The Spirit of Philanthropy
Guide to Fundraising for a Better World
Learn best practices for successful fundraising and understand the four predictive indicators of success.
"Philanthropy and donations continue to grow worldwide, but is your organization positioned to be on the receiving end? Or are you missing out on potential revenue? We believe there’s a proven way to approach the art and science of fundraising so you can raise more money every day."
“The power of storytelling is unquestionable. We are all storytellers and live our lives through a network of stories . . . Each of us has the power to tap into our stories, our narrative assets, to become better communicators—to entertain, to share our history and culture, to spread knowledge, to persuade, to advance a cause, to teach, to dream a vision of the future.” — International Storytelling Center.
Over the three decades I have known Frank Pisch, I have found his storytelling to be second to none. In The Spirit of Philanthropy, Frank distills a lifetime of anecdotes into succinct and actionable lessons. As someone who has grounded his professional fundraising career in these stories, I can attest to their value and impact. Fundraising professionals are uniquely positioned at the intersection of inspiration and impact, and it is our ability to tell stories that connects us to donors and ultimately make the world a better place.
Beyond sharing practical lessons and insightful strategies, what truly sits at the core of this biographical journey, is a philosophy that The Compass Group has fostered since its inception: not only do we do what is right strategically for clients, we also focus on what is right and just for them. As we carry Frank's legacy forward, we have an opportunity to democratize fundraising and share our expertise with the underserved in the nonprofit world. This is our calling. We believe philanthropy sparks change, fundraising expertise can be developed, and everyone deserves access. The Spirit of Philanthropy provides an easy-to-read handbook for any organization to begin the journey of building its capacity to raise more money every day.
Rob Bull
President,
The Compass Group
Tools to help you get the most out of the book
Bonus Content
Book Preview
Download the introduction and opening chapter to preview The Spirit of Philanthropy, an easy-to-read guide to the best practices in fundraising. Frank Pisch built his career around teaching people to fundraise, and this book captures a lifetime of lessons in a succinct and entertaining format.
Download PDFFundraising Capacity Worksheet
This self-assessment tool takes you through the four predictive indicators for success so you can evaluate your nonprofit's readiness to raise funds. Work through each section and use the rubric to measure how you stack up in each area using our guided scale. Once you've completed the worksheet, you’ll have a clearer picture of which areas need attention in order to maximize your fundraising potential.
Download PDFWhat People Are Saying
Through his stories and summaries, Frank Pisch distills the enduring truths about fundraising. The Spirit of Philanthropy will be both needed and appreciated for decades.
Frank Pisch keeps his promise to tell stories from his forty-year career as a fundraising consultant to nonprofit leaders. His stories are highly informative and inspiring.
Pisch weaves together strategies, anecdotes, wise counsel, and, yes, spirit to offer nonprofit leaders 'bread for the journey' as they position their organizations for robust financial health.
For nonprofit leaders, this book will become the outstanding and trusted reference for fundraising as you navigate the ever-changing world of philanthropy.
About the Author
FRANK PISCH
As founder of The Compass Group, Frank Pisch has more than 40 years of results-driven fundraising experience, securing more than $4 billion in philanthropic support for nonprofits. Frank has advanced the mission of hundreds of organizations through capital campaigns, major gift philanthropy, strategic planning, and fundraising counsel.
With the goal of providing a more client-centered approach to fundraising consulting, Frank built Compass around a model that teaches clients to fundraise on their own, with client and consultant sitting side by side. Frank believes that philanthropy isn’t about money. It’s about inspiration and impact. Through a personalized approach to each client, Frank developed an organization that harnesses its experienced team to leverage a unique blend of art and science to empower organizations to make the world a better place.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Keep up with our latest news, updates, analyses, and research.