I raise funds for ReRun, Inc through grant writing, managing donor relations, prospect development, and other fund raising initiatives and activities. I also do strategic and budget planning.

EDUCATION | PhD in Biopsychology

HOW TO GET STARTED | You can start as a volunteer to get a feel for the work, and a foot in the door. Courses in grant-writing and non-profit management are a great idea because knowing these things can only help your career. Whether you want to do all-around development or a specific aspect, like grant-writing or prospecting, or event planning, these kinds of courses will always be helpful.

MUST HAVE TRAITS | Passion for the cause. Innovative thinking. Diligence and perseverance. Organizational skills. Self-discipline (when you work from home).

how I got started | It happened by chance. I couldn't find the right job in the animal welfare industry that would be fulfilling, so I took a grant-writing course after I got my PhD. I did so well in the class that my professor asked me to write grants for his business. Then I began my own consulting business as a grant-writer. I taught myself a lot through internet resources and fund-raising forums. Then I started helping my client organizations to actually develop the programs for which they were seeking funding, and design program evaluations as well. When I relocated and was looking into a career change, I read Seabiscuit and I knew then I wanted to work with and help racehorses. So I Googled "thoroughbred racehorse non-profits." ReRun came up first and just happened to be close by. I signed on in a volunteer capacity and helped develop their budget to a point where they could hire me.

why this job?| I will always work in some capacity to benefit animals, I knew that from the time I was in college. And while I know this sounds cliche, I really was inspired by the book Seabiscuit. I was fascinated by the world of horse racing and just wanted to get more involved. Plus I'm just not the corporate type--can't sit in a cubicle and do one thing over and over again.

why I love this job!| I LOVE working with and helping the horses, and I love the mission of ReRun. I also really love the people I get to meet and know through my work.

my typical day| Typically I work from home, writing documents like grants and budgets. I do a lot of e-mail and calls with ReRun people and donors, and network with people in the racehorse industry. I devote time to developing new relationships. I'm not just a fundraiser, I'm a "friendraiser." I also spend time on day-to-day administrative duties. Then there's Board meetings and doing periodic outings to racetracks and the farms that foster ReRun's horses while they await adoption. When we have special events I'm always on site being a social butterfly.

what they are | In and of itself, fundraising is a challenge, especially in a bad economy. Fundraising for animal welfare is even more challenging because there are few grant-making organizations that give to animal welfare charities. It can also be a challenge to communicate the operational needs of any development department to other divisions within an organization vis-a-vis things like grant writing. It can also be hard sometimes to stay positive when your world revolves around issues of animal welfare, but it's like this in all charitable work. So despite being passionate, you also have to be able to detach sometimes while staying positive in the face of tragedy.

all about growth | All charities need to raise money, so there's a healthy demand for development directors, as well as grant writers, fundraisers, and event planners. If you want to work within a smaller or grassroots organization, they do hire these types of professional, but salaries will be less than the larger, even international charities. If you're more concerned about your cause than the big bucks, there's always work. But if you have a proven track record of generating solid donations and making great connections, you can climb to the top of the ladder within the larger organizations, and the pay up there isn't at all bad.

my website| http://www.rerun.org/