Goals + Growth + Gains

One of the Foundation’s leaders scored a big win late last year – our Vice President of Planned Giving, Pat Elder, finalized the extensive paperwork and new systems to enable us to accept gifts of real estate. This represented a two-year journey to set us up organizationally to accept and process gifts of real property. In December, we closed on our first such gift!

As we celebrated this milestone with Pat, she expressed a long-time professional goal: to present at a significant non-profit conference. Together we crafted a proposal to the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) international conference.

This November, Pat and I will present, The Keys are in Your Hands: A Guide to Accepting Gifts of Real Estate. This case study of our journey to create a real estate giving program is intended to help other foundations considering this expansion of their gift acceptance programs.

Professional growth matters and I love to help my team achieve their dreams. It’s easy to get caught up in daily priorities and lose sight of a bigger picture but Pat put herself in the driver’s seat by defining her professional goal, collaborating on the process and enjoying the gains that resulted.

I’m a strong advocate for professional development for myself and my team. Because personal and professional growth isn’t just about you. When you invest in your own knowledge and skills, it translates directly to the entire team.

• Enhancing expertise: every day, new technologies emerge, processes are refined and best practices evolve. A commitment to lifelong learning keeps you ahead of the curve, contributing to personal success as well as elevating your team’s capabilities.
• Increasing confidence: expanding your skill set builds confidence. You discover you can do complex things you haven’t done before. This confidence, in turn, inspires others around you.
• Discovering untapped potential: we all face challenges. With a broader knowledge base and diverse skill sets, we become better equipped to tackle these challenges. Learning new approaches allows us to break free from conventional thinking and find innovative solutions!
• Building team spirit: a supportive environment, where learning and growth are encouraged – and mistakes are viewed as a sign of stretching yourself – fosters a sense of camaraderie and positive attitude.

At HonorHealth Foundation, we invest significantly in the professional development of our team members. Each year, staff sets a professional development goal and each department budgets for the associated learning. We take advantage of the many online trainings available through our vendors, professional associations and our own hospital system. We strongly encourage every fundraiser on our team to earn their Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) credential. And we celebrate as each one gains those impressive letters behind their name.

Your dedication to your own growth is just as crucial as your leader’s commitment to support it. Take initiative, explore your options and don't hesitate to reach out with your ideas and opportunities.

Ultimately, by investing in each other's professional development, we build a stronger, more resilient team. Together, we can achieve greater heights and reach our full potential as a collective force. Let's embark on this journey of continuous learning and growth, together!