How To Build Your Fundraising Dream Team

Discover how to build a resilient, joyful and high-performing fundraising team where creativity thrives, values come to life and donor relationships flourish.

If you’ve ever spent a day in a development office, you know it’s a bit like herding cats — except the cats wear blazers, carry clipboards and are split between those who can’t wait to work the room at a gala and those who’d rather spend a quiet afternoon wrestling with Excel formulas the size of a Tolstoy novel.

On one end, you have the outgoing, party-loving frontline fundraisers — always out of the office, always on the move and always ready with a joke or a “just one more ask!” On the other end, you have the data wonks, those introverted wizards who can code, reconcile and process gifts with the precision of a Swiss watch — and who may or may not notice if you set off a confetti cannon behind them.

Juggling these wildly different work styles is part of the magic — and the madness — of leading a fundraising team. Sometimes it feels like you’re directing a Broadway musical where half the cast is singing show tunes in the spotlight and the other half is backstage, quietly making sure the set changes happen on cue. But here’s the thing: both groups are essential.

The party people bring the energy, the relationships and the stories that make donors fall in love with your mission. The data wizards keep the trains running on time (and keep you from accidentally thanking the same donor three times in a row).

So, how do you build a culture where everyone can perform at their best — where frontline fundraisers and data wonks alike feel fresh, inspired and innovative? How do you keep your team from burning out in a field that’s chronically understaffed and underfunded compared to our for-profit cousins?

The answer is simple (and also complicated, but let’s stick with simple for now): by creating an environment where creativity thrives, where everyone’s strengths are celebrated and where brainstorming new ways to delight donors is just another Tuesday afternoon.

Ready to roll up your sleeves and build a high-performance fundraising team? Let’s dive in!

1. Lead Collaboratively and Build Trust

Picture this: a fundraising team where everyone’s voice is heard, ideas flow freely and trust is the glue that holds it all together.

Collaborative leadership is more than a buzzword — it’s the foundation of high-performing nonprofit teams. Instead of relying on top-down directives, collaborative leaders empower staff at every level to contribute, take ownership and bring their unique strengths to the table. Research consistently shows that teams with collaborative leadership experience higher engagement, greater job satisfaction and better results.

According to the Harvard Business Review, organizations that foster trust and psychological safety are more likely to be high-performing than those that don’t. Psychological safety is a critical ingredient because when team members feel safe to speak up without fear of embarrassment or retribution, they are more likely to share ideas, collaborate and take ownership of decisions.

Similarly, McKinsey & Company found that open, transparent communication and shared decision-making lead to stronger team alignment and increased innovation.

So, how can you put this into practice? Start by modeling openness and vulnerability as a leader. Encourage team members to share their perspectives, celebrate diverse viewpoints and support each other through both successes and setbacks. 

Regular check-ins, team-building activities and opportunities for peer feedback can all help build the trust that turns a group of individuals into a unified, unstoppable force for good.

2. Operationalize Your Nonprofit’s Values 

Clearly communicating your nonprofit’s vision and goals is the first step to motivating and aligning your team. But to truly spark creativity and ownership, you need to go deeper. Connect your team goals to your organization’s core values and make those values actionable in daily work.

Researcher Brené Brown emphasizes that operationalizing values means translating them from lofty ideals into specific, observable behaviors that everyone can understand and practice. One of our clients recently completed a strategic planning process, where clarifying core values up front helped generate consensus on key decisions for planning future service delivery areas.

For example, instead of just saying “we value service,” your team might define service as “proactively seeking ways to support colleagues and prioritizing others’ needs in decision-making.” This process is also called “verbing” your values. It ensures that everyone knows what is expected, encouraged and rewarded within your organization.

Brown’s research reveals that only about 10% of organizations take the time to translate values into teachable and observable behaviors that are used to train employees and hold people accountable.

When values are operationalized in this way, they become the foundation for a courageous, creative culture — one where team members see the bigger picture, feel greater buy-in and are inspired to take ownership of projects. This shared language not only guides decision-making and hiring but also helps teams navigate challenges and maintain alignment, even under pressure.

To put this into action, consider running a values operationalization workshop as part of your strategic planning process or an annual staff or board retreat:

• Gather your team and list your organization’s values on large posters or digital boards.

• Invite everyone to brainstorm specific, observable behaviors that reflect each value in action.

• Use these behaviors to inform hiring, performance reviews, and daily decision-making.

By making your values visible and actionable, you create a culture where everyone can perform at their best — and where innovation and creativity are part of the everyday experience.

3. Set Challenging But Achievable Goals

Speaking about goals, setting the right level of challenge is crucial for keeping your fundraising team engaged and performing at their best. Steven Kotler, a leading researcher on peak performance, identifies the “4% challenge zone” as the sweet spot for activating flow — the mental state where people are fully immersed and highly productive.

This means your goals should be just slightly beyond your team’s current abilities, pushing them to grow without overwhelming them. When the challenge is too easy, people get bored; too hard, and they feel discouraged. Hitting that 4% stretch keeps your team focused, motivated and primed for creative breakthroughs.

