What is a Fractional Fundraiser?

What is a Fractional Fundraiser?

The Fractional Fundraising Movement. Have you heard of it?

On episode 35 of the podcast, that is exactly what we covered. I was lucky enough to have Cindy Wagman as my guest. Cindy serves nonprofits and nonprofit consultants and she's the founder of the Fractional Fundraising Movement that connects small nonprofits to the fractional fundraisers that serve them.?

If you want to check that out, I’ll add the episode player below so you can tune into the full episode where we discuss how a fractional fundraiser can contribute to organizational growth and transformation and the challenges they may face.

During our conversation, Cindy explained what a fractional fundraiser is and how she saw the need for them out of her own experience. That’s what we are going to learn more about in this article:

1. The Problems the Fractional Fundraising Movement was Solving?
2. What is Fractional Fundraising?
3. The Difference Between a Fractional Executive, Consultant, and Coach

1. The Problems the Fractional Fundraising Movement was Solving

When I asked Cindy what a fractional fundraiser is, she explained how it came to be out of her own experience in the sector.?

Cindy’s first fundraising job right out of university was as the only fundraiser at a very small organization. She was successful but spent a lot of time doing things that led nowhere.

“I was an inexpensive hire because I was a junior and didn't have as much experience. But I was also very inefficient.” - Cindy Wagman

Cindy explains how if junior or inexperienced fundraisers don't have the experience to be confident in their perspective, they get pushed around a lot in organizations.?

“That leads to them leaving and not being successful in raising the money they need. And so that was one of the problems I was solving for. There has to be a better way for small organizations to attract talent that is more experienced and has that to stand on so that strategically, they're spending their time doing the right thing.” - Cindy Wagman

On the other hand, Cindy found that when small organizations would hire a consultant to do things, give them advice, or write a fundraising plan, they didn't have anyone to implement the plan. And then it just became money down the toilet.?

These problems led to fractional fundraising.?

2. What is Fractional Fundraising?

Cindy explains that fractional fundraising is hiring someone to bridge the gap between strategic oversight and expertise with some day-to-day implementation.?

This is true for all fractional executives. Cindy highlights that you can have a fractional fundraiser, fractional chief marketing officer, fractional HR, and fractional finance to name a few. All of these functions can be outsourced to fractional executives.

“You're getting a fraction of that person's time for a fraction of what you would be able to afford of them otherwise, right? So these are director-level people, and you can afford them for about the cost of what you would hire that person right out of school. And because they have 10, 15 years experience doing all the things, they're highly efficient, so they're going to get you focused on the right things. And they're going to be doing the implementation of those things. Because it's not just about what you know, it's about doing it consistently.” - Cindy Wagman

Cindy finishes this explanation by saying that the idea with fractional executives is being able to stretch or manipulate your budget to get someone who has more experience, but you don't need as much of their time because they've done this for many years.

3. The Difference Between a Fractional Executive, Consultant, and Coach

While it may seem like a fractional executive and consultant are the same thing, there are some key differences that Cindy explains.

A fractional executive, according to Cindy, is part of your organization for a longer time than a consultant. They are coming in with a hybrid approach of strategic oversight and day-to-day implementation

They are more of a generalist and can manage the whole program.

Whereas a consultant, Cindy explains, you would bring in for specific tasks or projects, like writing grants or running direct appeals.

A coach is something different as well:

“A coach to me is someone who's guiding the organization. So where there is someone in-house who has the capacity to do the work day in and day out, but they need to do it more effectively and with some guidance.” - Cindy Wagman

Cindy points out that coaches are incredible resources for organizations to level up their staff and that they are a capacity building investment where you are transforming the capabilities of your internal team.?

In conclusion, fractional fundraising plays a role in solving critical issues faced by small nonprofits and empowers organizations to strategically utilize experienced talent within budget constraints.

Nonprofit teams often work in silos, which can lead to staff burnout and donor attrition, ultimately, hurts the people we serve. I help nonprofits raise more money through fundraising training, “done for you” fund development strategy, and campaign implementation.?

?? If you want to learn more about ways we can collaborate and work together, please visit my website, https://thesavvyfundraiser.com/.

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