7 Tips for Motivating Your Fundraisers

pexels-photo-2740956The burn-out is real, especially in the nonprofit industry. Long hours, small budgets, over-worked employees – it all leads to diminishing motivation. However, there are plenty of ways to make sure that your fundraising team is feeling fired-up throughout the year. And a fired-up fundraising team is an effective and passionate fundraising team.

Read on for our tips to keep your fundraisers feeling motivated this year:

1. Don’t encourage staff to take work home with them

There are obviously special circumstances when you or your staff will have to bring a project home, but try not to make it a regular occurrence or an expectation. When work doesn’t end at work, it can cause burn-out, leading to less efficiency, motivation and high turn-over. Work-life balance is vital, so encourage your staff (and yourself!) to leave your work on your desk and check out when you’re away from the office.

2. Utilize creativity and mix things up

There are fundraisers and fundraising events that just about every nonprofit partakes in. And while these may be important and required, it’s also important to mix things up. Bring some excitement to your fundraising team by suggesting some creative alternative fundraising options. Try a social media takeover, goat or puppy yoga, viral video contests, etc. The internet is packed full of creative fundraising ideas, so find something new to reignite your fundraisers!

3. Remind them of their passion

If your fundraisers are feeling a little burned out, sometimes it helps to remind them why they chose to dedicate their time to your specific mission. Hold a company retreat, team outing or appreciation event to get employees away from the office. Have the executive director talk about important milestones, upcoming and past projects, as well as organizational success. Taking a step back and seeing the bigger picture and what their hard work is going toward will remind fundraisers of their passion for your mission.

4. Provide incentives

Sometimes you need to offer that little something extra to get your fundraisers fired up again. Showcase top fundraisers in your company newsletter or in a monthly email or offer prizes for fundraisers who meet certain goals. Don’t discount the power of a good incentive!

5. Set goals and celebrate milestones

Don’t just throw a party when your ultimate fundraising goal has been met – celebrate the milestones in-between! This will help keep the fire lit in your fundraisers and encourage them to continue working hard. Small celebrations show your support for their hard work and setting small goals along the way creates small victories that deserve to be celebrated.

6. Encourage engagement and input

Ask your fundraisers for their suggestions. Whether it’s fundraising ideas, goals and milestones, incentive programs, crowdfunding plans or their opinions on donor engagement initiatives. This will help your fundraisers feel involved and encourages them to have a voice in your organization. Fundraisers will be more motivated if they feel as if their voice is heard and their ideas are executed.

7. Show your appreciation

Don’t just appreciate your top fundraisers – appreciate all of them! When your fundraiser or campaign ends, don’t just jump into the next project; show your team how much you appreciate their hard work, dedication and passion. Throw a party, organize an appreciation outing or event, buy lunch or put together gift bags. A team that feels appreciated will perform better and be more engaged.

Is your fundraising team feeling a little burned-out? Take a look at these tips and brainstorm ways to reignite the fire in your fundraisers!