034: The War for Fundraising Talent (Jason Lewis)
SUMMARY
Fundraising is on every nonprofit leader’s mind right now, and perhaps there is no one better to talk about that topic than Jason Lewis, who literally wrote a book about the topic, The War for Fundraising Talent. As Jason and I discuss, many of the topics he raised in the book are even more relevant right now. Why do so many organizations rely on “arms-length” fundraising tactics, and what can they do about it now? Why are more executive directors declining to accept “overwhelming” job descriptions? What can board members and executive directors do in an uncertain planning environment? What can we expect from the next generation of nonprofit leaders? We tackle these questions and much more in this episode!
ABOUT JASON
Jason is the Founder of Responsive Fundraising, and questions many of our sector’s deeply engrained beliefs and assumptions of how fundraising really works. Whether writing, speaking or training, Jason challenges the prevailing wisdom about fundraising practices, hiring decisions, and donor behavior. Jason earned his M.S. in Nonprofit Management at Eastern University in 2010 and in 2014 graduated from the College of Executive Coaching. In addition to consulting, Jason teaches nonprofit management and social entrepreneurship at York College of Pennsylvania. Jason's first book, The War for Fundraising Talent, was an honest yet hopeful critique of professional fundraising, intended especially for small shops that find it difficult to consistently achieve their fundraising goals. Jason's forthcoming book, Fundraising in an Unpredictable World, will be available this summer.
EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
Jason’s book The War for Fundraising Talent
Alvin Roth’s book Who Gets What - and Why
Jeremy Heimans & Henry Timms' book New Power: How Power Works in Our Hyperconnected World