Are you burnt out?

Is it the summer heat or the unrealistic fundraising expectations? Perhaps it’s both. I’ve seen a lot of fundraising teams and nonprofit leaders work harder, not smarter, when it comes to fundraising.

A recent study by The Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) highlights that burnout and staffing issues are significant challenges for nonprofit leaders, affecting their ability to fulfill their missions. Key findings:

• 95% of nonprofit leaders are concerned about burnout, with 34% indicating it is a major issue.

• Nearly 60% identify staff-related issues as a major challenge.

• 76% say burnout is at least slightly impacting their organization's mission achievement.

Fundraising is about relationships - relationships that renew your mission and give your nonprofit staff the grace to keep getting more people involved. Sometimes there are donors, institutional funders or special events that take time away from focusing on the most valuable return on investment for your nonprofit.

The board says “write more grants!” But do they understand the market? An enthusiastic board member wants you to host another event and expand your audience when you already have three! You work for your database instead of the database working for you.

Here are some ways to make things easier on your fundraising staff and yourself:

• Invest in Professional Development

  • Attend local Association of Fundraising Professionals meetings or virtual education sessions with a collaborative component.

  • Set up informal networks of others in your field to share challenges and brainstorm tactics.

• Communicate Your Needs and Barriers with Leadership

  • Nonprofit leaders need to be honest about their own capacity with their leadership - sharing challenges, barriers and staffing requirements is a must

• Identify Tasks and Roles to Offload

  • Outsource menial tasks to allow focus on the highest value opportunities

  • Find or hire someone to help you stay accountable to your goals