The fundraising profession is blessed with a lot of great books that can help you grow as a professional and as a person.
A lot of books. So many that it can be hard to find the books you should read first.
Here are four especially useful and inspiring books from The Fundraisingology Lab reading list. Looking for some “read right now” books? Try these…
edited by Nneka Allen, Camila Vital Nunes Pereira, Nicole Salmon
Written by black fundraising professionals in North America, it’s an unflinching look into the lives of BIPOC fundraisers in a largely white industry. It may give you hope or it may deeply disturb you — possibly both. Either way, it’s a real gift to our community. Read it and prepare to see things in a new way.
by John Haydon
If you knew John Haydon or read any of his writings, you’re probably aware that he passed about a year and a half ago. This book was his final work, a powerful gift from a real giant of fundraising. In our review of the book, here’s what we said:
“Donor CARE is a practical, deep, and helpful book that will give you a lot to think about — and a lot to do. And it’s heartbreakingly beautiful. You’ll learn a lot about the man and his battle with cancer.”
Caring for your donors is one of the most important and impactful things you can do as a fundraiser. This book is packed with the how-to of caring for donors in the ways that matter most.
by Simone Joyaux
Simone is another fundraising hero we’ve recently lost. It’s hard to believe she’s not with us anymore, but she left a body of work that will continue transforming our profession for a long time.
Firing Lousy Board Members is just as provocative as it sounds. Leave it to Simone to come right out and say it aloud: Some board members need to go! If you suspect this is true for your organization, this book will help you define “lousy” and then guide you through the process in a humane and respectful way.
Monthly Giving: The Sleeping Giant
by Erica Waasdorp
This book, by the internationally recognized “Monthly Giving Maven,” helped wake up fundraisers everywhere to the power of monthly giving.
That sleeping giant may be starting to wake up, as more and more fundraisers come to the truth that monthly giving is not just a “nice to have,” but absolutely critical for building a sustainable fundraising program that can fund your mission.
If you — or any fundraiser you know — needs more support for making monthly giving a reality, this is the book to read.
Keep an eye out for more book reviews on the Moceanic Blog this month!
Get the full reading list, along with a wealth of all the best tools, information, and training you need to transform your career. Join The Fundraisingology Lab by Moceanic.
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