Over the years, I’ve met countless talented development professionals who ask: Do I have what it takes to rise to the top—perhaps as CEO of a nonprofit or the executive leader of an advancement operation? The answer is clear: Yes, you do. But leadership at this level doesn’t happen by chance. Advancement leadership is no longer a quiet support function tucked in the background. Today, it’s mission-critical—the engine that often separates thriving organizations from those that falter. This reality positions emotionally intelligent, strategically minded, and communicative fundraisers to lead not just campaigns, but entire institutions. In my forthcoming book, Making Friends and Telling Stories (set for release in 2025), I describe major gift fundraising as both an art and a science. More than that, it’s a proving ground for leadership. Why? Because mastering major gifts demands skills that mirror those of a great CEO:
- Thinking strategically and acting decisively
- Building trusted relationships across diverse sectors
- Communicating vision with authenticity and impact
- Embracing accountability while leading with integrity
- Making tough decisions guided by mission and values
These qualities are the bedrock of senior leadership. Research on nonprofit leadership underscores this, showing that organizations increasingly seek adaptive leaders—those who can navigate complexity, mobilize networks, and influence without formal authority. If you’re a fundraiser, this should sound familiar.
From Moves Management to Organizational Strategy
Consider the “Prospect Research Mindset” I outline in my book. On the surface, it’s a tactical tool for identifying high-potential donors. But at its core, it’s a masterclass in strategic thinking: scanning the environment, assessing capacity, and deploying resources for maximum impact. That’s the kind of vision CEOs bring to entire organizations. Donor cultivation offers another parallel. Done right, it’s not just about securing gifts—it’s about aligning a donor’s values with institutional priorities. This requires relational insight, persuasive communication, and the ability to listen deeply and lead collaboratively. These are the hallmarks of exceptional executives. Then there’s storytelling—not spin, but the authentic, powerful art of communicating an organization’s mission, vision, and impact. It’s not just a skill; it’s a leadership superpower, and one of the most transferable strengths advancement professionals bring to the Csuite. Great leaders don’t just manage—they inspire, uniting diverse stakeholders around a shared purpose. Fundraisers already excel at this, crafting narratives that turn abstract missions into vivid, emotional connections for donors. As a CEO, storytelling becomes even more vital: it’s how you rally a board to embrace bold goals, motivate staff through uncertainty, or persuade a community to invest in your vision. A well-told story builds trust, clarifies direction, and drives action, making it the heartbeat of transformative leadership
Seven Moves That Position You to Lead
If you’re a development professional with your sights set on the C-suite, here are the seven moves that will pave your path:
Expand your lens.
Go beyond gift tables and campaign plans. Learn the business of nonprofits—finance, operations, and board dynamics. Volunteer for budget committees or shadow your CFO to understand financial statements and resource allocation. Get comfortable in the executive suite, even if you’re not there yet.Own your outcomes.
Be more than a team player—be a results driver. Leadership doesn’t wait for a title. Track your metrics, demonstrate ROI, and pilot innovative strategies, like digital giving campaigns, to show you can transform, not just manage.Invest in relational intelligence.
Influence often stems from trust, not hierarchy. Build alliances across departments by showing how advancement supports their goals. Engage board members as strategic allies, sharing insights that tie your work to the organization’s vision.Speak the language of mission and metrics.
Successful CEOs balance heart and head. Learn to present financial data as persuasively as you pitch a donor, proving you can steward an entire organization’s resources.Ask for mentorship—and offer it.
Great leaders are forged in community. Find someone two steps ahead to guide you through crises or board dynamics. Then turn around and lift someone behind you, building a legacy of leadership.Make the hard calls. Leadership demands courage and judgment.
Whether it’s turning down a gift with strings, reallocating resources for strategic impact, or navigating conflicting priorities, show you can weigh competing values and act decisively—even when outcomes are imperfect.Prepare for crisis leadership.
CEOs shine in moments of uncertainty, from funding shortfalls to donor controversies. Step up when campaigns falter, propose solutions, and communicate calmly under pressure. Seek crisis management training or observe how executives handle turbulence to prove you can guide an organization through a storm.
