Why Fun Matters (Beyond the Obvious)

Fun in fundraising isn't just about making your workday more enjoyable (though that's a worthy goal in itself). It serves several strategic purposes:

• Authenticity: When you genuinely enjoy the fundraising process, donors sense your authentic passion. This authenticity builds trust and connection in ways that technique alone never can.
• Creativity: Fun environments foster creative thinking. The best fundraising innovations rarely emerge from stressed, pressured atmospheres.
• Resilience: Fundraisers who find joy in their work demonstrate greater resilience during challenging periods and higher retention rates in their roles.
• Contagious Energy: Fun is contagious. When you're genuinely enjoying the process of connecting donors to causes they care about, that energy transfers to prospects, volunteers, and colleagues.

Practical Ways to Preserve the Fun

• Remember the Privilege: At its core, fundraising is the privilege of connecting people with causes that bring meaning to their lives. Regularly remind yourself of this honor.
• Celebrate Small Wins: Don't wait for the major gift to celebrate. A first-time donor, a successful call, or a well-crafted proposal all deserve recognition.
• Develop Fundraising Rituals: Create personal or team rituals that mark achievements. Ring a bell after securing a meeting, share a success story at the start of each team gathering, or keep a gratitude journal of meaningful donor interactions.
• Embrace Experimentation: Give yourself permission to try new approaches. Not every idea will succeed, but the process of experimentation itself brings energy and engagement.
• Connect with Mission: Schedule regular opportunities to experience your organization's direct work. Whether it's volunteering at a program site or hearing from those you serve, these experiences reignite passion.

Overcoming Fun-Killers

Several common elements can systematically drain the joy from fundraising. Watch for these fun-killers and develop strategies to counter them:

• Metrics Myopia: While goals and metrics matter, they can become all-consuming. Balance quantitative measures with qualitative experiences that remind you why those numbers matter.
• Rejection Sensitivity: Hearing "no" is part of fundraising, but it shouldn't define your experience. Develop healthy perspectives on rejection and create support systems that help you bounce back.
• Administrative Overload: Paperwork, systems, and processes are necessary but can overwhelm. Batch administrative tasks, advocate for streamlined processes, and find small ways to make necessary tasks more engaging.
• Scarcity Mindset: Constantly feeling there's never enough (money, time, staff) drains joy. Practice abundance thinking by focusing on assets and opportunities rather than limitations.

Fun in fundraising isn't frivolous—it's foundational. By intentionally cultivating joy in your fundraising practice, you not only create a more sustainable career path but also develop the resilience necessary to navigate inevitable storms while maintaining your fundamental passion for connecting resources with mission.

After all, there's a reason "fun" is built right into the word "fundraising." Perhaps the profession has been trying to tell us something all along.

Contact us today at info@soar.partners to learn how we can partner with you in your fundraising.