Leslie Huber Origin Story

What inspired you to become a fundraiser? When did you decide to follow this career path?

I became a fundraiser because I wanted to change the world (or I should say I want to change the world - why make it past tense?) In my current position as the Senior Director of Development and Community Engagement at WayForward Resources, I oversee both fundraising and communications. My path to get here really came through communications, not fundraising. 

Soon after graduating with my bachelor’s degree in history, I took an AmeriCorps position at United Way of Utah County where I ran a program that trained volunteers to work with first-time parents (which was ironic since I knew absolutely nothing about babies!). I loved nonprofit work and started a Master’s from the La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin. My focus was on social inequality and I imagined myself working for a think tank at some point in the future. 

But I also loved writing. I had wanted to be a writer ever since I was in elementary school and truly believed in the power of well-written words to change people’s hearts and perspectives. When I finished my Master’s degree, I was pregnant with my second child and decided to explore options besides nonprofit work. I spent the next ten years writing for magazines. When I was ready to transition back into nonprofit work, I started by doing communications consulting and contract work for a number of local nonprofits. I wrote capital campaign materials, newsletters, social media posts and redesigned websites. I came to see effective communications–the ability to open people’s eyes to the problem, share the impact of an organization’s work and then inspire people to be part of the solution–as the foundation for effective fundraising. When a position opened at WayForward Resources that took the approach of leading fundraising strategy with messaging, I knew I had found my perfect fit. 

What is the most fulfilling part of your job?

There are lots of parts of my job I find fulfilling! I love leading my team of committed, knowledgeable fundraisers. I learn so much from them all the time and always feel like the end product is better when we work together. I also love when I effectively connect people to our mission. I feel energized when I do a presentation or have an individual conversation with a donor and can see that our messaging has really reached them, that they view the world a little differently now, and that they are motivated to engage with us in new and deeper ways. 

If you could share one piece of advice or the most compelling lesson that you’ve learned during your fundraising career, what would that be?

The most important lesson I’ve learned is the importance of continuing to refine and grow my skills. Choosing a budget number can sometimes feel more like trying to look into a crystal ball than strategic planning and reaching that number can feel more like magic than the implementation of sound fundraising practices. How can we know if people will respond to us? If they will make the choice to give? But good fundraising isn’t built on crystal balls or magic. It’s built on strategy and structure–and there are lots of tools out there to help us as fundraisers build and refine our strategy. AFP is one of those tools–both because of the classes and resources it offers but also because of the opportunities to share ideas and learn from each other. Sometimes when I look back on where I was a few years ago, I think about how much more I know now than I did then. My hope is that in a few years from now, I’ll feel exactly the same when I look back at where I am now.