Are you ready to hire a development director? A quick test:


You are not ready to hire a director of development (and, if you do, you're likely to be disappointed with the outcome) when:
  • Your board is not engaged in the process and views fundraising as a staff-only responsibility.
  • You have no real strategic plan.
  • Fundraising from individuals comprises 25 percent or less of your total revenue.
  • A year of salary and benefits for the position exceeds your entire fundraising budget.


    You might be ready to hire a director of development when:
  • Your board members are engaged in fundraising in multiple ways.
  • The entire organization is committed to building a solid donor base.
  • Funding for the position is available on a multi-year basis.
  • There is real interest within the organization to adopt multiple fundraising strategies.
  • Your programs are stable enough that the staffing model lends itself to having additional staff positions assist in fundraising.


    You are ready to hire a director of development when:
  • Funding for the position is not in question and is sufficient to attract a qualified person.
  • The vision is to build on an existing fundraising program.
  • The board is fully supportive of the hire.
  • You have a well-crafted job description against which outcomes can be measured.
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