Servant Fundraising is an extension of the principles of servant leadership to the world of philanthropy. Servant fundraising puts the donors’ needs first, resulting in long-term engagement and lasting relationships. It embodies the true meaning of philanthropy – “love of humankind.”
We developed this approach to fundraising, strategic planning, and campaign design over a decade at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, during which we raised over $100 million in support of the observatory’s capital projects and research and outreach programs. We’re now helping others become servant fundraisers and achieve success.
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Lisa T. Actor
Lisa Actor received a B.S. in Biology from the University of the South. She worked for NOAA in oceanographic surveying before transitioning to nonprofit fundraising after attending Hank Rosso’s Principles of Fundraising course. She once witnessed a college president ask a billionaire for a $30 million gift – the full price tag for a new science center. It was the gentleman’s first visit to the school. The next week, he sent a check for $50K and never returned. This lesson convinced her to embrace relationship-based fundraising, an approach that resulted in $150 million for the college during her tenure. She feels fortunate to have finished her career at Lowell Observatory, where Executive Director Jeff Hall embraced her donor-centric approach to philanthropy. Lisa, and her husband, Dave, live in Flagstaff, AZ with their dog, Ruby, where they enjoy hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing. They have two sons, two daughters-in-law, a grandson and a granddaughter, and two granddogs.
See more about Lisa at her website.
Jeffrey C. Hall
Jeffrey Hall received a B.A. in Physics in 1986 from the Johns Hopkins University and a Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics in 1991 from the Pennsylvania State University. He joined the staff of Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, AZ in 1992 and served as the Observatory’s Executive Director from 2010-2024. During his tenure as director, he evolved from being a research astronomer to what his friend and colleague Alice Ferris, CFRE, calls “the accidental fundraiser.” Over a decade, he and Lisa developed the principles of servant fundraising that lead to the highest levels of engagement and fulfillment for donors. Jeff’s principal avocation is music, and he served for 32 years as the assistant organist at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in Flagstaff. He enjoys reading, providing simulated air traffic control at the Boston Virtual ARTCC, and training for and participating in triathlons. He and his wife, Schenley, live in Tucson, AZ. They have three grown sons, Jonathan, Benjamin, and Nicholas.
See more about Jeff at his website.