Date of Conferral

2019

Degree

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

School

Management

Advisor

Dina Samora

Abstract

Leaders of not-for-profit organizations could benefit from learning how to build a sustainable organization to help ensure that their organizations could continue to provide valuable services to the community for the future. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the fundraising strategies and donor development skills that leaders used to create a sustainable organization. Five purposefully selected leaders of a not-for-profit organization in Michigan, with experience in implementing effective fundraising strategies and fostering donor development skills for a sustainable business, participated in the study. Transformational leadership was the conceptual framework. The data collection process entailed face-to-face semistructured interviews, observations, and review of company documentation. In-depth analysis of interview transcripts, organizational websites, and organizational documents provided the basis for coding of repeated words and clusters of information to identify 3 themes: the impact of relationships on fundraising efforts, fundraising strategies for organizational viability, and endowment funds as a source of revenue that can help an organization become financially sustainable. The implications of this study for positive social change are increases in sustainability within the not-for-profit community or increases in charitable contributions locally, possible improvements in the quality of life for the employees and community, and the continuation of vital services that are provided by these organizations.

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