If you work in a not for profit, you already know the drill:
You finish one campaign, take a deep breath, and—surprise—it’s time to start the next one.
The deadlines pile up. The donor list never stops growing. The grant deadlines sneak up (again). Your board wants updates yesterday.
And somehow, you’re supposed to make it all look easy.
Let’s be real—fundraising can be exhausting. And for small and mid-sized not for profits, burnout isn’t just common. It’s almost expected.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
The Problem: Burnout Is Sneaky
Burnout doesn’t show up overnight. It creeps in—late nights here, skipped lunch there—until suddenly your creativity’s flat, deadlines are slipping, and you feel like you’ve run out of ways to say “We need your support.”
Why does it hit not for profits so hard?
- Too much work, too few people. Fundraising often falls to one person (or the ED) wearing way too many hats.
- Pressure to perform. Revenue keeps the lights on, so the stakes feel sky-high—always.
- Living in reactive mode. Always scrambling for the next campaign instead of building a long-term plan.
- No room for recovery. A busy season ends…and a new one starts.
Why This Hits Smaller Not For Profits Harder
Big charities have entire fundraising teams. Small and mid-sized organizations? Not so much.
Often, it’s just one person juggling campaigns, grant writing, donor calls, and database updates—and oh, by the way—leading the annual gala.
The result?
Burnout doesn’t just slow you down—it stalls your fundraising entirely. And getting momentum back can be painfully slow.
Where Fractional Support Comes In
A fractional fundraiser is like having a fundraising pro on your team… without committing to a full-time salary.
We step in where you need us most:
- Clearing your plate. Campaign planning, donor stewardship, grants—we take on the heavy lifts.
- Bringing fresh perspective. Sometimes you just need someone who’s not in the weeds to spot opportunities you’ve missed.
- Adding strategy to the scramble. We help you move from reactive to proactive.
- Flexing with your needs. Busy season? We scale up. Quieter months? We scale back.
Signs You Might Need Help
You might be ready for fractional fundraising support if:
- You’re working evenings and weekends more often than not
- Campaigns keep getting pushed because you “don’t have time”
- You’ve lost fundraising staff (and can’t afford another full-time hire yet)
- You’re missing grant deadlines or donor follow-ups
- Your ED is spending more time fundraising than leading
Final Word
Burnout is real. It costs not-for-profits time, money, and sometimes their best people.
But you don’t have to choose between overworking your team and leaving money on the table.
Fractional fundraising lets you keep campaigns moving, keep donors engaged, and keep your team from hitting the wall.
At Demarca Consulting, we know small and mid-sized not-for-profits inside and out—because that’s who we work with every day. We bring focus, breathing room, and results. If you’re ready to give your team a break (and your fundraising a boost), let’s talk.
Deanna Carruthers & Lena MacIntosh – September 2025
Demarca Consulting 
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