February 6, 2025
Meet Nannette Mickle, SFZC Development Director
Nannette Mickle, SFZC Development Director

Photo by Tova Green.

 

By Tova Green

Nannette Mickle began working as San Francisco Zen Center’s Development Director in September 2023. Her first impression of SFZC was that it is “a kind and wholesome community. People notice how they impact others and can contribute to the well-being of other people.” Asked what drew her to the role, she said, “I saw an opportunity to bring my skills and outlook on raising funds to an organization that transforms lives.”

Nannette came from the San Francisco Ballet, where she had been working in Development. Her path to fundraising began a few years after she moved to San Francisco from Arizona, when she began working at the front desk of Hostelling International. She noted, “I was fired up by their mission, to offer a place where travelers from around the world could meet in San Francisco.” She was soon promoted to front desk manager. “I was dismayed that they depended solely on hostellers’ payments and was surprised that, as a nonprofit organization, they did not engage in fundraising.”

Nanette began looking at the organizational charts of other nonprofits and learned that in order to be financially solvent they needed multiple sources of revenue. She initiated a program at Hostelling International to offer group bookings, which was very successful; it grew to bring in three million dollars a year.

Because of her success with that program, Nannette was hired by the San Francisco Ballet to work in their Marketing Department. “I saw for the first time an organization that was professionally run, that sought perfection in every department, including dancers, musicians, those in the wardrobe department, and administration.”

Nannette developed a group sales program for the ballet, as “passion for the art form grew in me.” She looked at the audience in the Opera House and wanted to create a more inclusive and diverse space for patrons. A self-styled “disrupter,” she questioned the status quo and wondered about new ways of presenting this 600+ year old art form. “How do we open access and stay relevant in the eyes of today’s audiences? And, not just the people watching from their seats, but those who are on the stage and those telling the stories.”

For example, the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra was able to change some of its processes, adopting “blind” and shoeless auditions so that judges could make their selections without seeing a performer’s gender or race.

After several years in the Marketing Department, Nannette saw moving from Marketing to Development as another opportunity for learning and change. “I wanted to understand more about philanthropy and fundraising, and to look at my own relationship to wealth and what it means to be a ‘patron of the arts.’ I’m interested in how fundraising can be done ethically and responsibly. I also wanted to nurture the spirit of generosity, and remind donors that their gifts make a real difference in supporting the dancers, stagehands, orchestra, and arts administration.”

After a decade at the Ballet, Nannette learned that San Francisco Zen Center was looking for a Development Director. She was excited to bring the skills she had developed to SFZC to help it become a more stable, financially successful organization.

“Financial stability is important—having many revenue streams, asking whether past practices are still relevant, and trying new things.” Looking at the digital world of SFZC, she wanted donors to be more aware of the Online Zendo. She has gotten much feedback from people who have benefited from being able to connect with practice from their homes.

Nannette brings fresh eyes to the organization. “It’s important not to do something because we’ve always done it,” she reflected. “I want to immerse myself in the environment and truly understand what is and isn’t effective, and see where there are opportunities for change.” Learning is a large part of her initial experience at SFZC. As someone who is not a Zen practitioner, “I want to learn about the rich history and have one-to-one conversations with teachers and students to understand the structures and relationships; this helps me to see how Development can better support the organization.”

There are some traditional fundraising practices, such as the Year-End Letter, that she will continue, as it’s a great way to connect people with the Abbots and the teachings they offer. She’s also looking at ways that the spring Zen-a-Thon could be an even better fundraiser.

Nannette is excited about a series of Gratitude Gatherings she is planning for the summer which she hopes will attract new donors, members, and volunteers. These include a Poetry Slam drawing on the legacy of the Beat poets, which might appeal to a younger audience, and Death Cafes, working with Zen Caregiving Project (formerly Zen Hospice Project). Her aim is “to infuse these historical institutions with the vibrancy of what happens now, respect the history, and nurture the new.”.