COLUMNIST
LEADERSHIP KATHLEEN PROVOST
The True Profession of Fundraising
A
BY KATHLEEN PROVOST
s a professional fundraiser, I have always been fascinated by my own profession, and wondered how is it that Fundraising can offer me so much potential to learn and evolve within my profession. In an attempt to better understand the profession of Fundraising, I turned my attention to the origins of the concept of charity, or charitable work. I found out that “charity” is referenced in many religions. Though these religions do not always name it as “fundraising”, each variation referenced “charitable work” and seem to have the same philosophical meaning — that is — to find means to provide something. The word philanthropy, which finds its origin in literature dating as far back as the 1600s, has its roots from late Latin and Greek, “philanthropia”, meaning “kindliness, humanity, benevolence, love to mankind”. So, I ask, what is really the Profession of Fundraising about?
Kathleen A. Provost 10
FOUNDATION Magazine
May/June 2021
Defining fundraising as a profession When we look at history, some of us may believe the origin of “fundraising” as a recognized profession flourished in the later part of the 1900s, when the philanthropic activities of Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919), John D. Rockefeller (18391937), and others alike became more known and documented. In the United States, the National Society of Fund Raisers (NSFR) emerged in the 1960s, now called the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), this association has adopted ethical standards to foster ethical behaviour for Fundraising Professionals (Code of Ethical Standards, 2020). But we can also look at fundraising as an economic activity. In 1997, some of us may have been involved in the Canadian roundtables set up by a group of 12 national organizations foundationmag.ca
