About the Book
Pretend you are interested in going into fundraising as a career. Next, pretend you're a fundraiser for a nonprofit organization. Now, let's pretend that you are a board member of a not-for-profit. Then, pretend you're a donor to a worthy cause. Finally, let's pretend that you are just a member of the community who may or may not support a pet charity.
No matter who you are, this book is for you. Anyone can pick up this book and choose a chapter or two (or more) of interest. The main idea here is to give you some food for thought no matter where in the circle of aspirants that you find yourself in. I wrote my book to provide everyone with practical, entertaining and insightful information about the world of nonprofit fundraising. So, grab the book, find a comfortable chair, maybe a soothing aperitif and read to your heart's content. I made it easy for you by keeping most chapters brief enough to read as much or as little as you want at your convenience.
An important pointer about this book.
It's all about fundraising. So, if you want to read about car racing, needlepoint, dog training or some other leisure activity, this book won't satiate your needs. My intention is to give you the appetizer you need to consume a full and satisfying banquet about the subject of fundraising. It will fill you up with tasty nuggets of knowledge. They may point you in the right direction depending on what aspect of development interests you.
Some other pointers.
I am Jewish and you will find a sprinkling here and there of Jewish references or Yiddish words (always with a translation to follow in parentheses). That being said, what I have written applies to Christians, Muslims and people of all denominations and faiths. Keep an open mind, as nothing here depends on your being Jewish.
The book takes on my empirical experiences or personal anecdotes in many chapters as it did for my first book titled Learn From My Experiences (www.normangildin.com). What you read will apply from small to medium size to large nonprofits. The principles remain the same. The difference in size may just be a function of the resources you have available to get the job done.
None of the companies referenced in this book compensated me for finding their way into my book. They are in here simply because of my research and because, in my judgment, they make good sense for professionals to consider. But no one paid me or gave me favors to insert them. Maybe I could have done so. However, I also have my ethical integrity and personal credibility at stake. I value these, so I want to be upfront with you, my dear reader.
Friends and colleagues have asked me why I wrote the first book and, now, this one. The answer is simple. I spent nearly four and a half decades in the nonprofit and Jewish communal world. I accumulated a great deal of knowledge about nonprofit fundraising during this period. These books and my regular columns are just one way of giving back to a community of colleagues, future fundraisers and a field that was very good to me. It's one small way of saying thank you.
There is no specific sequence to the chapters in this book. So, just choose a topic, any topic, and run with it. You won't fall behind or get too far ahead.
A word about updated facts, figures and statistics. Your humble author was diligent in keeping these up to date. I hope and trust that most, if not all, the data presented here is current as of the time we went to print.
Last, I want to take this opportunity to thank the many readers of my guest columns and my first book. They weren't bashful about sharing ideas and critiques of my writing. These comments are always welcome and well-received. Thank you for your valuable feedback. I appreciate it.
About the Author :
Norman served as a senior executive for various nonprofit organizations during his career spanning over four and a half decades. Under his leadership, he fundraised upwards of $100 million. He also served as an administrator of a 529-bed nursing home, was in charge of an annual $25 million budget, as well as capital repairs, construction and renovations and areas ranging from landscaping to building maintenance. He coordinated the interior design and furnishings of a newly built 120-bed facility.
Norman is an experienced fund raiser guided by principles of strategic planning that have been the hallmarks of his success. His background encompasses the four major pillars of fundraising-annual campaigns, building fund and capital campaigns, planned giving and endowment fund giving.
Norman believes in a well-organized, methodical approach to development. He offers a sophisticated approach to fundraising with an emphasis on the strategic planning required for this task. During his career, Gildin was results oriented and that meant getting the job done.
Norman is the author of the popular book on nonprofit fundraising titled Learn from My Experiences (www.normangildin.com) in which he shares anecdotal experiences from his more than four and a half decades of work in the fundraising field. See Amazon and other popular booksellers for more information about the book. He wrote Fundraising Insights for Nonprofits, his second book, also targeting professional fundraisers, lay leadership, volunteers and the public.
In 2012, he created an entrepreneurial business called Strategic Fundraising Group, of which he is president, that provides fundraising consultations and strategic support to not-for-profit organizations. He spearheaded multiple successful fundraising campaigns and developed strategic plans and case statements to raise essential funds.
Norman is formerly a licensed nursing home administrator in NY and NJ. He also has lectured, published and served as a volunteer/consultant for various not-for-profit organizations. He has been a regular guest columnist for the Sun-Sentinel Florida Jewish Journal, the Sun-Sentinel Gateway Gazette and The Jewish Link of New Jersey, among other hard copy and digital publications. He also has been a guest on various radio broadcasts and podcasts.
Norman graduated Magna Cum Laude from Yeshiva University in New York. He later attained his Master's degree in Health Care Administration from the George Washington University, School of Government and Business Administration, Washington, D.C.
He has strong public relations and marketing experience and is a proven leader using social media such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Tumblr, Reddit, Gettr and Instagram.
Norman lives full-time with his wife, Barbara, in Boynton Beach, Florida. They are the proud parents of five children and nineteen grandchildren.
