Return-to-office policies hurt women fundraisers
Return-to-office policies hurt women fundraisers
By Lindsay Jordan
More than 212,000 women have left the workforce since January this year, according to the latest date from the Bureau of Statistics. But why are they leaving? And how are nonprofits impacted?
According to this article from the Chronicle of Philanthropy, women are exiting the workforce at an alarming rate, and this could spell trouble for nonprofits, where two-thirds of the workforce are women.
Layoffs, fewer job opportunities, and a loss of flexibility in the workplace are the primary culprits. Specifically, return-to-the-office policies are making many women pause. Men are simply returning to the office at a higher rate than women, and it’s not difficult to imagine why when caretaking responsibilities continue to fall more heavily on women.
This moment offers a clearly defined threat and opportunity for nonprofits. Organizations can sit back quietly and hope this compounding effect (on top of the many other reasons retention at nonprofits is challenging) misses them, or tap in to top talent now available in the market by building a work structure and culture that caters to women.
Here are my top reasons why you should let all of your fundraisers (and especially women) work from home:
Fundraising isn’t a 9-to-5 job. I always found the wisdom of chaining a professional fundraiser to a desk odd. Their job is to cultivate relationships, champion the organization/CEO, spend time with donors, and close gifts. Rarely does any of that work happen in their office. It happens in the community or walking through the programs department, and many times in the evening or on the weekends. Working from home allows fundraisers to structure their schedules around when donors are most available.
Pro Tip: Worried about productivity? Set accountability metrics! Do you really care if your fundraiser picks their kids up from school every day at 3pm if they hit all their connection, cultivation, and closing goals?
Childcare costs have risen 29% since 2020. Nearly 75% of fundraisers are female, and nearly 75% of working women are mothers. Any consideration of childcare costs for fundraisers - be that working from home, a flexible schedule, on-site childcare options, subsidizing backup care, and/or paid emergency days will position a nonprofit competitively to secure top female talent.
Fundraisers will raise more money if they stay longer. Fundraising is frequently described as a pressure cooker. Perhaps this is why the average length of employment for a professional fundraiser is just 16 months - barely enough time to learn an organization’s mission and meet top donors.
A study by ASU’s Lodestar Center (October 2022) reports that fundraisers with 4–7 years at the same organization raise 50% more, and those with 8 years raise 83% more, compared to their newly hired counterparts. Working from home gives fundraisers more control over their environment, reduces commute time and stress, and helps prevent burnout. This, in turn, means they can focus on building strong donor relationships and confidence.
It will reduce overhead (which, in turn, makes donors happy). Remote work reduces overhead expenses like office space, utilities, and supplies. Those savings can be allocated to program needs or additional fundraising needs, which will demonstrate fiscal responsibility to donors.
The idea that fundraisers must work in an office during “business hours” not only shows a complete misunderstanding of how money is raised, but also demonstrates an inherent distrust of talented staff, increases the risk of burnout and turnover, and ignores the evolution of work. The exodus of females in the nonprofit sector is both an alarming trend and opportunity to score major talent… if nonprofit leadership can rise to the challenge.
