While munching on pretzels from the Darien Office Suites’ kitchen that I didn’t realize you had to pay for until yesterday (oops sorry I’m a kid?), Scott and I got to talking about the make up of a not-for-profit. What I took away from the conversation was this: fundraising, fundraising, fundraising. As a three year class officer at my high school, I have some experience in fundraising: bake sales, pizza sales, movie nights, car washes, raffles, auctions, proms, spring flings, concession stands; I’ve done it all. Of course, we had no money so our ideas had to be thrifty and creative. Nothing in the budget for prom centerpieces? No worries I’ll go spray paint branches in the woods for five hours. Principal says spray painting is against school policy? I’ll go talk to him and smooth things over. After regaling Scott on my experiences as class fundraising slave, I mean officer, it turns out there is actually a name for this job in the not-for-profit world, not spray painting braches, but fundraising: Director of Development. Has a nice ring to it, right? Scott went on to explain that a not-for-profit hires a Director of Development to organize events, write foundational, corporate, and government grants, and act as a community liaison. In his words, “The Director of Development has to know everybody.” Well, that was it. I’m sold. Now it’s true I have the tendency to see an occupation from library coordinator to slam poet emcee for weddings and say, “I could do that!” But really this time...I could do that! Interacting with people, planning events, working for a common goal, totally up my alley and very fulfilling. Who knows? Maybe in four years I’ll be back once again at SOTS as Director of Development. Follow me next week for updates as Shakespeare on the Sound’s youngest ever Director of Development...I mean spring intern.
Jenna Perlstein
Spring Intern
