How Executive Directors Can Better Support Their Fundraisers
“Leaders become great not because of their power but because of their ability to empower others.”
Nonprofit fundraisers are often asked to carry extraordinary responsibility.
They are expected to secure the revenue that sustains the mission. They are expected to manage events, steward donors, guide board members, and communicate impact.
And they are expected to do all of this while maintaining optimism and momentum in an unpredictable funding environment.
Yet one of the biggest determinants of fundraising success isn’t the fundraiser’s skill.
It’s the support they receive from leadership.
When Executive Directors actively support fundraising work, fundraisers are more effective, donors feel more connected to the mission, and organizations raise more sustainable revenue.
When that support is missing, even the most capable fundraiser struggles.
The good news: meaningful support doesn’t require a background in development. It requires a handful of clear, consistent leadership behaviors.
Here are five that make a real difference.
1. Treat Fundraising as a Leadership Function, Not a Department
Yet one of the biggest determinants of fundraising success isn’t the fundraiser’s skill.
It’s the support they receive from leadership.
When Executive Directors actively support fundraising work, fundraisers are more effective, donors feel more connected to the mission, and organizations raise more sustainable revenue.
When that support is missing, even the most capable fundraiser struggles.
The good news: meaningful support doesn’t require a background in development. It requires a handful of clear, consistent leadership behaviors.
Here are five that make a real difference.
1. Treat Fundraising as a Leadership Function, Not a Department
Fundraising works best when it’s understood as an organizational responsibility—not something delegated entirely to the development staff.
Executive Directors set the tone for how fundraising is viewed across the organization. When leadership treats fundraising as essential mission work, the entire culture shifts.
That might look like:
• Talking about donors with respect and appreciation
• Including fundraising updates in leadership discussions
• Modeling comfort with donor relationships
When leaders visibly value fundraising, everyone else does too.
2. Participate in Donor Relationships
One of the most powerful things an Executive Director can do is simply show up.
Donors often want to hear directly from organizational leadership. They want to understand the vision, the priorities, and the impact of their support.
This doesn’t mean the ED has to “do the ask” every time. But it does mean being present in key moments.
Examples include:
• Joining donor visits
• Making thank-you calls
• Attending stewardship events
• Recording short donor updates
Your presence signals that donors matter—and it strengthens the fundraiser’s work tremendously.
3. Clarify Expectations for Board Involvement
Many fundraising challenges stem from unclear board expectations.
Fundraisers often end up trying to “manage around” board dynamics rather than being supported by them.
Executive Directors and Board Chairs play a crucial role in changing that.
They can:
• Clearly communicate what fundraising support from board members actually looks like
• Normalize relationship-building rather than pressure-filled “asking”
• Provide board members with guidance and encouragement
When leadership sets clear expectations, fundraisers don’t have to carry the burden alone.
4. Protect Strategic Focus
Fundraisers are frequently pulled into last-minute requests, extra projects, or internal tasks that dilute their effectiveness.
Executive Directors can help enormously by protecting strategic priorities.
That might include:
• Supporting a clear fundraising plan
• Limiting distractions that derail key initiatives
• Backing the fundraiser when priorities need protecting
When fundraisers have the space to execute a thoughtful strategy, results improve.
5. Acknowledge the Emotional Labor of Fundraising
Fundraising requires persistence, vulnerability, and resilience.
Behind every successful gift are many conversations that didn’t lead to one.
Executive Directors don’t need to solve that emotional load—but recognizing it matters.
Simple actions can make a difference:
• Celebrating wins
• Acknowledging effort, not just outcomes
• Checking in during challenging campaigns
Supportive leadership creates an environment where fundraisers can stay energized for the long game.
The Bottom Line
Strong fundraising rarely happens because one person works harder.
It happens when leadership, staff, and board members share responsibility for building relationships that sustain the mission.
Executive Directors don’t need to become development experts.
But when they actively support their fundraisers, they unlock the full potential of their organization’s fundraising efforts.
And that makes the work better—for everyone involved.
If fundraising feels harder than it should right now, it may not be a strategy problem—it may be a systems or leadership alignment issue.
That’s exactly the kind of challenge I help organizations untangle through fundraising strategy, leadership coaching, and board engagement work.
You can learn more about working together here.