Making the Hard Calls: Leadership Requires Courage
Leadership isn’t just about vision and communication—it’s about judgment. The kind that gets tested when budgets fall short, when priorities conflict, or when not everyone agrees with the chosen path. Advancement professionals who aspire to lead must get comfortable with difficult decisions. Whether it’s turning down a major gift that comes with strings, adjusting staff responsibilities, or shifting resources to where they’ll make the most strategic impact, real leaders are defined not by avoiding conflict, but by navigating it with clarity and courage. Those who rise into the CEO chair do so because they’ve proven they can weigh competing values, consult wisely, and act decisively—even when the outcomes are imperfect. They don’t flinch from responsibility—they embrace it.
The Non-Negotiable: Integrity
Every donor, board member, staff member, and community partner is watching—closely. Integrity isn’t just a virtue; it’s a strategic asset that defines your credibility as a leader. The most successful fundraisers earn trust not only through their achievements but by how they achieve them—through honesty, follow-through, and unwavering respect. For those aspiring to the CEO role, integrity is the foundation that sustains leadership through triumphs and trials. In my forthcoming book, Making Friends and Telling Stories (set for release in 2025), Iemphasize that major gift work is deeply personal, rooted in authentic relationships built on trust. This same principle applies at the highest levels of leadership. Integrity means aligning your actions with your values in every context—whether you’re pitching a major donor, managing a team, or presenting to a board. It’s about owning your mistakes with accountability, learning from them, and fostering a culture of transparency that strengthens your organization. As a CEO, your integrity sets the ethical tone for the entire nonprofit, inspiring staff, reassuring donors, and enhancing your institution’s reputation. Integrity also demands courage—especially when faced with pressure to compromise. Whether it’s declining a gift that conflicts with your mission, addressing a staff misstep, or making an unpopular but necessary decision, leaders with integrity act consistently with their values, even at personal cost. This consistency builds enduring trust, creating relationships that outlast campaigns and tenures. It’s what allows you to inspire teams, retain talent, and navigate crises without losing your compass. Without integrity, leadership falters under scrutiny. With it, even the toughest decisions earn respect, and your legacy as a leader endures
Cultivating Executive Presence and Political Savvy
To become a CEO, you must navigate organizational politics without compromising your values. This means understanding board dynamics, aligning with key influencers, and projecting confidence in high-stakes settings. Practice presenting to executives as you would to major donors—clearly, concisely, and with conviction. Build alliances across departments by demonstrating how your advancement work supports their goals. Executive presence isn’t about ego; it’s about showing you can lead the entire organization, not just your team.
Advancement as a Leadership Incubator
Many of the CEOs I’ve worked with or interviewed rose from advancement. They didn’t just raise money—they cultivated influence, aligned stakeholders, and articulated vision with authenticity. They mastered leading through ambiguity, persuading with purpose, and delivering results in complex environments. If you’ve mastered the art of major gifts, you’re already practicing the skills needed to lead an organization. You’ve honed storytelling to inspire action, as when you convinced a skeptical donor to fund a scholarship program. You’ve demonstrated integrity by declining gifts that misalign with your mission, earning trust that lasts. You’ve led through ambiguity, pivoting campaigns when priorities shift, and delivered results in the complex, high-stakes world of advancement. This isn’t a coincidence—it’s a roadmap. The fundraising office isn’t just a revenue center—it’s a crucible where strategic thinking, relational intelligence, and crisis leadership are forged, preparing you to steer an entire institution.
Your Path Forward
Advancement work is more than a career—it’s a calling that equips you to lead at the highest level. The path to CEO is not only open but paved with every gift you’ve cultivated, every board member you’ve coached, and every story you’ve told with heart, clarity, and vision. The skills you’ve built—storytelling to inspire, integrity to build trust, strategic thinking to align resources, and courage to make hard calls—are the same ones that define exceptional CEOs. Your journey to the C-suite isn’t a distant dream—it’s a natural extension of the leadership you’re already practicing. Start today with intentional steps to bridge the gap. Choose one executive skill to master this year: dive into financial statements to speak the language of metrics, seek crisis management training to lead through uncertainty, or request a board presentation to showcase your strategic vision. Find a mentor who’s navigated the fundraiser-to-CEO path and ask how they built executive presence. Then, pay it forward by mentoring a junior colleague, reinforcing your own leadership growth. Every action you take—whether cultivating a donor, innovating a campaign, or acting with integrity—adds another paving stone to your path. The fundraising office is your training ground. Step boldly into your future as a nonprofit leader.
Ron J. Huddleston, CFRE, FAHP
President
602-9203775
