The Chronicle of Philanthropy released the results of a recent study they conducted in partnership with Harris Poll and the Association of Fundraising Professionals that said 51% of fundraisers in the United States plan to change jobs by 2021. That’s a concerning statistic for many nonprofit organizations. Fundraising professionals cite not enough staff, not enough resources, lack of organizational structure, low income potential, and unrealistic goals as reasons for the shift in career path.
That stat, if it becomes a reality, could send shock waves through the nonprofit world. How are charitable organizations going to maintain their fundraising efforts while losing half of their fundraising power? What will they do with when the institutional knowledge walks out their doors? It could take years to develop the relationships needed to solicit a major gift. And the connection that major gift donors make with fundraisers after the gift is made is one that could pay dividends in the future. The smart play is to launch a retention strategy now to prevent a catastrophic event two years down the road.
Anyone who has worked in or with the nonprofit industry knows that few other sectors are stretched as thin. Each department is asked to do more with less in an effort to bring down overhead and direct more of the funds raised to the mission of the charity. Along with 93% of the respondents to the survey citing their belief in the mission of the organization as a reason to stay, 78% of those polled said they wished they had more time to spend with donors. But fundraisers are pulled in many directions and spreading a smaller gift officer team across a larger portfolio of potential donors means less time with each. That’s a perfect recipe for burnout.
Nonprofit employers often offer additional time off, better medical leave and a flexible work environment to make up for lower compensation. But what if there was a way to raise compensation, reduce the amount of overhead the company spends on back office tasks all while retaining the valuable relationships that gift officers have worked so hard to grow? This is where a company like Ren can help.
Outsourcing your back office administration is a great solution for many nonprofits, but finding a single place to outsource everything can be tricky. Since 1987, Ren has been the trusted partner for charitable gift solutions and has a staff with the skills and experience to manage it all. Ren’s gift administration services include, tax preparation and reporting, annual reports, accounting and sub-accounting services, grant and contribution processing and more. Letting Ren’s professionals manage the back office will allow nonprofits to reallocate resources (human, capital, and expense) to focus on what they do best – fundraising!
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