How to Get Off the Dang Fundraising Treadmill
By Gail Perry, Updated August 2025
I wish you could have been there.
It was a chilly winter day. I was in a large back room of a big office building, meeting with the board of a top-notch local nonprofit.
This savvy board had gathered with me for a fundraising retreat/workshop.
I was interviewing the Development Director — in front of the board–
about the organization’s fundraising program.
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(I always like for the board to hear directly from the staff about their fundraising challenges and opportunities.)
Then I asked her the golden question.
This is the question that makes board members sit up on the edge of their seats and listen closely:
“How much money do you think is out there RIGHT NOW for your organization . . . but you don’t have the time or resources to go after it?
Without hesitating for a second, she said: “$700,000.”
Well, you could have heard a pin drop.
There were even a couple of audible gasps among the board members.
This woman knew exactly how much she wasn’t able to pursue. . . . not because it didn’t exist but because she was stuck doing events and admin work when she could have been out of the office working with large donors.
Then a board member in the very back of the room piped up: “I think it’s closer to a million.”
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That’s how much money this organization was leaving on the table.
It was enough to make you weep.
Even with a fundraiser who was smart, dedicated, and hardworking.
This is the biggest fundraising challenge for everyone – you know it and I know it.
You have GOT to find a way to free your staff and yourself up to go after those major gifts.
It is the ONLY, only, only way to get off the dang fundraising treadmill.
If you don’t ever focus on major donors, you’re just putting out fires.
Dealing with routine admin crap, instead of connecting with major donors.
Raising hundreds when you could be raising thousands (or more).
If you don’t tackle and master major gift fundraising, it’s unlikely your organization will ever grow.
It’s that simple.
It’s also that complicated.
These ideas may help:
— Hang with me to learn how easy and fun major gift fundraising can be
— Look for ways to free up your time
— Say “no” more often.
— Explore how to fund an admin or tech support person that will free up your time, and
— Get coaching and training to improve your major gift skills.
By the way, do you want to know what happened after the board retreat?
The wise, business-oriented board members hired a part-time admin person for the development director the very NEXT WEEK.
They wanted to put their well-paid and skilled fundraiser to work at her highest and best use.
It’s good old human resources 101 – to deploy staff resources at the right place.
My advice to get off the Fundraising Treadmill:
If you’re a frustrated fundraiser, commit EVERYTHING you’ve got to finding the support and resources you need so you can raise the money that’s out there.
Maybe it’s better software. Maybe it’s a part-time admin. Maybe it’s our major gifts coaching program.
Whatever it is, it’s going to be worth literally every penny, because it will lead straight to more major gifts.
If you’re that fundraiser’s boss or other decision maker, then decide to stop being inadvertently penny-wise and pound-foolish.
Resolve that you’ll do whatever it takes to set your fundraisers up to bring in those major gifts.
Don’t leave hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars on the table for your wonderful cause!
Major Gifts vs “Other Priorities?”
I got a shock recently when I discovered that some fundraiser’s bosses had vetoed their participation in our major gift coaching, citing “other priorities” and “budgetary concerns.”
The fundraisers were so disappointed. I felt for them.
That’s the kind of shortsighted thinking that will keep you and your organization ON the treadmill.
What software, coaching, admin, or other support do you think would make a difference to YOUR major gifts program?
We’d love to know!
Well, you got my heart racing! I am totally on board with this…my manager understands this in theory, and I pull him in on major gift donor/prospect meetings and he’s an asset when he comes along…though he would prefer to do the “quick” money – a quick e-blast, etc. citing major gifts as too long a gestation to see results. Ach!
You are so right, once the resources are allocated appropriately then the major gifts can grow and will more than make up for that initial financial outlay. And your organization can do more!!!!!!!
I have a hard time getting out of the office! My ED and the BOD don’t see the point of me getting out of the office, thinking that donors should come and meet me in the office. I have explained major gifts, $ on the table, forwarded links to these articles, etc. All other fundraisers they have had never left the office (also didn’t meet their budgets). Last fall i exceeded my budget by over 60% but this year they have indicated they didn’t want to pay me mileage and parking.
So… for a small organization who doesn’t have the funds to hire a Development Director, what could we do?
As usual, Gail, you are right on target! I call it the hamster wheel instead of treadmill! Running like crazy to get stuff done but not really getting to where I need to be.
I definitely resonate with this. Would love to hear more thoughts from folks about the software, coaching, admin and other support they’ve seen make a difference! Appreciate your insight, Gail!
Ah yes, Libby, the hamster wheel. I so wish organizations would stop doing so many events and move to one on one asks!! But it’s scary if you’ve never done it!
Poppy – it’s a shame that he sees major gifts as too long a “gestation” -interesting word there! Because a long term close relationship with a major donor can yield amazing amounts of funding!
Yes yes we have to change the way everybody thinks about this!!
Heather you have to be the squeaky wheel and keep repeating “major gifts is where the money is” and “I can’t raise major gifts sitting in the office.” just say it over and over and over and over. They’ll finally start repeating it to you!
Yes I am hoping people will share the successful paths they have taken to be successful with major gifts!
I would recommend that the ED identify 5-10 potential major prospects and simply focus on that very small number of people. Get them in your back pocket so to speak.
Suggest that development staff look for challenge gifts based on the number of donor meetings they conduct (bring board members along), rather than dollars raised. If we want to change behavior, we have to incentivize that change.
Good post as always, Gail.