Alan Beckstead receives the Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer Award at the 2024 National Philanthropy Day in San Francisco

Each year the Association of Fundraising Professionals Golden Gate Chapter marks one day during the third week of November to celebrate exemplars in philanthropy and those at the forefront of social change. Awards are presented to individuals and institutions whose giving to the community inspires all of us. Honorees are nominated by the community and selected by a committee of volunteers who are leaders in the world of philanthropy.

The Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer Award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills in coordinating groups of volunteers for major fundraising projects of more than one nonprofit organization. The recipient should demonstrate exceptional skills coordinating and inspiring groups of volunteers for fundraising projects that benefit charitable institutions and show a commitment to the advancement of philanthropy.

The 2024 Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer Award was presented to Alan Beckstead.

Alan Beckstead’s volunteer fundraising work began in 1991. He had volunteered to join the St. Louis Effort for AIDS Board of Directors to be an advocate for the volunteer case managers. The AIDS Foundation that had been set up to provide the funding for EFA had just changed its mission to support all AIDS organizations in the St. Louis area, dropping EFA financial support by two-thirds overnight. The Board was setting up its own fundraising committee, but no one wanted to chair the committee.

With only one meeting under his belt and no fundraising experience, Alan volunteered to chair the new committee. In his six years on the EFA board, the organization went from a $200k budget to $1.2M. Alan’s course was set, and from that moment on he was involved in over 22 non-profit agencies in six cities and four states. His primary focus in all the agencies was establishing or growing the fundraising program.

None of Alan’s work was a single individual effort. He built teams of volunteers that established appeal letters, donor thank-you programs, newsletters, planned giving, and fundraising events. He was always looking for ways to increase the agency’s visibility to the greater community beyond the clients served.

The following is the acceptance speech generously shared by Alan Backstead:

Thank you members of Fundraising Professionals for the recognition as a  Volunteer Fundraiser.   I have to admit that I had completely different comments written three weeks ago. Then the election happened and I realized what I was going to say was irrelevant and I needed to focus on why I got involved as a volunteer fundraiser. For those that are familiar with the Briggs Meyer test I am an INTP. I is for introvert and I test off the charts. So, becoming involved in fund development is way out of my comfort zone.

I have been a volunteer for nonprofits since the early 1970s. I have always been drawn to organizations that are trying to help people that are outside the purview of mainstream society and often invisible.  

When the AIDS epidemic hit in the 80’s, I immediately became one of the first volunteers at the Houston AIDS Foundation as a buddy. In the first 18 months I went to 12 funerals. I quit counting after that. My career job took me to all parts of this country where I volunteered for various AIDS organizations. In 1990,  I was a volunteer case manager for the St Louis Effort for AIDS. We held biweekly group meetings so the case managers could meet to go over our clients and their status in getting healthcare, housing, food, and emotional support. After one of those meetings, I was expressing my frustration of the ever growing client lists and lack of resources to a friend. After a few minutes, he looked me in the eyes and said “instead of complaining what are you going to do about it?”   

I took his comment to heart, I did do something. I joined the Board of Directors for St. Louis Effort for AIDS as a representative for the volunteer case managers. EFA was in a funding crisis.  By my second Board meeting we were trying to form a new fund development committee. No one was volunteering to run the committee. I am not good with silence and I raised my hand and volunteered. I was the newest and youngest Board member, I had no idea what I was doing. but I built an incredible team of friends, co-workers and strangers. We embarked on a steep learning curve.   

We grew the Effort for AIDS budget from under $200K to $1.1M over six years.  We had to move the organization from an all-volunteer group to paid staff positions that were trained in the area that our clients needed the most help. That included a development position. We were not unique; volunteer fund development groups were across the US to support struggling AIDS organizations. There was no government support at the time and we were surrounded by a moral majority that could care less about the HIV+.   

So that is how I became a volunteer fundraiser. 

Since 1990, I have worked with over 20 non-profits on their Boards fund development committees, and advisory councils. My passion has remained helping others that are often overlooked or marginalized. As an example, my current support for the Sebastopol Area Senior Center and our support of seniors and their caregivers in Sonoma West County.

Five years ago, when I was approaching my retirement after a 40 year career, my boss asked me what I was most proud of. She meant work but I said with no hesitation the fund development teams I lead. I know I helped make a difference and I did not sit and complain -- I did something about it. 

Thank you again for this great honor.