9 Soft Skills Every Fundraiser Needs and How to Improve Them

Like most professional careers, fundraising requires a set of hard skills and soft skills.

Hard skills are the fundraising techniques and best practices learned through schooling, trainings, webinars, and at conferences, as well as on-the-job experience.

Soft skills, on the other hand, are often harder to learn if they don’t come naturally. After all, there aren’t many classes on persistence or resilience. Sometimes it’s the “school of hard knocks” that really teach us the skills we need to be successful.

Let’s look at the soft skills that are most essential to your success in the field of fundraising.

9 Soft Skills Every Fundraiser should Sharpen

Here’s a list of nine soft skills that are invaluable to succeed at your nonprofit. If you find yourself lacking in one or more areas, you’ll find some tips below. And don’t be afraid to seek out other ways to strengthen these skills.

1. Listening

Listening is a critical skill for fundraising, and much has been written about it.

If you want to improve your listening, make sure you ask at least three open-ended questions during each meeting. At the end of the meeting, try to recall (and make note of) all the things you learned about the person you met. If you didn’t learn anything new, you’ve got some work to do to improve your listening skills.

2. Memory

It’s easy to say, “I have a terrible memory” and move on with your day. But there are many techniques and strategies available to help strengthen your memory.

For example, when meeting someone for the first time, repeat their name back to them (out loud): “It’s nice to meet you, Nancy.” Then try to think of another Nancy you know (even if it’s Nancy Drew) to sear their name into your memory.

3. Communication

Communicating regularly and clearly with supporters is a huge part of any fundraiser’s job, even if there’s a separate communications department.

You’ll need to communicate updates and results of fundraising projects to supporters, as well as reaching out to thank donors for their support. Individual and group communication (individual emails vs. bulk newsletters, for example) is critical for ensuring donors are up-to-date on projects and understand the impact their support is making.

4. Resilience

You’ve probably gotten knocked down quite a bit if you’ve been fundraising for a while. Getting told “no” is part of the job. It takes resilience to get back up and keep asking.

There are plenty of ways to build resilience. One example is to repeat a mantra, like:

Every ‘no’ brings me one step closer to a ‘yes’.

You might also keep a success or gratitude journal to remind yourself everyday of all the progress you’re making and the success you’ve fostered achieving results for your important cause.

5. Time Management

One thing every fundraiser would like more of is time. That doesn’t mean you should work round the clock. Take time to plan and prioritize.

Take a good, hard look at your fundraising habits and results:

• What activities take 20% of your time, and yield 80% of the results?
• Where are you spinning your wheels?

If you’re struggling, it might be time to invest in some time management tools, apps, or services.

6. Networking

A great deal of fundraising involves meeting new and interesting people who might become supporters of your cause.

Make it a goal to meet X number of new people per month, and ask them to connect you with others. Join a networking group or two and attend regular meetings. However, don’t put all your fundraising eggs in the “new donors” basket. You’ll want to concentrate most of your time cultivating existing donors.

7. Teamwork

Successful fundraising is not an individual sport — it takes planning, strategy, accountability and more, which is all done better when you have a strong fundraising team.

1. The Executive Director is there is provide the big picture, vision, and confidence in leadership.
2. The Development Director provides research and background information, strategy and planning, communication, and more.
3. Board members provide networking and gravitas, as well as commitment to the overall vision.

Take time for formal and informal team building exercises and opportunities throughout the year.

8. Cultural Sensitivity

It’s likely that you’ll be working with a variety of people and groups from many walks of life on your fundraising journey. Read books and articles, listen to podcasts, attend workshops and webinars, and ask questions to build and hone your cultural sensitivity.

9. Organization

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to raising money. Between the dates and deadlines, internal and external commitments, and other responsibilities, you’ll have a lot to juggle. Staying organized is key to success.

If you don’t have a good filing system — both for paper and electronically — seek out some help. Ask friends and colleagues what they use to help them stay organized and on track. It’s never a bad time to improve your organizational skills.

Improving Your Soft Skills is a Lifelong Endeavor

While the list of soft skills needed for fundraising success can seem endless, there are small steps you can take to improve them. Pick one or two to work on each year. After all, you have a long and rewarding career ahead of you as a fundraiser. You can’t expect to change overnight.

So with that said, be patient with yourself and others. Continuous improvement and learning is what life’s all about.