six years is the average tenure of an executive director while 18-24 months is the average tenure of a fund development professional and both are on the decline.
Chronicle of Philanthropy & Nonprofit Quarterly
The nonprofit sector is the third largest employer in the United States. Now more than ever, Executive Directors and CEOs play critical roles to ensure the healthy sustainability of these organizations—primarily tasked with securing financial resources to achieve the mission.
What happens when fundraising development doesn’t come naturally and you don’t feel safe or supported in figuring out how to lead this part of the work?
Focusing on Executive Nonprofit Leaders
I founded The Funding Ethos because I became frustrated with:
the lack of safe space created for Executive Directors and CEOs to be vulnerable about their fears, anxieties, and growth areas when it comes to fundraising—leading to burnout and toxic culture of philanthropy within organizations;
high turnover of director to executive-level fundraisers due to pain points surrounding the profession holistically; and
the inability for nonprofit leaders to respond to changes in the philanthropic landscape due to the absence of a fundraising strategy and understanding feasibility of their organizations.
Admitting that you need help as an Executive Director or CEO of a nonprofit organization can be difficult because your role is isolating enough. Adding the pressure (and responsibility) of being a high-impact fundraiser—and you may have an internal storm brewing. Whatever brought you here--know that I’ve been in your seat and most importantly, I’ve served as the “right hand” high-level fundraiser to many in your position. I understand the trust, honesty, and confidentiality required for you to be vulnerable about your fundraising journey. After working with me I want to accomplish four things:
Provide a safe space for you to be vulnerable and authentic about your pain points.
Enhance your clarity and understanding to uniquely approach fund development.
Remove the fear and resentment from fundraising.
Help you find enjoyment in building a healthy culture of philanthropy.
I’m frustrated with the constant turning of the wheels to identify a way forward with fundraising for the organization
Why can’t I keep a fundraiser on staff longer than one to two years?
What should be taking place on a daily, weekly, quarterly, and annual basis for gauging fundraising performance?
The pressure to ensure continuous revenue generation feels overwhelming—especially when it’s solely on my shoulders.
I avoid engaging in too many conversations around fundraising because I don’t feel safe to share my fears, anxiety, and/or resentment in not having all the answers.
Does this sound familiar?
