Why Good Fundraisers Leave

"I would take a pay cut." Her statement felt almost like a confession. "Jonathan, if I could work under healthy leadership, I would be willing to take a cut in pay."

I was on the phone with another fantastic fundraiser who was all but done with her current situation and wanted out. She loved the organization she served and believed deeply in its mission. She was making more money than she ever had in her life and was enjoying a lot of success with donors. So, why was she so desperate to get out?

As a nonprofit recruiter, I get to speak with hundreds (okay, maybe dozens) of fundraisers every month and many of those conversations have common threads. I want to highlight what I hear are the top reasons besides compensation that good fundraisers leave the organizations they care deeply about.

1. "My EVP/ Executive Director/ Board doesn't value, or 'get' fundraising."

While many nonprofit leaders give lip service to the idea that donors are the lifeblood of an organization, some internally feel "icky" about asking people for money, and that comes out in their leadership. Many don't understand that fundraising is the responsibility of every high-ranking leader and Board member in the organization. Some are even afraid of or secretly resent wealthy individuals.

Fix: if you are in leadership in a nonprofit organization (whether in Development or not), you owe it to yourself and the organization to educate yourself about fundraising. There are many great books out there. Share your favorites in the comments below.

2. "My boss wants me at my desk all the time."

Nonprofit leaders who fail to understand fundraising tend to think wrongly that being at your desk = working hard. Healthy leaders know that fundraising work is people work. Stop thinking archaically about work outputs and start measuring donor conversations and donor visits instead of hours in the office.

Fix: do what you can to encourage your development staff to get out of the office and meet with donors (and make sure they have the discretionary budget to do so.)

3. "I don't feel valued or recognized for my contributions."

Unfortunately, I hear a lot of stories about a supervisor taking credit for the dollars that a fundraiser on their team busted their butt to get in the door. Did you come in at the end to make the close? That's fine, but recognize who had been cultivating that donor for months or even years up to that point.

Fix: good fundraisers (like good salespeople) are internally motivated and can often be competitive. They love to win. Figure out a way to incentivize them and recognize them appropriately for their hard work.

4. "They only want the senior leader or figurehead to make asks."

Of course, the most visible or known leader in any organization is going to be the org's chief asset in fundraising, but young leaders want a shot at making asks too. "They hired me because I'm good with donors," one fundraiser lamented. "Why won't they let me do my job?"

Fix: set your best donor-facing fundraisers free to do what they do best. Seasoned leaders need to take donor visits with younger leaders and move from "I do, you watch," to "you do, and I celebrate."

5. "There's no clear trajectory for advancement here."

Good development professionals are not just concerned about the organizations they serve or their annual goals. They should also have a healthy concern for their overall career trajectory. I speak to many who feel like they only serve as a fundraising monkey and are shut out of larger conversations about the organization's health, strategy, and goals. To use the line from Hamilton, they want to be "in the room where it happens."

Fix: sit down with your direct reports and ask them about their own career goals. If there is a development leader on your staff who has demonstrated loyalty and acumen, reward that by looking for ways to give them opportunities for more input and responsibility.

These are only the first 5 of a list of 10. More to come. Edit: here's Part 2 with #6 - #10.

If you've ever left an organization you cared about, why did you do it?

#fundraisingmonkey #intheroomwhereithappens