According to the “State of Nonprofits 2023” report released by The Center for Effective Philanthropy’s (CEP) Nonprofit Voice Project, one of their key findings was that:
“Issues related to staff— including burnout, filling staff positions, and retaining staff—are the top challenge facing nonprofit leaders.”
Key statistics:
- More than one-third of the nonprofit leaders surveyed stated that burnout was “very much” a concern—the highest level of concern referenced in the question. 94% of respondents responded in the affirmative that burnout was a concern.
- Three-quarters of nonprofit leaders indicated difficulty filling staff positions in the past year. Of the respondents, 46 percent indicated experiencing some to a lot of difficulty, while 30 percent experienced a little difficulty.
- One-fourth of nonprofit leaders saw more staff leave than is typical in the past year, and concerns over retention also surfaced. 22% of leaders experiencing staff challenges spoke specifically to the difficulty of meeting staff pay and benefits expectations.
These statistics give us an excellent picture of the pain points of nonprofit organizations as it pertains to staffing.
In a previous post, we noted that according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, temporary business management roles were up 18% from 2021 to 2022 and 57% since 2020 [source]. This represents a paradigm shift in our workforce, largely due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The key finding on staffing concerns from CEP further bolsters the need for fractional staffing in nonprofits as the strategic advantages of hiring fractional development professionals address the primary staffing pain points.
Fractional staffing of senior-level professionals ensures that expertise and experience are present. These professionals are quick to onboard and can hit the ground running. Hiring a full-time development officer can be expensive, including salary, benefits, and other associated costs. A fractional development officer allows you to access the expertise and experience of a seasoned professional without incurring the same financial burden.
For organizations with need gaps, a fractional development officer can step in to maintain fundraising momentum and ensure stability during transitions. This also mitigates the risk of burnout of your pre-existing staff due to being short-staffed.
Fractional development officers can also provide training, mentorship, and capacity building, imparting valuable skills and knowledge that can improve your organization's long-term fundraising capabilities.
In conclusion, as nonprofits embrace a fractional staffing solution, we believe that their staffing pain points will be alleviated, allowing organizations to create more impact and focus on what they do best–changing the world one vision at a time.
