Given today’s competitive workforce environment, and the essential role that development teams play in fundraising campaigns, more organizations are asking, “How can we retain our staff during a campaign?”

It’s a million-dollar question, quite literally. A campaign’s success hinges on key employees—including CEOs, development directors, campaign coordinators, stewardship officers, database managers, and the program staff who deliver on the campaign’s promises. When a Tennessee nonprofit lost its executive director, for example, it took two years of relationship (re)building to secure commitments from its largest funders. Many organizations simply cannot afford such delays.

Your mission is the heart of your organization. Your donors and volunteers are its lifeblood, an indispensable force that brings strength and vitality. Your customer relationship management (CRM) system is like the circulatory system, connecting you to your donors and harnessing their power to fuel your mission.