Mentoring Magic: Why Every Fundraiser Needs a Mentor

By: Amy Funk, Senior Vice President, TWB Fundraising

It’s a commonly accepted truth that fundraising is HARD. But we rarely talk about fundraising being LONELY. Too often development staff members are siloed from the rest of the organization or working by themselves in a single-person shop, or unable to meaningfully share with their boss or peers. One of the biggest contributors to burnout is the sense of isolation fundraisers feel. That’s why every fundraiser needs a mentor – someone they can reach out to when things get tough or when they just want to celebrate a huge win.

As someone who has run multiple fundraising leadership development programs, I believe that there’s something gratifying about the first time one of the participants says, “my board just won’t get excited about fundraising” and the entire room erupts in shared understanding.

A mentor doesn’t have to be a Vice President or CEO, either. I often find it helpful to pair earlier career proteges with mid-level mentors. Those mentors are closer to that history in their own career and can often give generational insights that are critical. In other cases, the institutional wisdom, and connections a senior-level mentor brings to the table are priceless.

The flip side of this is that every fundraiser should also be a mentor. Whether formally through the AFP Peer Mentoring program, or informally in your own organization or network, everyone has an opportunity to help their colleagues navigate the sometimes challenging, often rewarding world of fundraising. Speaking from personal experience, it's one of the most rewarding things you can do.

Ready to be a mentor? The Peer Mentoring Committee is accepting applications for mentors in the Spring 2024 cohort now through Friday, February 23, 2024. These fundraisers with five or more years of experience will be matched with an early career fundraiser to develop a mentoring relationship over the following year. Learn more and apply.