The Forgotten Foundations of Fundraising: Practical Advice and Contrarian Wisdom for Nonprofit Leaders

by Jeremy Beer, Jeffrey Cain

An entertaining, informative, and eminently useful guide that draws on psychology, data, and real-world experience to explain what really drives successful fundraising. In The Forgotten Foundations of Fundraising , Jeremy Beer and Jeff Cain, cofounders of American Philanthropic, a leading consulting firm for nonprofit organizations, offer practical lessons and unconventional wisdom for both nonprofit leaders and novices in the art and science of raising money. Drawing upon a wealth of experience, deploying an army of anecdotes, and using eye-opening American Philanthropic survey data, the authors provide a brisk, irreverent, and supremely useful introduction to fundraising for charities and nonprofits. The book explains the hows and whys of a variety of fundraising techniques, from direct mail to planned giving programs. It explores the benefits and pitfalls of prospect research, the keys to donor retention, and the essential elements of a healthy nonprofit culture. It gives insightful advice on making personal meetings count, soliciting foundations, and training young fundraisers. And it does so with sprightly prose and sharp observations. You'll never read another fundraising book quite like this one. Expertly deflating the pretensions of those who would make fundraising a bureaucratic and esoteric profession, Beer and Cain elucidate the practical knowledge and relationship skills that still matter more than anything else. They make an impassioned plea for the importance of civil society to American democracy and build a compelling case for fundraising as an honorable component of a healthy civic culture. Philanthropy is not about bottom lines and return on investment―successful fundraisers provide a platform for donors to affirm their ideals, values, and morals. Fundraising is serious, but learning about it needn’t be a chore. The Forgotten Foundations of Fundraising is at once eminently practical and absolutely delightful.

224 pages, Hardcover

Published March 19, 2019

About the author

I am a principal partner at American Philanthropic, a consulting firm, and chairman of the board at the American Ideas Institute, publisher of The American Conservative magazine and website. I am an Indiana native who like so many other Hoosiers lives in Arizona. My biography of Negro Leagues legend Oscar Charleston was published on November 1, 2019, by the University of Nebraska Press.

My next project will be a biography of the Southwestern explorer, missionary, and martyr Francisco Garces. I am also in the early stages of a book on minor league baseball and a biography of Booth Tarkington. If I finish all of these in the next 10-15 years I will be a happy (or happier) man.

Reviews

[Mark Seeley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title is somewhat misleading or deceptive because the principles of fundraising laid out in this delightful and wise book are not really forgotten; they are and remain basic and fundamental. The non-profit will ignore them at their peril. The tenets are also backed up by the verified experience of the author's organization. Beer and Cain lament the bureaucratization and professionalization of the fundraising task. They really wonder if credentials make better fundraisers. It is in this context that I wish the authors would have considered the notion of fundraising as a calling or vocation -- what Auden called "subjective requiredness," that sense of being impelled and constrained from within.

The Forgotten Foundations is a fun read, light-hearted, funny and serious.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

When someone is getting into fundraising, along with spirituality of fundraising by Henri Nouwen, is the first one I give them. I believe these are “forgotten” because many a fundraising “expert” sells their services because they present fundraising as a black box veiled in secrecy that only they can do. Jeff & Jeremy break this down. Love this book!

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

My boss, Jeff Cain, is the co-author of this book, and I read it to help with my understanding of fundraising beyond applying for state and local grants. This was a great resource. My husband also read it.

[Christopher Sebastian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really practical advice on non-profit fundraising from the founders of American Philanthropic. And hilarious at times, trust me!

[Boaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book from chapter 3 onward. This book is a practical overview of the fundamental principles that will help any fundraiser succeed. Some of it is common sense, but I appreciated that they surveyed their clientele on what methods produced the best results for their non-profit/organization/college. Lots of good nuggets to remember if you’re new (like me) to fundraising.

My only complaint is the style of the first two chapters. I agreed with about 90% of what was said in them, but I did not enjoy the soapbox style of prose regarding effective giving and the absurdity of licensing the fundraising profession. While I agree with the main points that the authors were trying to make, they did not address any counterpoints to their argument, which weakened their argument overall and came across as arrogant in tone.

I would recommend this book to people who want to learn the basics of fundraising. I would encourage those readers to not be deterred by the style of the first two chapters if a self-important tone is not one’s cup of tea.