AFP Member Spotlight: Brian Lam

AFP Member Spotlights are a recurring series of interviews with AFP members, highlighting the unique individuals and career paths that exist within the fundraising profession. If you know an inspiring fundraising professional who deserves to be featured, please email [email protected].

In this member spotlight, we interviewed Brian Lam, director of institutional & corporate giving at LA’s BEST, an afterschool enrichment program in Los Angeles, CA. Throughout his journey—from securing a $1.5 million grant as a one-person team to finding community through AFP—one theme has remained constant: people are at the heart of everything. Whether building donor relationships, collaborating with colleagues, or leaning into whimsy, he believes the best ideas and biggest wins come from human connection. 

Q: How did you start your career in the fundraising profession, and what led you there?

A: I began my career in the fundraising world back in the Bay Area, following my work as a teacher. I grew up having the most amazing family and teachers who always empowered me to be a better version of myself every day, and I carry that with me to this day. With that in mind, I wanted to make sure that whatever I do in this lifetime is impactful for those around me to honor them. That said, I have also always had this idea in the back of my mind that I wanted to start my own nonprofit organization one day, and I was at a point in my life where I wanted to make a pivot to explore what nonprofits looked like from the inside — how they operated. I knew that I wanted to stay within the education space and still make an impact on the lives of youth all around. 

My first nonprofit role was a mix of community engagement and development wrapped into one, and I was working for a literacy-focused nonprofit right before the pandemic hit. If you know me now, something I always say is that we are in the business of people. It is the people in my life who have supported me and helped guide me. It is the people who I have the pleasure of meeting every day. It is the people who I get to work with. It is the people and relationships that have led me to where I am today, and I love it.

Q: When and why did you decide to become an AFP member?

A: A dear friend and former boss nudged me to join AFP shortly after I had just moved to Los Angeles back in 2022. I knew maybe two people in this huge city during that time, and they both lived quite far from me. Trust me when I say Los Angeles is gigantic. I was feeling rather alone working in my new company as the director of development in a department of one with little knowledge of the philanthropic landscape, the communities across Los Angeles, and even the resources in the city and county. I knew I needed to invest in myself by meeting folks in the industry, and it just so happens that at the same time these thoughts were swirling around my mind, the AFP Greater San Fernando Valley Board President, Tarry, reached out to me to ask me to get involved.

From there, I actually became the Chamberlain Scholar for the chapter and went to ICON (for the first time) in Toronto. I met so many wonderful and loving people, and again, it was the people who helped me make the decision to become an AFP member (and am now on the chapter's board).

Q: Are you doing anything innovative at your organization (or a past organization) that you think other fundraisers could benefit from?

A: Innovation, to me, looks like relationships first. I don't chase shiny new tricks; rather, I invest in people because that is where the best ideas are hiding out in plain sight. I rely on my network—those trusted people who I can bounce ideas off of, gut-check with, and workshop solutions together. That collaborative spirit leads to some of the most unexpected and beautiful outcomes. I also try to lean hard into authenticity, even if that means being a little unconventional. The ability to show up fully—quirks and all—opens doors. It's less about doing something no one's done before, and more about creating conditions where bold, new ideas can actually take root and thrive.

Too often, I hear stories from fundraisers that collaboration is the last thing on people’s minds or that they don't have time amidst their day-to-day workload. Without collaboration, it becomes a challenge to get innovative, and without innovation, you can't do new and exciting things. With relationship building, you get that buy-in for collaboration and innovation, and that leads to more amazing outcomes because you bring together unique experiences and perspectives.

Q: What is your favorite word? (only one word) How has this word influenced or inspired your career?

A: Whimsical. It is my north star. In a world of metrics, campaign goals, and spreadsheets (to name a few things), whimsy reminds me to stay playful and curious. It reminds me that I am allowed to show up in technicolor—to ask wild questions, bring joy into the work, and embrace the magic of the (chaotically) unexpected. People are at the heart of fundraising, and people respond to honesty, energy, and warmth. Whimsy makes room for the human in all of it. It's like glitter—unexpected, a little messy, and impossible to ignore. That's also how I get donors to notice me by being true to myself, and it makes it more fun anyways.

