Before his passing, Peter F Drucker was quoted in The Wall Street Journal. What he said about success is immediately transferable to our profession of fundraising. Drucker says that the responsibility of an effective fundraiser is thinking through your organisation’s mission, defining and establishing it, clearly and visibly.

And then being able to communicate the vision and the dreams.

You must be able to tell the story in a clear and compelling way. You convey your lofty goals and the high aspirations of your organisation – its urgent priorities. You set and maintain the standards.

Donors want to know why they should give to your organisation. Why should they give now? And why have you chosen me to make a gift?

You respond. Your first task is to be the trumpet that sounds a clear and dramatic sound. It must be a resonant call to action.