An Interview with Christina Fagan, ACCP's VP, Content + Learning

1. As the founding Executive Director of a corporate foundation, what skills helped you most when transitioning from nonprofit fundraising to corporate social impact?

When I came over into the corporate side, one of the biggest assets I felt I brought over from the nonprofit side was relationship-building. In order to be a successful fundraiser, you have to learn how to listen deeply and build trust—and those skills directly translate into many fields, but especially in trying to learn a new business and guide a strategy in something that is new for an organization.

I also had the advantage of understanding what it’s like to be a grantee. I knew the challenges nonprofits face daily, and that gave me a lot of empathy when working with partners. I wasn’t coming in to impose a corporate agenda—I wanted to support the work they were already leading and make space for them to really be the experts in the relationship.

When I first moved into the corporate space, I approached it with curiosity. I talked to as many social impact professionals as I could to learn how different companies structured their programs, the challenges they were faces and resources they found helpful in their work. I quickly discovered that there’s no one-size-fits-all in this field, so I wanted to avoid making assumptions.

I will say though that one of the biggest learning curves was the legal side. I quickly realized how complex the rules are around nonprofit law and foundation compliance, so I made a point to learn it, especially when not all corporate lawyers are as well versed in it. That helped me work more effectively with our legal team—and build policies that actually worked for both sides.

2. What advice would you give someone looking to break into their first CSR or corporate foundation role from the nonprofit sector?

Start by talking to people. And then talk to more people. Every conversation gives you insight—and connections. Always ask, “Who else should I talk to?”

Also, build your network and support system. Peer communities like ACCP are a lifeline, especially if you’re a team of one. CSR can be lonely work without a network to bounce ideas off of or even just to calibrate the challenges you are facing

One mindset shift that surprised me was the switch from raising money to giving it away. Internally, that can change how your work is perceived. You’re now spending money, not generating it—so it’s important to clearly show how your work drives business value and to be your own champion to have a voice in the room.

And finally, take the time to really learn the business. I used to sit in on daily business meetings—even when I didn’t understand half of what was being said. To be entirely honest, I wasn’t sure what I was doing that and how it pertained to my work. But hindsight is 20/20 and if I knew then what I know now, I would have been studying every aspect of those meetings from the start. It’s crucial to understand how your company makes money and where the challenges sit so that you can see early on where CSR could align with the business. If I could go back, I’d lean into that even earlier.

3. What was the most challenging part of building a new social impact program from scratch, and how did you navigate it?

Honestly, it was just not knowing what I didn’t know. CSR is so broad—encompassing grantmaking, volunteering, disaster response, DEI—and when you’re starting from nothing, it can feel overwhelming.

What helped was starting small and being really thoughtful about what we could take on. It’s tempting to try and launch everything at once, especially when there are so many great ideas out there. But not every company is ready for everything—and that’s okay.

It also took time to help internal teams understand the “why” behind what we were building. It took me four years to get a matching gifts program approved. Not because anyone was against it—they just didn’t fully understand the benefit and we have to make sure the timing was right to announce it. That taught me to be patient, and to keep making the case, one conversation at a time.

In the end, I looked at it like building a roadmap. You can’t launch everything on day one, but you can start laying the foundation for where you want to go.

4. How important is relationship-building in this field, and what strategies worked best for you in strengthening those connections?

It’s everything. Strategy is great, but without strong relationships—internally and externally—you won’t get far.

I’ve always thought of CSR as equal parts puzzle master and matchmaker. You’re constantly connecting the dots between business needs, community needs, and partner capabilities.

I’ve said it before, but what’s worked best for me is leading with curiosity. Instead of saying, “Here’s what we do,” I ask, “What are your biggest challenges, and how can we support you?” That mindset opens doors and builds real partnerships. This curiousity also made me dig and dig deeper into programs, pathways, what benchmarks were out there, what the legal ramifications are...on and on and on, and ultimately your work is better for it.

I learned this from someone else, but when working with nonprofits, one of my go-to questions was, “If you could wave a magic wand, what would you change at your organization?” It got past the formal answers and into what really mattered and sometimes forced them to think even beyond the grant.

And one more thing: CSR work lives in the gray. There are very few black-and-white answers, so staying open, listening more than you speak, and being okay with some ambiguity goes a long way.

5. What’s one thing you wish job seekers in this field better understood about corporate social impact roles?

That it’s not just feel-good work. It’s fulfilling, but also complex, strategic, and sometimes heavy.

You’re not just giving out grants all day. You’re making hard choices, balancing conflicting priorities, and navigating a fast-changing world. We say “no” more than we say “yes”—and that emotional load can add up.

Also, you’ll never know it all. Everyone in this field is still learning. There’s no single playbook, which means you’ve got to stay inquisitive and adaptable. On the plus side, it means you can “play” - experiment and see what works and don’t be afraid to try something new.