Q: What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?

A: In my very first capital campaign, I secured a $1.5 million grant from a single funder. Yes, I was completely new to that side of fundraising, and I was thrown a $20 million capital campaign as a fundraising team of one with little context other than to find the money somewhere. That grant amount still makes me pause to this day. It was the biggest grant that I had ever received, and this was also while I was still trying to figure out the who's who of Los Angeles. It was definitely equal parts nerve-wracking and exhilarating, and through this experience, I was able to reinforce the idea that relationships are everything—being real, building trust, and not being afraid to ask questions.

That win wasn't just about the dollars; it gave me the confidence to know I could dream big and deliver. It proved to me that people invest in people who believe in something, not just people with the perfect pitch deck. I remember inviting a major donor from our database to attend our annual gala, and shortly following that, I invited him to come to a meeting with me and a board member to talk about the capital campaign—simply to get his ideas on what we envisioned and to see if he had any notes. He sent an email the following day thanking us for the opportunity to involve him and get his thoughts and he asked us (funny enough) to request $1.5 million from him. Doing all of this while leading the general operating fundraising and learning about Los Angeles on the go at the same time really felt like such an amazing win for me.

Q: How has being an AFP member and participating in the AFP affinity groups benefited you in your career?

A: AFP gave me a mirror and a megaphone. I met amazing friends, mentors, thought partners—people who have helped shape me both professionally and personally. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ and AAPI communities, being part of affinity groups meant stepping into spaces where I didn't have to code-switch or dilute my identity (and even have opportunities to more thoughtfully explore who I am). I could lead, be vulnerable, and learn all in one breath. In turn, I've been able to support others too, which is a full-circle gift. It's not just networking—it's belonging. That is something I carry with me every day, especially being part of AFP and these affinity groups.

Q: In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge facing the nonprofit fundraising profession today?

A: I think that one of the biggest challenges is burnout. We're expected to do everything, know everyone, and produce results, with shrinking resources, expanding demands, and a million and one unknowns. Add to that a whirlwind of personalities and a lack of alignment, and it becomes easy to lose your spark. Maybe also add to that developing a new website, migrating to a new CRM system, going through a five-year strategic plan, planning your upcoming gala, going to funder meetings and external events, and doing grants and a capital campaign all at once (that has happened to me as a team of one doing a job of five). I think we're overdue for a culture shift—one where collaboration overtakes control, where board members are truly brought into the why, not just the how. People need to stop holding information hostage out of fear or ego.

Fundraising will always have some chaos, but without a shared compass and lots of grace, it can become unsustainable. What we need is sustained investment—in our people, our infrastructure, and our capacity to grow in thoughtful, strategic ways. Otherwise, we are forced to be "scrappy" and have to wear that as some sort of badge of honor, which I get, but too many of us have to hustle, wear 14 hats, and find a way to make magic out of paperclips and expired coffee. Scrappiness should be the emergency response, and not the long-term plan, and often that isn't taken into full consideration, which leads to burnout.

Q: What advice do you have for other fundraising professionals?

A: Dare to dream, but make sure you also take action. Let go of the illusion of perfection because we are in the business of people, and people are gloriously messy. Context is everything, timing is a mystery (most of the time), and sometimes the best thing you can do is just try something. There's a kind of controlled chaos in fundraising that I've come to embrace, and I think it's what makes the work exciting. Be human. Be kind. Make mistakes (and learn from them, of course). Let your uniqueness (or weirdness) work for you. This may be a simple one, but know your limits and balance your work and personal life. You live one life, so enjoy it too. Most importantly, don't forget the people—your team, your donors, your community. They are the heart and key to it all.