Avoiding Fundraising Burnout

People often ask me why in the right mind I would work in the non-profit sector as a fundraiser. Some people go as far as to label it non-profit slavery!

True as it may seem from the outside, I don’t look at myself as a fundraiser per se, but more of a person who connects the community to a cause. Because of that, the forefront of my intentions does not come out as asking for money but rather asking for support. Alright, maybe that just sounds better in my head.

Anyway, there are many times throughout the week the day where I want to bang my head into my keyboard and curse repeatedly, wondering the very same question my peers ask. But it is the impact and change that I’m able to contribute that drives me to continue fundraising. It IS very challenging to strive in our position and our sector when we’re constantly asking individuals and businesses for something, and even more so of a downer when being turned down. Because fundraising takes so much energy and time, people often experience what we call fundraising burnout. I’ve seen many colleagues drop out of the sector because they just couldn’t handle the seemingly endless workload and No Thank You’s from people. So to avoid fundraising burnout, here are some simple things you can do to feel refreshed about your job:


Stay Educated & Updated – Read up on recent news and other notable figures so you know exactly what role your organization plays in solving the problem. Use that to remind yourself that all the minor challenges you face WILL result in some sort of improvement for your community.

Visual & Verbal Inspirations – This is probably my favourite. I used to work for many youth serving organizations and nothing was more motivational than staring at the artwork they created for our charity. Hang up things created or given to you by clients of your organization, or post successful news and statistics that you and your team achieved as a way to stay inspired. If that's not possible, take some time to talk to clients and have them share with you what impact your organization has made on them.

Develop a Network – Get connected with other fundraisers! Why wouldn’t you? You get to see all the craziness other fundraisers are going through so you don’t feel as alone. Aside from that, a network of likeminded people allows for an exchange of best practices, failed trials, success stories and just overall dark humour to brighten your day.

Take on a NEW project – No, I’m not making this up. Yes, you read it right. I know, I know. Yes, you’re up until 5 AM in the morning trying to remember if you sent a thank you to your monthly donors. And yes, you’re scrambling to meet a deadline plus planning your annual event. But, taking on a new project CAN help to change the scene of your position. Talk to your manager about little things you can do on the side to help better the organization. For example, my little pet project was redeveloping the volunteer system at my organization. Though a big task, it gave me something other than fundraising to do when I had what I considered spare time (you know, like lunch?).

Balance – Probably one of the most important things to do is balancing your life out. Not just your fundraising life, but your personal life, too. Having a balanced life among many other factors, will help in avoiding fundraising burnout. As Audrey Hepburn once said: “Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, it’s at the end of your arm, as you get older, remember you have another hand. The first is to help yourself, the second is to help others.” All too often fundraisers strive to be perfectionists and work overtime to meet intense requests but learn to take a break. Learn to enjoy your day off and REALLY take it off—not some half-assed day where you sit at home and read fundraising-related blogs :) 

Those aforementioned plus a combination of sleep, water and food should put you right back up to Fundraising Optimus Prime status. Dear readers, have you ever had fundraising burnout? What are some ways you fundraisers out there use to stay motivated?