January 21, 2004 | Read Time: 4 minutes
Q. I work as an office assistant in the development office at a higher-education institution and I’d like to approach my bosses about creating a new donor-relations coordinator position. What is the best way for me to present my proposal, and how should I apply for the job?
A. Your enterprising spirit is sure to win you points with your supervisors, but you want to make sure that you approach this situation in the right way — and that means that you’re going to have to do some homework.
Resources are always the main issue with creating a new position in any nonprofit organization, says Rich Lynch, assistant vice chancellor of university advancement at the University of California at Irvine. An additional position is a considerable expense, so your challenge is to make an ironclad case that the job that you’re proposing is worth the investment, says Mr. Lynch. And the best way to do that, he says, is to be precise: “Describe what specific services should be provided or expanded, and how you feel that providing such services would address key objectives of your organization.”
Your first step, then, is research. You’re going to want to do a little sleuthing to find out whether your department has considered such a position in the past. (If they have, and rejected it, that doesn’t mean it’s a dead issue, but you will need to explain why your proposal or today’s circumstances are different.) Then, document the reasons why you feel the position would be beneficial. For example, Mr. Lynch suggests, you might start tracking phone calls or correspondence that you are handling in your current position to back up the need for the new position.
Next, you’re going to need to think through how your proposed position will improve your institution’s fund-raising results, says Ron Cohen, vice president for university relations at Susquehanna University.. “Do you believe existing donors will give more? Will prospective donors move closer to becoming actual donors? Will your work free up field staff to be more focused and productive in the field? You need to answer questions like these in ways that suggest the institution will be better positioned to raise more money in the future,” he says. The more specific you can get, the better. Mr. Cohen also suggests that you think about how your supervisors will be able to evaluate you in the new position.
You might be tempted to write all of this up and submit to your supervisors straight away, but Mr. Cohen urges you to take it a little slower. First, set up a face-to-face meeting with the supervisor who you feel will be the most receptive to your proposal. Your goal isn’t to get the job approved at that point, but to win approval to submit a formal, written proposal.
If you get the green light, create a proposal that concisely and persuasively communicates all that you’ve learned during the course of your research. Don’t write in an academic style; write to sell. For a few pointers, check out For a Good Cause: The Complete Guide to Crafting Proposals and Other Persuasive Pieces for Nonprofits, by Joseph Barbato and Danielle S. Furlich (Fireside, 2000, $15). Although its focus is on grant-proposal writing, you might find the chapters on writing itself helpful. And while it is not focused on nonprofit organizations specifically, check out the primer Writing That Sells: Persuading Others to Buy Your Ideas, by Kathleen A. Begley (Crisp Learning, 2002, $13.95).
If your proposal doesn’t fly, consider offering a few alternatives. You may want to offer to take on a few donor-relations activities within the framework of your current job, suggests Mr. Cohen. If your circumstances allow, you might want to suggest handling the position on a volunteer basis, Mr. Lynch says. You can always ask to have your proposal reconsidered down the road. But whether your proposal ultimately succeeds or not, it is definitely worth the effort to make the request. “You will have distinguished yourself as an employee dedicated to seeking new opportunities to better your organization and gained some experience that will serve you as your career progresses,” says Mr. Lynch. Good luck.
