Episode 100
Episode 100 of Tales From the Trenches Tuesdays again features Malcolm Burrows, a philanthropic advisor and gift planner with 34 years of experience. He leads Scotia Wealth Management’s 100-year-old private foundation services practice. Before joining Scotia he worked for three major Toronto charities from 1990 to 2004 and started his career in the arts.
Understand that fundraising is a profession requiring knowledge, discipline, and hard work. Too often, people approach the charitable sector with unrealistic expectations. They view it as inherently meaningful work with a rosy glow from the outside. Corporate refugees, in particular, sometimes seek to “enrich their soul” after leaving the business world, expecting a gentler environment.
The reality is that charities face the same organizational complexities as any other workplace, often with fewer resources and more scrutiny. They’re human organizations trying to do good, complete with challenges and structural problems that outsiders rarely anticipate. The key advice for newcomers is straightforward: don’t look at it as a dilettante or tourist—approach it as a professional.
Don’t come with rosy-colored glasses is one of my key messages.
What does success look like?
One of the most frustrating structural problems is the charitable sector’s backwards relationship with investment. Working for three large Toronto charities—two teaching hospitals and a university—revealed a troubling disparity in how organizations are judged. Children’s hospitals, for example, face little pressure regarding administrative costs, operating as beloved institutions with minimal scrutiny. At one point, some of these well-funded organizations were admittedly “fat,”. The smaller organizations operate hand to mouth, constantly defending basic operational needs like getting a new pen.
This disconnect lacks any objective standard, creating a system where the best fundraisers win simply by virtue of their institutional advantages. Effective organizations invest in their operations. But there’s often a knee-jerk reaction from donors who don’t want charities spending “too much” on overhead. This objection typically has nothing to do with substance—it’s just a reflexive way of saying no. The people who deeply believe in mission and its success aren’t the ones demanding that everything be done by volunteers or that fundraisers never be paid.
Success in this sector requires ongoing engagement and learning. Even from a corporate tower in downtown Toronto, maintaining connections with sector colleagues through platforms like LinkedIn and regular conversations remains essential. The worst outcome would be becoming disconnected from the realities facing charitable organizations across the spectrum.
For those considering a fundraising career, the message is clear: approach it as a profession requiring serious commitment. The work is challenging and the structural problems are real. But for those willing to engage professionally rather than seeking personal fulfillment, the values-aligned environment offers something truly extraordinary. Success requires understanding that meaningful work doesn’t mean easy work.
Just click on the picture of Malcolm below to hear our conversation.
L’chaim,
jack
