Empowering Leadership to Drive Fundraising Success
Are you relying solely on your development team to drive your fundraising efforts?
Fundraising is often viewed as the exclusive responsibility of the development office. However, nonprofits that overlook the role of leadership—from the CEO to board members and other key teams—miss out on opportunities to:
- Deepen donor engagement
- Inspire trust
- Align the entire organization around its mission
At Mission Advancement, we believe successful fundraising starts at the top. The CEO must embrace their role as the chief fundraising officer, leading by example to set the tone for a culture of philanthropy.
And it doesn’t stop there, non-fundraising and volunteer leaders—play critical roles by supporting donor engagement and ensuring fundraising efforts are deeply connected to the mission.
We’ve worked with hundreds of organizations to activate non-fundraising leaders, creating alignment across teams and inspiring transformational donor relationships. When these leaders are empowered to play an active role, nonprofits see:
- Increased donor trust and engagement through authentic, mission-driven communication
- Stronger alignment across teams, leading to more cohesive fundraising strategies
- Sustainable growth fueled by collaborative leadership
This article explores how to empower your leadership team to amplify your fundraising efforts, focusing on:
- The CEO’s role as the chief fundraiser
- How other non-fundraising teams contribute to fundraising success
- The board’s critical responsibilities in fundraising
- Building a culture of leadership to drive transformational impact
1. The CEO as Chief Fundraising Officer
Fundraising success begins at the top. As the face of the organization, the CEO plays a vital role in donor engagement, casting the vision, and setting the tone for a culture of philanthropy. Far from being a “non-fundraising” leader, the CEO is an integral member of the development team.
Key ways the CEO leads in fundraising:
- Stewarding Top Donors: The CEO should maintain a small portfolio of major donors, intentionally stewarding key relationships, including regular meetings, making thank you and follow-up calls and sharing updates about the mission’s and the donor’s impact. Additionally, the CEO should support team efforts as necessary for key relationships poised for growth
- Casting Vision: Donors want to hear directly from the CEO about the organization’s future and how their support contributes to transformational change
- Modeling Commitment: A CEO who actively participates in fundraising signals to staff, board members, and donors that philanthropy is an organizational priority and development a critical function for sustainable impact, not just the development team’s responsibility
When the CEO embraces this role with clarity and confidence, it inspires the rest of the organization to align around a shared commitment to fundraising success.
2. Beyond the Development Office: Harnessing Organizational Support for Fundraising Success
Fundraising doesn’t happen in a vacuum—it requires collaboration and support from across the organization.
While development teams are responsible for donor engagement efforts, other departments, including finance, HR, marketing, and program teams, play a vital role in ensuring fundraising success.
How Non-Fundraising Teams Can Support Fundraising:
- Program Staff: Program teams provide the content and context for compelling donor communication. Whether it’s by documenting impact stories, offering insights into program success, or participating in donor meetings, they ensure that fundraising is deeply connected to the mission
- Finance: The finance team can help provide donor-centric reporting that connects financial data to mission outcomes. Clear, creative financial summaries can help donors understand how their contributions are being used and demonstrate fiscal responsibility
- Marketing: Marketing teams ensure messaging is aligned across all channels, from appeals to social media. They can amplify fundraising campaigns, create compelling donor communications, and ensure the organization’s story is told consistently
- HR: Human resources can support the development team by recruiting and retaining fundraising staff, creating performance incentives and professional development opportunities, or fostering a positive workplace culture that prioritizes philanthropy
By working together, these teams ensure fundraising efforts are mission-aligned, well-rounded, and effective. Their contributions allow the development team to focus on donor relationships while providing the necessary infrastructure to support long-term success.
3. The Role of the Board: Partners in Fundraising
- Board members are often hesitant to engage in fundraising, claiming, “We’re not a fundraising board.” However, the board is uniquely positioned to lead by example and play a critical role in supporting the organization’s development efforts.
How Boards Contribute to Fundraising Success:
- Personal Giving: Every board member should contribute from their own resources, demonstrating commitment to the mission.
While the financial contribution from individual board members will vary, it’s important the amount reflects a meaningful contribution and demonstrates the mission is a top priority for that board member. This sets an example for other donors and reinforces the board’s credibility
- Leveraging Networks: Board members often have access to professional and personal networks that can be instrumental in expanding the donor base. By introducing potential supporters to the organization, they play a direct role in securing new funding opportunities
- Active Participation: Boards should actively participate in donor stewardship activities, such as attending fundraising events, writing thank-you notes, or meeting with major donors
- Advocacy for the Mission: Board members can use their voices to advocate for the organization’s work, positioning the nonprofit as a worthy and impactful cause
A board that embraces its role in fundraising sends a powerful message: philanthropy is an organization-wide priority, not just a task for the development team. To learn more about activating your board, watch our recent webinar: Building Board Success.
4. Building a Culture of Leadership to Drive Transformational Impact
Empowering leadership to actively support fundraising requires intentional effort and a unified vision. Here’s how to build a culture of leadership that fosters sustainable growth and transformational impact:
- Set Clear Expectations: Define the roles of each leader—whether it’s the CEO, board members, or department heads—and articulate how they can contribute and are critical to long-term fundraising success
- Equip Leaders with Tools and Resources: Offer workshops, coaching, and templates to help leaders engage confidently with donors, share compelling stories, and align their efforts with the development team’s goals
- Lead by Example: Encourage leaders to participate in donor stewardship and engagement activities, modeling a commitment to philanthropy that inspires others
- Recognize Contributions: Celebrate the successes of your leadership team and highlight how their involvement has directly supported the mission
When leadership works together to prioritize donor relationships, they create a culture of collaboration that inspires trust, generosity, and long-term support.
Aligning Leadership to Strengthen Your Fundraising
Fundraising success isn’t the sole responsibility of the development office—it’s a shared effort that requires the active participation of the CEO and extends across the organization. By aligning leadership around a unified fundraising strategy, your organization can build deeper donor relationships, strengthen internal collaboration, and achieve sustainable growth.
At Mission Advancement, we specialize in helping nonprofits empower their leadership teams to drive transformational fundraising success. Ready to activate your leadership team? Let’s start a conversation about how we can help your organization thrive.
