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Deveopment IS Relationships

On Prospects, Funding Strategy | | Nick Fellers

I spent some time talking to an ED this morning. We really focused on thinking about development = RELATIONSHIPS.

Historically, this organization ‘turns over’ relationships to the development officer once they’re ‘ready for funding’. It doesn’t working that way. Funding (at a higher level – sales) is not a step or moment in a relationship – it IS the relationship.

Even if you’re not ‘asking for money’ you are always building and then hopefully maximizing the relationship. This is what we mean when we say it’s about RELATIONSHIPS not TRANSACTIONS. Is is the job/role of development to manage the relationship (more broadly) not just the manage the requests for money.