A few other suggestions:
- Read, read, read. That “go to person” advice is really solid. With Twitter and blogs, it’s easy to find great resources to learn an area especially well and to stay on top of changes. You don’t have to know everything, just learn where you can get the best answers.
- Check around for inexpensive trainings. Here in DC, we have SALSA (hotsalsa.org) for affordable trainings on a range of nonprofit skills. DC, NYC, Cleveland, San Francisco and Atlanta have Foundation Center libraries which hold free (and paid) trainings on many aspects of fundraising. They also have cooperating collections all across the country where you can find fundraising materials. (foundationcenter.org) If you see a training somewhere that’s too expensive for you, ask for a lower price. Most places are eager to get participants, so they’re not likely to say no. Or offer to volunteer some time in exchange for having a fee waived. It never hurts to ask.
- Volunteering in non-board capacities is great too. It gets you inside an organization to see how things really work, you make contacts, and you gain experience. It’s also a way to try out a new interest without making the full leap. I have never worked for service nonprofits, but volunteering a few hours a week with kids in a DC shelter gave me insights into how service nonprofits function. That and I had a lot of fun.

Lack of funding is a fact of life in nonprofits, and being resourceful with your own career will also help you be a better nonprofit professional.