I recently asked about your biggest fundraising challenges. Thank you to everyone who responded. That became the basis for this point, and my top answers appear below in a short-list of tips.
4 Tips to Simplify Your Fundraising
Most fundraiser frustrations boil down to the fact that fundraising can be difficult. Here are four suggestions to make it easier.
1. Connect With Groups
Fundraising can be challenging because fundraisers are often working in small development shops and feel isolated and alone. You might be the only fundraiser at your organization without mentors or colleagues.
If this is the case for you, reach out to groups like the Association of Fundraising Professionals or other professional associations in your area. Attend their meetings and compare “notes” with colleagues in the field. Schedule a monthly phone call with a colleague or a mentor to discuss your current challenges and frustrations.
You know the saying, “Two heads are better than one.” It could help in surprising ways if you hear what others are doing to tackle some of the challenges you’re facing.
We really lean into the idea of community learning at Capital Campaign Pro. Every client is invited to join a peer support group, facilitated by our experts. They learn from one another, support each other, celebrate together, and more.
2. Seek Help From Your Board
Fundraising can be difficult because the board isn’t helping. I hear this complaint frequently. My immediate response is to ask the following:
- Why aren’t board members helping?
- Have you provided them with regular and ongoing fundraising training?
- Do they really understand what they’re supposed to do and do they have specific action steps?
- Have you checked in one-on-one (not simply in a group) to ask about their needs and comfort level?
Your board can be an incredible asset when you steer them right.
3. Leverage Your Time and Resources
Fundraising can be difficult because you don’t have the time or resources you need. Time and resources are always a challenge for effective fundraising. There are a ton of time-saving apps and services available, and more emerge every day.
The most effective time management tools I’ve learned are:
- Keep daily to do lists.
There are tons of apps and services to help you do this on your phone and desktop - Limit the number of times you check your email each day.
Don’t look at it or respond each time a new one pops up. This can be a huge time waster, because it takes you a few extra minutes to refocus on the task you were doing when you were interrupted. Note that the same can be said of checking social media. - Do away with unnecessary staff meetings whenever possible.
Need I say more?
Search out apps and services to help you save time. My favorites include Calendly for scheduling, ChatGPT and Claude for writing (be sure to get a paid account so your information doesn’t train the language model), and DoodlePoll for scheduling group meetings.
4. Use Creativity to Build Relationships
Fundraising can be challenging because people are busy and distracted with family, careers, and more.
Be creative in how you approach building relationships and outreach. Take advantage of all the ways to reach out available today, including texting, DMs, Zoom, and more. Leverage social media outlets (such as LinkedIn) to identify preexisting relationships between people you and your board members are already connected with and those you would like to know.
Get curious and genuinely ask people about their interests and ways they might like to help. Find out why they support your organization and what might get them more engaged. Ask advice of and confide in supporters. Let them help find solutions to challenges you face.
Rise to Your Fundraising Challenge
It’s true that there are so many challenges with fundraising — the list could go on and on. But you’re the person to break though. If you view fundraising as an opportunity rather than a challenge, doors will begin to open.
Tell me about some of the other fundraising challenges you face, and how you might solve them, in the comments.
If you’re new to fundraising and have been given a massive fundraising goal and a pipeline that doesn’t reflect it, and the focus is on the team acting as salesmen as opposed to building relationships, how do you face this challenge? Do you have any tips?
Amy, thank you so much for your coaching and encouragement. I need and appreciate both! I stepped away from fundraising for a few years and here I am, back at it, and still looking to your content to strengthen my work and my mindset.