Alice L. Ferris, CFRE – Career Track

	Alice L. Ferris, MBS, CFRE, is a partner with GoalBusters in Flagstaff, Ariz.

Why are you a fundraiser? Like most fundraisers, I stumbled into the profession. I was supposed to be in television production, but I took on a second job assisting with pledge drives at Wisconsin Public Television and decided to pursue development.

How many years have you been in fundraising? I’ve been a professional fundraiser for 17 years, but started as a volunteer fundraiser in 1987. Actually, if you count the fact that I was a top Girl Scout cookie salesperson, I’ve been a volunteer fundraiser since 1980.

What achievements are you most proud of? Most recently, I am proud of re-launching my business full-time. I have been a part-time consultant since 2001, but have always had a “day job” as well. I have been a full-time consultant since March 2007, and I love it.

What have you enjoyed most about being a fundraiser? I love it when everything seems to “click”—when the organization’s story and mission are great; when the staff and volunteers are passionate about what they do for the organization; when donors find the passion contagious; when everyone is excited about a gift, especially the donor; and when people are properly recognized and thanked for their efforts.

What have you liked the least about being a fundraiser? It’s aggravating when people underestimate what can be done with philanthropy—when I’m given projects that really aren’t a meaty part of the organization’s vision. I’m in fundraising because I want to make a difference. Don’t get me wrong; I have and will continue to raise money for general operating expenses. But I also like to have something great to shoot for.

What is your motto? One that I now use regularly is one that my business partner coined: “Cash follows contact.” If you don’t develop the relationship, why in the world will that person voluntarily give you money, whether for philanthropy or in business?

Who or what has had the greatest influence on your life? My parents, of course, are a strong influence on me. They came to the United States from Taiwan shortly after they got married and ended up in the small community of Beaver Dam, Wis. (“home of 16,000 busy beavers,” as the sign said until the mid-90s). We were the only Chinese family in the county, and I was the first Chinese baby born at Beaver Dam Lutheran Hospital. They showed me how to be tolerant and open-minded, while still holding fast to my fundamental principles.

My mom, especially, has been a role model for me. She urged my dad to immigrate to the United States, and has been a pioneer in our family. She got her bachelor’s degree when I was in high school, got her first master’s degree when I graduated from college and got a second master’s degree while living on her own halfway across the country, still married to my dad. When she moved, I joked that my mom had graduated and moved away from home. She left home before I did! My mom has been very successful, even with the challenges of starting her career in her 40s and having her career in English, which is not her first language.

In your own words, describe diversity. Diversity isn’t just about race or the color of your skin—diversity is about fundamental principles that guide you, about basic assumptions of your culture, about interpersonal relationships. For me, to embrace diversity is to value the inherent strengths we all have to contribute.

In what ways would the profession of fundraising benefit from increased diversity?
I think the profession will benefit from increased diversity because we will be able to bring in new models of philanthropy and different models of encouraging support, so we’re not always telling people to do it one way.

Many of our fundraising practices are still based on the assumptions of an Anglo culture. For instance, in my experience with the Asian-American culture, we help people in need directly through family and extended family support. Because many Chinese do not give to formal charities, they are considered “not philanthropic.”

Also, in my work with Native American organizations, I have learned that helping one another is fundamental and not something that they believe needs to be asked for. In Hopi, there is a word for a type of philanthropy, sumi’nangwa, which means coming together for the good of the whole community. It’s not something you necessarily ask for—it either just happens or is planned according to the traditional calendar. If you globally applied mainstream fundraising techniques to the Hopi community, they may wonder why you were asking for support when it’s already a deeply rooted principle in their community.

What most concerns you about the profession? Like many fundraising professionals, I’m always concerned about ethics and the perception of honesty within the profession. I had an encounter recently with an organization that had dealt with a “fundraising consultant” who literally stole its donations through a commission scheme. They asked me, “How do we know if the fundraiser we hire is going to be honest?” (I told them, of course, to look for an AFP member!) The public remembers the bad fundraisers and frequently doesn’t pay much attention to the good ones.

What advice would you give to a new fundraiser? Ask questions, find a mentor and join AFP! For most of my career I have been blessed with great mentors and a strong network of fundraising peers who assured me that I wasn’t crazy (most of the time). My AFP friends have been invaluable sounding boards and great supporters of my career.

Alice L. Ferris, MBS, CFRE, is a partner with GoalBusters in Flagstaff, Ariz.