understand fundraising challenges. I would offer that as fundraising becomes more sophisticated, requiring an understanding of compliance issues, use of in-depth research, communicating impact data, effective appeal and proposal writing, and how artificial intelligence is continuing to disrupt donor prospecting and campaigning, the role of Board members in fundraising will continue to change at a rapid pace.  While I am convinced that volunteer leadership remains critical for campaign success, I also believe the role volunteers play in a campaign will change.  I am confident that the need for highly competent, visionary, and resilient fundraising staff will only become greater in the coming years, along with the need to change the model of Board involvement in fundraising to better support each other and reduce both groups’ frustration.

Over decades of work in the field, I have found Boards are often frustrated with fundraisers when asked or expected to do things beyond their capacity, outside of their sphere of influence, and not in alignment with the reasons they joined the Board in the first place. 

It is vitally important that Boards and fundraising staff share a common understanding of each other’s role and capabilities.  If the Board and staff need additional resources to achieve fundraising success, they should look to other volunteers (non-board members) who bring certain assets that a campaign might need. These roles could include assisting with introductions, convening groups who might be moved by your case, helping to advocate throughout a community or on social media, and providing professional or legal advice. Fundraising success will only become more dependent on well trained development professionals.

That’s where our AFP Chapter comes in.  The Greater New York Chapter of AFP is fulfilling its greatest potential when we’re viewed as the training and learning partner for our great profession.  I hope you see the Chapter that way and take advantage of all of the great learning experiences offered.  Please be sure to check out the Events page for upcoming professional advancement programs.

Steve Jacobson, AFP-NYC President-Elect and CEO, JCA, Inc

By Steve Jacobson, AFP-NYC President-Elect and CEO, JCA, Inc.

Say It Ain’t So!

For some of you, the phrase "Say It Ain’t So" might harken you back to the mid-90's when rock band Weezer released a song on their first album by that name. For others, it might have the literal meaning of disbelief and the hope that someone will assure you that what you just heard isn’t real. This was the feeling I had when I read an article published in the Chronicle of Philanthropy about a recent survey* that found that 51% of fundraisers plan to leave their jobs within the next two years. Moreover, about 30% of fundraisers planned to leave the fundraising profession altogether. Why, you might ask?  It seems that three factors play a major role: 1) unrealistic fundraising goals, 2) low pay and 3) frustrating or broken cultures.

You’re probably thinking that this isn’t something new. And you’re right. As Heather Joslyn pointed out in this Chronicle article, there was a study conducted by CompassPoint and the Evelyn & Walter Haas Jr. Fund in 2013 that basically reached the same conclusion – but specifically for chief development officers. Now, we have statistical proof that the pressures to succeed don’t just stop at the top, they extend throughout the ranks of fundraisers.

This new survey found that about 55% of fundraisers feel unappreciated. Why? Low pay was certainly a factor, but it was also due to management and boards not understanding the challenges we have in development. This lack of understanding often manifests itself in fundraisers being given overly aggressive goals and not enough resources and tools to succeed. And so the frustration builds…

Is there a final straw that breaks the camel's back? Yes. Survey respondents were asked why they left their most recent job and 85% said that there was no or little opportunity for advancement. So if you’re underappreciated, underpaid and don’t see an opportunity for a promotion, why stick around?

There are certainly management lessons to be learned from this survey. But, there are also lessons to be learned about how each fundraiser can break through and be successful. We, at the NYC Chapter of AFP, provide our members with the resources and tools to help them succeed. From our professional advancement sessions on critical fundraising topics, to Fundraising Day in New York, to National Philanthropy Day to great mentoring and networking opportunities, we are there for you. Take advantage of all that we offer.  You can start (or continue!) with our next professional advancement program on September 19th, "Climbing the Ladder, Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Women Leaders in Fundraising."

Have a great holiday weekend!

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* Survey of 1,035 fundraisers in the United States and Canada, conducted by Harris Insights & Analytics, through the Harris Poll, for the Chronicle of Philanthropy and the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Jill Scibilia, CFRE, AFP-NYC Secretary

By Jill Scibilia, CFRE, AFP-NYC Secretary

So before I head out for vacation I thought I would share with you the values that our Development team created to guide our work.  We adapted them from the set of values we follow at Phelps Hospital—which are centered on providing the best patient care.  We use the acronym Phelps Pride. 

Many of them will be familiar to you—these are the values we hold dear as fundraisers including putting our missions first, using ethical fundraising practices, and outlining how we engage with donors. 

Patients First- Patients are worthy of the highest level of investment and support.
Humane - Every patient we serve should experience compassionate, dignified healthcare.
Ethical - We respect and value the privacy rights of our patients and their families; our fundraising program is compliant with the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA), adhering to both the letter and spirit of the law. We also believe in, operate within and abide by the ethical codes and professional practices of the Fundraising Sector. Personal information will always remain private and is never shared or sold.

Loyal- Organizational leaders and staff are stewards of a public trust, accountable to those donors for how we spend their contributions.  We are loyal to the interests of our donors, patients, and community.  We believe in building strong, trusting relationships with our donors, as this will only enhance the dedication and commitment of all donors and prospects.  Every member of the Phelps family can help foster these relationships throughout the hospital.
Proactive - Building lasting relationships with our donors is among the highest priorities of our fund development program; we consider it both a responsibility and an opportunity to keep them informed about our activities and offer ways they can deepen their engagement.

Sensitive- Fundraising should be donor-centered, respectfully seeking alignment with the donors’ interests and intentions to accomplish their philanthropic goals while meeting the scope of Phelps’ mission, priorities, and current and future needs.

Professional– The Development team is a business unit committed to excellence and to advancing the health of our hospital and the community we serve by inspiring philanthropic support. It is our responsibility to be accurate, courteous, responsive and transparent in all aspects of our work.
Respect - Gratitude should be the constant theme of our fund development program. Every gift is received with the greatest respect, and we strive to communicate how each gift addresses unmet needs for patients or those who care for them.
Illuminate – Development should inform donors about advances we seek to make in our hospital and in healthcare. We share problems we aim to solve through donor investment in capital improvements, new technology or service delivery models. It is our duty to be honest a