If Your Fundraising Isn’t Growing, Look at Your Culture, Not Your Donors
Dear nonprofit leaders & fundraisers,
Let’s just say it: Your donors are not the problem.
I know that’s not what most people want to hear. Because it’s a lot easier to say:
“Donor fatigue is real”
“People just aren’t giving right now”
“The economy is tough”
And sure, all of that exists all the time! But people are still giving. A lot. Just… not always to you.
So if your fundraising isn’t growing, we need to stop asking: “What’s wrong with our donors?”
And start asking: “What are we doing (internally) that’s making it harder for people to give, stay, and grow with us?”
Fundraising Doesn’t Fail in the Inbox. It Fails Inside the Organization.
Most fundraising problems don’t start with donors. They start with how your organization operates. Because fundraising is not just:
a department
a campaign
or a job title
It’s a reflection of your culture.
And if your culture isn’t set up to support philanthropy, your fundraising will feel it every time. Even if you have:
a strong development director
a decent strategy
a solid donor base
There will always be a ceiling.
What It Looks Like When Culture Is the Problem
You’ve probably seen this before (or… you’re in it right now):
Fundraising lives with one person, and everyone else stays out of it
Program staff don’t think fundraising is their business
Leadership wants results but isn’t engaged in the process
The board is informed… but not activated
Donor communication is inconsistent, rushed, or transactional
And then we wonder why growth stalls. Here’s the truth: You cannot scale fundraising in a system that isn’t built to support it.
Meanwhile, Donors Are Out There… Giving.
They’re giving to organizations where:
the mission feels alive
the relationships feel real
the communication feels intentional
and the experience feels consistent
That doesn’t happen by accident. That happens when philanthropy is embedded across the organization.
The Shift: From Fundraising Department → Culture of Philanthropy
If you want sustainable growth, this is the shift: Stop treating fundraising like a function. Start treating it like a culture.
A thriving culture of philanthropy looks like:
Staff who understand how their work connects to funding
Programs and development actually talking to each other
Leadership that doesn’t just approve strategy — but participates in it
A board that is engaged, not just present
Donors who feel like part of something, not just a line item
This is what I mean when I talk about: Building a thriving culture of philanthropy on all levels.
And No – This Isn’t About “More Work”
This is where people get stuck. They hear “culture of philanthropy” and think: Great. More meetings. More expectations. More pressure.
That’s not it. This is about:
clarity
shared ownership
and confidence
It’s about making fundraising feel like something people can actually step into — not something they avoid.
If your fundraising isn’t growing, your first instinct might be to look outward.
New donors. New tactics. New campaigns.
But before you do that, pause.
And look inward.
Because your donors are responding to the experience you’re creating.
And that experience is shaped by your culture — whether you’ve built it intentionally or not.
Fix the culture. The fundraising follows.
Sincerely,
Queers
Queer For Hire provides fundraising support to Queer nonprofits, LGBTQIA+ cultural competency to straight-led organizations and corporations, and individual coaching for Queer professionals.
Learn about our Fundraising Services <here> – we’ll lead or support your fundraising efforts, whether you need general support or want to focus on raising money from and for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Learn about our Fundraising Trainings <here> – we can coach your board, staff, and fundraising team on how to fundraise and how to engage LGBTQIA+ donors.
Learn about our other services <here> or our resources <here>.
