 |
Home | Tips & Hints | White Papers | Services | Biography |
Contact | Products |
For almost 20 years I've worked in the fundraising/university advancement arena for colleges and universities, while also providing advice to other nonprofits. While others would try to lead using gurus of sales or marketing or fundraising, I'd always lean towards Franklin, Whitman, Emerson, Thoreau and others. Why? Because over the past decade or so, our profession has become so focused on strategies, pyramids and propensities, that we've forgotten the root of support: have a vision, and share it. My work is for all fundraising organizations who have a cause they believe in, particularly where resources are limited and passion is high.
Once the strategists leave or the employees or volunteers return from a distant conference, the important work begins--bringing together the team in ways that everyone knows and respects each other's roles, and they are inspired to share the vision of the cause with each other, donors and the public.
The work is no more about raising money than building Europe's great cathedrals was simply about laying stones: there must be a cause, a greater calling toward a vision. Create a vision...achieve it...one friend at a time.
Once the strategists leave or the employees or volunteers return from a distant conference, the important work begins--bringing together the team in ways that everyone knows and respects each other's roles, and they are inspired to share the vision of the cause with each other, donors and the public.
The work is no more about raising money than building Europe's great cathedrals was simply about laying stones: there must be a cause, a greater calling toward a vision. Create a vision...achieve it...one friend at a time.
Dion brings almost 20 years of advancement experience, insights and innovations to your university or nonprofit, and to your leadership, staff and volunteers. Currently he is the associate vice president for advancement at the University of Houston-Clear Lake.
“Good fundraising must be holistic and can both strengthen and heal the organization, and the volunteers and staff. Organizationally, we need to remember that sometimes the broken bone heals stronger,” he says. Having raised millions of dollars from individuals, corporations and foundations, his model for success works in all areas.”
His successes have come while leading small- to mid-size shops, with experienced and inexperienced staff. “Mindset matters more to success than software, giveaways or even moves management processes. Those are tools, but nothing truly important happens without a vision carried forward ‘one friend at a time.’ This permeates programming, planning, implementation, staff and volunteer development, as well as specifics like proposal preparation and delivery, gift acceptance and stewardship, constituent relations, publications and events—all can benefit from a commitment to ‘achieve the vision…one friend at a time.’”
NOTABLE ADDITIONS
Published in Texas Nonprofit Org e-newsletter on fundraising management
Published chapter titled "Partnering With Families Through Institutional Advancement" in Jossey-Bass Book titled "Consumers, Adversaries and Partners: Working With the Families of Undergraduates"
Award-winning, published, exhibited writer/photographer
Founder of Her Legacies Foundation, a nonprofit that saves women's stories and the images they inspire
Published article titled Shoeshine Sales Lessons in Nightingale-Conant's leading publication AdvantEdge Magazine.
Published book titled Listen to Life: Wisdom in Life's Stories which reveals the wisdom available to all of us in our daily lives if we simply listen to others and to life.
“Good fundraising must be holistic and can both strengthen and heal the organization, and the volunteers and staff. Organizationally, we need to remember that sometimes the broken bone heals stronger,” he says. Having raised millions of dollars from individuals, corporations and foundations, his model for success works in all areas.”
His successes have come while leading small- to mid-size shops, with experienced and inexperienced staff. “Mindset matters more to success than software, giveaways or even moves management processes. Those are tools, but nothing truly important happens without a vision carried forward ‘one friend at a time.’ This permeates programming, planning, implementation, staff and volunteer development, as well as specifics like proposal preparation and delivery, gift acceptance and stewardship, constituent relations, publications and events—all can benefit from a commitment to ‘achieve the vision…one friend at a time.’”
NOTABLE ADDITIONS
Published in Texas Nonprofit Org e-newsletter on fundraising management
Published chapter titled "Partnering With Families Through Institutional Advancement" in Jossey-Bass Book titled "Consumers, Adversaries and Partners: Working With the Families of Undergraduates"
Award-winning, published, exhibited writer/photographer
Founder of Her Legacies Foundation, a nonprofit that saves women's stories and the images they inspire
Published article titled Shoeshine Sales Lessons in Nightingale-Conant's leading publication AdvantEdge Magazine.
Published book titled Listen to Life: Wisdom in Life's Stories which reveals the wisdom available to all of us in our daily lives if we simply listen to others and to life.
Commitment
A vision grows from your soul, fed by commitment and passion, and can be articulated with descriptions of how things will be when the vision is achieved. If you cannot describe life within the vision, it is only a dream of imagination; if you cannot find the passion and perseverance, perhaps all you have is a plan for a goal. The same is true for individual and organizational vision.
No vision can be achieved alone.
No vision can be achieved alone.
