It's a Great Day to Fund-Raise!

By Tony Poderis

Book by Poderis, Tony This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0965206610
• ISBN13: 9780965206617
• Release Date: October 1996
• Publisher: FundAmerica Press
• Length: 115 Pages
• Weight: 0.74 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.0" x 0.5" x 7.3"

Customer Reviews

Utterly Brilliant!

Often fund-raising experts understand an organisation's structure well enough to keep it a float. Tony Poderis, understands the passion and personalities behind the story of each of his non-profit clients / institutions. Tony's insight positions him to get inside their mission as well as the motivations of prospective funders. It helps FUNDERS to GIVE in a way that catapults the financial futures and visibility of non-profits."It's a Great Day to Fund-Raise" is utterly brilliant in several ways: A manual for Trustees. A companion to non-profit directors. A crucial first step for prospective board members. A guide for current board members. A conclusive resource for FUNDERS helping them to identify non-profits in key areas mentioned in this book."It's a Great Day to Fund-Raise" helps non-profits raise more than funds, they gain and raise genuine friends, who will love and care for them through thick and thin. Wendy Cheltenham

Fundraising Demystified

Tony Poderis reminds all of us who have ever been development officers that it's not rocket science. In his words, "It's just hard work." He's right.Poderis's "Nine Basic Truths of Fundraising" are worth the price of the book alone. But then he goes on to tell us chapter and verse just how to organize a development department, run a fundraising campaign, and work with volunteer leadership.With over 30 years of fundraising experience, Poderis knows what he writes about. He's done it all and run a major operation as development director for the Cleveland Orchestra.Newcomers and old hands alike will derive tremendous benefit from this book, and every board member should read the Nine Basic Truths.This just could be the best book ever written on fundraising.

The "Bible" of fundraising books

I have been a development professional for over twenty years, but Mr. Poderis' book has been, and continues to be, right at reach on my desk as his insights and encouragement have been key to my success as a developmen director of a large arts organization.A more than handy, practical, reference tool which is timeless and always relevant.

His simple, pragmatic writing style patiently mentors . . .

The problem with Tony Poderis is that he is terribly tardy in writing "It's a Great Day to Fund-Raise!" If I had read it 20 or so years ago, when he should have written it, I would have avoided some of the blunders he warns against. I wouldn't have taken nearly so long to become effective as a fund raiser. And I wouldn't have quite so many gray hairs today, each earned in the hard school of "experience." But (sigh) he wrote it only recently. Of course, there is a good reason for the interminable wait: Tony first had to rack up an incredible 20 years as director of development for The Cleveland Orchestra, where he was responsible for the largest annual institutional fund-raising campaign in Cleveland. Oh, and toss in another four or five years subsequent consulting experience, as well. I note, with some satisfaction, that the author has even more gray hairs than do I -- each one earned, no doubt, in the same "school." As evidence, I present Exhibit A: the picture on the cover (there's Tony standing before, of all things, an open bank vault!). That experience shines through in the book. His simple, pragmatic writing style patiently mentors the reader in the art of effective fund raising. The reader may be new to the field, where a book like this is invaluable and where I suspect Tony directed his focus. Or the reader may be well-experienced, where the book reaffirms lessons learned and truths well tested. Did I use the word "pragmatic"? "It doesn't take a genius to raise money," he states early on. "The process is a combination of common sense, hard work, preparation, courtesy, commitment, enthusiasm, understanding, and a belief in what you are selling." See? As expected, the book starts with goal setting and leadership (Chapter 2). But this is not an academic "text." Rather, the author reaches into his bag of experiences and pulls out the time a board trustee got up and announced, "What we need is more endowment. We ought to have a $50 million endowment campaign." Gulp. Wasn't his hair dark brown just before that? This guy has been there. Done that. That's where mentors come from. Well, actually, Tony starts even sooner than goal setting and leadership. Chapter 1 covers the Nine Basic Truths of Fund-Raising. Here's one: "You don't wait for the 'right' moment to ask; you ask now." I loved that one. How many fund raisers are captivated by the word "cultivation," so much so that they don't seem to understand that fund raising also requires "reaping," too? I often wonder how many fund raisers, were they farmers, would leave their carefully cultivated crop to wilt in the field, season after season? Tony's "Nine Truths" are as close to "theory" as he gets. After Chapter 1, he moves methodically through what it takes to succeed. Chapter 2, on goal setting and leadership, is quickly followed by an admonition to "know your organization" (Chapter 3); creation of a general development plan (Chapter 4); funding source