Why Fundraiser Turnover Isn't Going Away
I get this question at least once a week: “What’s the market like?”
My answer is always some variation of the same theme: not enough fundraisers, too many opportunities, and yes, high turnover. Sometimes the market is busier than other times, but the underlying dynamic hasn’t changed much.
The reality is, people aren’t lining up for fundraising jobs. I hear from HR folks in other sectors who get 200+ applications and spend their time screening. Must be nice. In fundraising, we’re not sifting through a pile, we’re out there sourcing, nudging, courting, and convincing people to even apply. This isn’t passive recruitment, it’s a full-on pursuit.
That demand-supply imbalance leads us into a bigger, ongoing challenge: why do fundraisers leave so often?
This is a bit of a deeper dive into a theme I touched on in my February post, The Real Reasons Your Best People Are Leaving (And Won’t Tell You). Turnover in fundraising isn’t new, and it’s not going away anytime soon.
I’ve been recruiting in the fundraising space since 2008. Back then, we used to gripe that average tenure was just two years. Now? One year or less is becoming the norm. That’s not healthy for teams, donors, or missions.
Here’s what I’ve seen, both as a recruiter and a former fundraiser myself:
1. The Pressure Cooker
Fundraising is relentless. In many jobs, you finish your work and go home. In fundraising, there’s always another goal, another campaign, another major donor to steward. If you miss your target, your job might be on the line. Hit it? Great, now your target goes up.
What helps: Set realistic goals. Use a broader set of metrics, donor retention, relationship-building, cross-team collaboration. Fundraisers should be treated as part of the bigger team, not just the revenue engine.
2. Status and Belonging
Fundraisers can be admired and resented. In some large shops, they’re seen as jet-setters, rubbing shoulders with big donors and attending galas. But behind the scenes, they’re sometimes viewed as salespeople, not mission-critical like the researchers, program staff, educators, artists, or frontline workers. I’ve been in rooms where donors wanted to skip past me to get to the “real” experts.
What helps: Fundraisers need to build internal credibility. That takes time and genuine engagement. Become a subject-matter partner, not just a pitch person. Of course, that kind of gravitas only comes with longevity, and we don’t get that unless fundraisers stick around. It’s a bit of a catch-22, but it’s solvable if the environment supports growth.
3. The Recruiter Problem (Yes, I’m Part of It)
The market is active, and recruiters are always looking. When there aren’t enough fundraisers to go around, people get approached constantly. I’ve heard of folks being headhunted three months into a new role. If someone’s even slightly unhappy, they don’t have to wait long for a way out.
What helps: Make it harder to leave. And I don’t mean by guilt-tripping people, I mean by treating them well. Offer competitive compensation, realistic expectations, and a culture that makes people feel seen and supported. If you do that, most won’t be tempted when the recruiter calls.
4. No Clear Career Path
This one comes up a lot. In many shops, especially small or mid-sized ones, there just aren’t visible next steps. You're a Development Officer, maybe a Manager of Development, then… what? People leave when they can’t see a future.
What helps: Even if you can’t offer a shiny new title every 18 months, you can offer growth, project leadership, mentorship, and professional development. Fundraisers are ambitious. Give them a reason to believe they’re building toward something.
5. Organizational Instability
This one’s trickier to solve. When an ED leaves, or the board changes, or the strategic plan shifts suddenly, fundraisers start to wonder if they’re still in the right place. And if their key internal allies leave? They often follow.
What helps: Communicate. Don’t leave fundraisers in the dark. Share what’s changing, why it’s changing, and how they fit into the new picture. Most people can handle change; what they can’t handle is being left out of the loop.
6. The Art of Leaving Before Being Found Out
I might ruffle some feathers here, but it needs to be said: some fundraisers just aren’t very good at their jobs. They know how to talk the talk, stay just long enough to avoid real accountability, and move on before results, or the lack of them, become clear. I’ve seen people build entire careers this way. They show up, win some goodwill, sprinkle in buzzwords like “relationship building,” and quietly exit before anyone has time to evaluate their actual impact. It’s rare, but we need to stop pretending it doesn’t happen.
What helps: Clear onboarding, concrete performance expectations, and regular check-ins. When accountability is consistent and transparent, it’s harder to coast—and easier to spot who’s really contributing.
In Summary
Fundraiser turnover isn’t just a pipeline problem. It’s a culture problem, a leadership problem, and sometimes a performance problem.
Yes, the market is competitive. But that doesn’t make high turnover inevitable. If you want your fundraisers to stay, you have to give them a reason to, beyond the paycheck. Realistic goals, meaningful work, growth opportunities, strong leadership, and being treated like part of the mission all matter.
And we also have to be honest: not every departure is a loss. Some fundraisers leave because they weren’t delivering, and some have made a career out of timing their exits before accountability catches up. That’s real too.
The good news? Most turnover is preventable if you create the kind of environment people want to stay and grow in.
About the Author: Philippe (Phil) Gérard is the Founder and Managing Director of Gerard Search, Canada’s nonprofit sector recruitment experts. A former fundraiser with over a decade of experience, Phil launched the firm in 2012 to bring values-aligned recruitment to nonprofits across the country. In 2024, he also created Phil’sJobs, a hiring platform designed specifically for the sector. Through both ventures, Phil is committed to what he’s always cared most about: helping great people and great causes find each other.