How do you know whether your organisation has a philanthropic culture? Andrea McManus, President of The Development Group, a Canadian philanthropic consultancy company, suggests there are nine signs. See if you recognise these signs in your own organisation:

1. Your board and leadership can spell, pronounce and explain philanthropy correctly!
2. Your leadership understands the difference between philanthropy, [fund] development and fundraising. Philanthropy is walking hand-in-hand with donors, rather than just raising the next dollar. It is the outcome of development and fundraising work – the outcome you want to achieve, the desired end state. Philanthropy engages the whole organisation, from the board on down. Fund development is the management of all the processes and relationships that go into building an effective development programme. It is the engine that drives donors to achieve their philanthropic goals. Fundraising is the methodology used.
3. Whoever is responding to a donor’s question, call, inquiry, problem or issue, knows which key leader to contact, connect with, or refer to, AND does it. When someone calls to make a donation, the person receiving the call understands its importance in achieving the mission of the organisation. So, the call doesn’t languish in someone’s voicemail box; it’s directed to the right place.
4. The organisation as a whole recognises the primary role of a fundraiser is not to raise money but to build philanthropic culture. It requires a philanthropic culture for philanthropic relationships to survive and thrive. If we rely solely on the fundraiser to raise money we are only using a fraction of the resources available to us.
5. The organisation has a statement of philanthropic values.In developing the statement, get input from everyone – How do they view donors? How do they see and understand philanthropy? The end product will be something you have all put together. This process raises awareness and appreciation for the role played by philanthropy and donors in your organisation.
6. Development is seen as a core function that is long-term, strategic and responsive to community needs – not a ‘necessary evil’.
7. Stewardship is accountability to all stakeholders and relationships, not simply donor recognition.Accountability should be a word that an organisation lives by, not one to which it just pays lip service. Don’t just thank donors; communicate with them about the impact they are making.
8. 100% of board members make annual philanthropic gifts to the organisation.
9. Donors are viewed as stakeholders, not a nuisance and not a target. Celebrate, recognise and show appreciation to donors for the change they are making in the community.

As presented in a 501 Video.