Director of Development on Demand: What does that mean?
Director of Development on Demand: What does that mean?
By Lindsay Jordan, Write On Founder + CEO
One of my favorite services to discuss with nonprofit leaders is “director of development on demand” because the first question out of the gate is usually: what does that mean?
A director of development on demand is exactly that: a tenured and experienced director of development ready to step into your development program for a set (temporary) period of time. There are a couple of different ways our clients have put this expertise to use for them:
When hiring a new director of development: The average time it takes most nonprofits to hire their next director of development is six months (and it sometimes takes much longer). During that period, there are typically grant deadlines to meet, events to be executed, or donor cultivation and stewardship to keep moving forward.
Write On’s director of development on demand essentially “keeps the wheels on the bus,” ensuring that all critical functions are completed. This keeps support staff from taking on work they may or may not be prepared (or have time) to do and allows leadership to focus on finding the best fit for the organization instead of just the fit available the soonest.
When launching a new fundraising program: Write On Fundraising staff builds comprehensive, custom annual fundraising plans for many of our clients, and some clients bring to us new techniques they would like to implement. Even with talented lead fundraisers, there are sometimes skills to acquire or upgrade in launching a new fundraising initiative.
By partnering with a director of development on demand, nonprofit staff find themselves with a ready-made fundraiser, mentor, coach, and cheerleader. Not only does Write On Fundraising launch the program and raise the money, but we also walk alongside nonprofit staff to provide support and transition the new fundraising activity in-house.
When the organization needs professional fundraising help but isn’t yet ready to invest in a full-time development professional: Nonprofits that are scaling sometimes find that their fundraising needs have eclipsed what a volunteer or board member can provide. However, they do not yet have the workload or revenue to merit full-time development staff.
Director of development on demand team members can help by ensuring that critical deadlines and activities are completed while growing revenue toward the organization’s eventual full-time hire.
What director of development on demand is NOT
The director of development on demand is not a full-time employee replacement, and they do not work a typical 40-hour-per-week schedule for the nonprofit. Instead, these experts are brought on to accomplish specific tasks or activities. Deadlines and milestones are generally outlined in the initial contract with Write On, and, like all Write On employees, our directors of development on demand work remotely.
How to bring a director of development on demand to your organization
Ready to explore if a director of development on demand is the right fit for your organization? Set up a complimentary discovery session with a member of our team to learn more by calling 888-308-0087 or emailing info@writeonfundraising.com.