The Secret to Donor Retention? Retain Your Development Staff First.

The average tenure of a development professional is just 16 to 18 months - recent studies show. In some organizations, turnover rates for frontline fundraisers can be as high as 50 percent. Every time a fundraiser leaves, it costs the organization both financially and relationally, as key donor relationships are disrupted or lost altogether.

Let me start with something simple but easy to forget: donors aren’t solely loyal to your organization. They’re also very loyal to the people who represent it. The mission matters. The glossy annual report is nice. But at the core, it's real human connections that build trust and keep donors engaged. And the people building those connections? That’s your development staff.

When I first stepped into fundraising, I thought donor retention was all about getting the perfect thank you letter out the door, crafting the most compelling donor proposal, and pulling off a flawless gala. Those things do matter. But over time, I realized that the real engine behind donor retention is staff retention.

The people who are calling donors, meeting them for coffee, and writing those thank you notes? They are the ones building the relationships that keep donors coming back year after year. And if we can't keep them around, it's pretty tough to keep donors around, too.

Now, years later, after leading development teams, I see the same patterns again and again. Organizations pour time and resources into donor acquisition and retention strategies, while development staff quietly burn out and move on. And when that happens, donor relationships have to start from scratch all over again.

Here’s what I’ve seen make the biggest difference for staff retention:

1. Clear Expectations with Adequate Support

In my first fundraising role, I said yes to everything. Major gifts, events, grants, volunteers. It sounded ambitious. It was exhausting.
What I needed back then, and what I now encourage leaders to give their teams, was clarity. What is actually expected? What should be prioritized? What does success look like? What tools, resources, and support are in place to get there? Fundraisers are far more likely to stay when they know the rules of the game and feel like they have a shot at winning.

2. Time for Strategic Planning and Reflection

For years, my version of strategic planning was "let's just survive this week." It worked. Until it didn’t.

The best fundraising happens when there's time to step back and think. Time to review what's working, what isn't, and what could be done differently. Giving development staff the breathing room to plan creates better strategies and prevents burnout. I have seen some of the best fundraising breakthroughs happen not when we were chasing the next deadline, but when we had time to pause and think. So, quit putting off that development retreat. Make it happen! 

3. Time to Listen and Adjust

I’ve sat with plenty of development professionals who are quietly carrying the weight of unrealistic expectations, broken systems, or outdated processes that nobody’s had time to fix. Leadership often assumes things are fine until staff finally give up and leave.

Creating regular space to ask, "What’s making your job harder than it needs to be?" is one of the most powerful retention tools out there. Listening allows leaders to make small adjustments that prevent bigger problems down the road. When staff feel heard, they stay. And when they stay, donor relationships deepen and grow.

4. Celebration

I used to think that moving quickly from one task to the next was efficient. But fundraising is hard work. Wins deserve recognition, whether it’s securing a major gift after months of cultivation or seeing a first-time donor make their second gift.

Celebrating victories reminds everyone why we do this work. I’ve seen teams transform when we create a culture that acknowledges progress, encourages gratitude, and makes space for joy.

The truth is, fundraising will always have its challenges. But when we focus on building strong, supported, and valued development teams, we create the foundation for lasting donor relationships. Investing in staff isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s the smartest donor retention strategy we have.