Why Outsourcing Fundraising Could Be The Answer For Your Organization

For every nonprofit there are revenue opportunities were there are potential. Maybe, there has been a steady increase in your corporate partnership numbers or you’ve thought of a fundraising event you think would be a success or it’s time to start an annual fund to pave the way to major gifts. Whatever it is, undoubtedly, there are ways to grow revenue your organization is likely not putting the time in to to see a return.

Probably the #1 roadblock on your path to exploring these revenue streams is manpower. It takes focus and follow through to create or grow new programs. Nonprofit leaders often defer to their current staff and fundraisers to pilot these initiatives creating challenges:

• Burn out

  • Your current team is likely tapped. If we were to guess, every one of your staff members is at capacity or almost so. While organizationally there can be improvements made and ways everyone can become more efficient - pushing these programs on an employee’s plate is not going to be the answer you’re looking for. Nonprofit burn out is real and it starts when leadership overwhelms their staff with “just one more thing”.

• Time

  • So you make the decision to give this project to your top fundraising performer. They are a total rockstar. No doubt in your mind they will get it done. Here’s the thing - no matter what there are 24 hours a day and 7 days in a week. Anything extra you put on one person is time they will be spending away from their current donors or projects. Furthermore, you will likely never know the potential of a new initiative by giving it to an already tapped out staff person, because they will not be able to give the time necessary to really give it a shot.

Hiring a contractor or consultant is a more efficient use of your budget - here’s why: experience. To really grow and start initiatives takes expertise. Restrictive budgets make it difficult to find an experienced hire, but will afford you the ability to outsource. Too often, nonprofits outsource non revenue driving positions - marketing, human resources, finance, etc. Why not take the same tactic with fundraising?

Consultants and contractors are experts in their field. Grants, annual giving, capital campaigns, events - see where we’re going with this? Outsourcing is not going to give you a 40 hour employee, but the right consultant will do more (much more) with less time. Also, the time you’ll save because you won’t be hand holding or managing a full time employee will allow you to get out of the weeds and keep you operating at a high level. Beyond specialization, outsourcing provides focus for the contractor/consultant, for you, and most importantly for the staff. The more you can channel anyone’s efforts the more successful they will be - period.

Now we know we might be a little bit biased, but as you look to reach your 2020 goals and beyond we think you should consider outsourcing. We also know a pretty great group to work with.