Keeping top fundraisers on the job is a challenge for most development leaders. Competition for the best and brightest is intense. Research shows that fundraisers often stay on the job less than two years; many are lured away by competing organizations.
Jeanne Jachim oversees a team that raises millions each year for a health system in Seattle. She has not had a fundraiser come to her with a competing offer in more than a decade. She attributes her track record to a four-pronged approach to managing that gives people autonomy, access to leaders, recognition, and support.
Barb Coury, who oversees fundraising for the Red Cross in Indiana, stresses the importance of hiring fundraisers who will work as a team. She makes a point to foster collegiality and ensures that employees receive thorough training and good compensation.
Find this advice and more below.
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AdviceHow to Identify and Hire Emotionally Intelligent People
People who possess the five characteristics of emotional intelligence tend to be high performers. Here are questions to ask job candidates to assess their emotional IQ. -
News
Where Do Nontraditional Fundraisers Come From? Check Your Donor Ranks
Most unorthodox development hires have worked in sales, and many have been donors to the group that hires them, according to a new report from Rutgers University Foundation’s talent-management office. -
News
In Search of Great Fundraisers: Who’s Got the Right Stuff?
With the shortage of fundraisers putting giving goals at risk, nonprofits retool and reimagine the profession. -
Advice
How to Interview a Fundraising Job Candidate Who’s Not a Fundraiser
With far more development positions than people to fill them, some organizations are casting a net outside the field. Here’s how to vet a nontraditional candidate. -
Advice
Who Are My Top Fundraisers? A Novel Way to Find Out With More Than Numbers
At the University of Florida, the advancement chief holds “citizens” of the university in highest regard. -
News
More Charities Keeping Eye on Employees’ Work-Life Balance
Long hours, travel, and pressure to be “always on” for donors can take a toll on fundraisers. Many nonprofits are putting a priority on helping workers avert burnout. Also, get tips on how you can keep your job from overwhelming your life. -
Advice
Keys to Low Staff Turnover: One Nonprofit’s Advice
At the Red Cross’s Indiana state chapter, hiring fundraisers who’ve worked previously with other staffers has helped foster team spirit and boost retention. -
Advice
Case Study: Keeping Fundraiser Poachers at Bay
One development chief uses a four-pronged approach to motivate her team and reduce turnover.
