Why Your Best Fundraisers Leave (and What Makes Them Stay)

Fundraiser turnover is one of the biggest threats to long-term fundraising success, and the cost goes far beyond an empty desk. When a fundraiser leaves, organizations lose donor trust, relationship momentum, institutional knowledge, and often significant future revenue. In this episode of Real Talk for Real Fundraisers, Jeff Schreifels is joined by co-host Christopher Beck for a candid and important conversation with Daphne Valcin, MCC, founder of Valcin Strategic Solutions, a leadership development consulting firm focused on helping organizations build stronger leaders and healthier workplace cultures. Drawing from her extensive experience as an executive coach, trainer, non-profit leader, and leadership development consultant, Daphne offers powerful insight into why so many talented fundraisers are leaving, and what leaders can do to change that.  Throughout the episode, Jeff, Christopher, and Daphne unpack the deeper causes of fundraiser burnout, moving beyond the assumption that turnover is simply an HR issue. They explore how vague job descriptions, poor onboarding, unrealistic workloads, weak management, and outdated leadership styles create environments where fundraisers struggle to thrive. The conversation also examines the challenges faced by fundraisers of color and the hidden cost of turnover, especially when donor relationships are interrupted and trust is broken. This is a real-talk conversation for non-profit leaders who are ready to stop normalizing burnout and turnover, and ready to start building organizations where fundraisers feel valued, supported, and equipped to stay for the long haul. Show Highlights: In this episode, you’ll learn about… Why fundraiser turnover is not just an HR issue, but a major financial, strategic, and relational challenge What organizations lose when fundraisers leave, including donor trust, momentum, and institutional knowledge How Daphne’s “Three M’s” framework—meetings, mentorship, and messaging—can improve retention and team culture Why inclusion, allyship, and difficult conversations are essential to building healthier nonprofit workplaces Veritus Group is passionate about partnering with you and your organization throughout your fundraising journey. We believe that the key to transformative fundraising is a disciplined system and structure, trusted accountability, persistence, and a bit of fun. We specialize in mid-level fundraising, major gifts, and planned giving, helping our clients to develop compelling donor offers and to focus on strategic leadership and organizational development. You can learn more about how we can partner with you at www.VeritusGroup.com.   Additional Resources:   [Blog] White Men, Wake Up! [White Paper] Building a Culture of Philanthropy [Podcast] Christopher Beck: Five Questions Every Non-Profit Leader Needs to Answer About Equity