To make these goals actionable, use the SMART framework — Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound. SMART goals provide clear direction and accountability, making it easier for everyone to understand expectations and track progress. For example, instead of “increase donor engagement,” a SMART goal would be “host three donor appreciation events this quarter and achieve a 20% increase in repeat donations by year-end.”

At Alford Group, we go one step further and use SMARTIE goals, which adds Inclusion and Equity. The SMARTIE goal framework helps set goals that will lead to more inclusive outcomes while still challenging the team. 

After your goals are defined, the next move is to implement the RACI matrix (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed). This project management tool clarifies who is doing what, who makes decisions and who needs to be kept in the loop. By defining these roles, you prevent confusion, avoid decision-making bottlenecks and ensure tasks don’t fall through the cracks — a critical step as your team and donor expectations grow more sophisticated.

Given the rapid pace of change in the nonprofit sector — where nearly 80% of organizations are revamping strategies every few years — integrating change management practices is essential. High-performing teams don’t just react to change; they anticipate and navigate it with confidence, using clear goals and defined roles as their compass.

This approach helps your team stay resilient, adaptable and focused on delivering exceptional stewardship and donor experiences, even as the landscape evolves.

4. Restructure Your Meetings

Effective team meetings are the backbone of high-performing fundraising teams, but too often they become time drains rather than engines for creativity and action.

Research shows that meetings with a clear purpose, structured agenda and defined roles not only save time but also improve decision quality and team satisfaction. By intentionally designing your meeting strategy, you can foster an environment where all voices are heard and creative ideas are generated. Your team will leave the meeting feeling energized and aligned.

One proven approach is to incorporate positive psychology practices into your meetings — whether virtual or in-person. Positive psychology encourages solution-focused thinking, emotional well-being and resilience, which in turn sparks creativity and collaboration among team members.

For example, starting meetings with a round of personal or professional good news, as seen in the EOS® Level 10 Meeting™ framework, builds trust and sets a positive tone. This structure also includes regular scorecard reviews, priority check-ins and focused problem-solving sessions, ensuring meetings stay on track and drive real progress. We saw one client achieve their development growth goals ahead of schedule thanks to an effective EOS structure.

To support diverse communication styles, use structured formats like the IDS (Identify, Discuss, Solve) method, which gives both introverted and extroverted team members space to contribute meaningfully.

We love to practice what we preach and apply EOS practices to our own internal consultancy management! 

Here are some practical strategies to make your meetings more effective:

• Match meeting objectives to the right format (routine check-ins, strategy sessions, retreats).

• Assign clear roles and responsibilities for each meeting to prevent confusion and ensure accountability.

• Co-create agendas and use check-in questions to build trust and psychological safety.

• Frame agenda topics as questions to spark critical thinking and invite fresh perspectives.

• Use decision-making tools like RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) charts to clarify ownership and distribute tasks evenly, preventing burnout and ensuring everyone contributes.

• In between meetings, use digital project management tool to streamline asynchronous communications while people are working hybrid hours and going in-and-out of the office.

By combining structured meeting practices with a positive, psychologically safe environment, you’ll transform meetings from dreaded obligations into powerful tools for creativity, alignment and sustained team performance.

5. Bring Joy to Your Donor Relationships

High-performing teams aren’t just focused on meeting year-end targets. They dedicate energy to building genuine, lasting relationships that inspire ongoing support.

The most successful nonprofits know that every donor is a valued partner in your mission. When you get creative with your approach to engage and delight donors, you not only deepen these relationships, but also spark joy and loyalty that fuel your organization’s long-term sustainability (and hopefully surpass year-end goals along the way).

Let’s look at some creative ways nonprofits have thanked or cultivated donors:

• Personalized Thank-You Videos: Embedded in thank-you emails or shared on social media, quick video messages make donors feel personally connected to the impact they’ve made. It doesn’t have to be a fancy production. Genuineness is what counts here.

• Unexpected Mailings: Everyone needs a thank you, but there’s something magical about a handwritten note, especially when it arrives out of the blue. Think about unexpected gifts, like a plantable seed paper note (one of Alford Group’s favorites!) to thank a legacy society member, or a custom card your donor can proudly post on their corkboard. These gifts communicate your nonprofit’s appreciation for the difference your donors are making.

• Collaborative Art and Storytelling: Inviting donors to be part of your organization’s story is a powerful way to cultivate deeper engagement and spark organic social sharing on digital channels. Consider commissioning art, poems or songs as thank-yous, created by local artists, beneficiaries or others within your community. This is a creative way to make a personal connection and say thank you without spending dollars on swag. Feature donor stories in newsletters, social postings and events to showcase how each supporter helps advance the mission. By highlighting donors as partners in your organization’s story, you reinforce their importance and inspire others to join in.

• Cultivate Donors in Strategic Planning: Engage donors alongside a diverse group of stakeholders — including staff, board members, beneficiaries and community members — throughout the planning process for organizational strategy, anniversary celebrations and other key initiatives. This inclusivity ensures your development strategy is informed by multiple perspectives, fosters broader buy-in and follows the timeless adage: ask for advice before you ask for dollars.

By weaving these creative strategies into your donor cultivation and stewardship plans, you’ll not only make your supporters feel valued but also build a vibrant, loyal community that’s excited to be part of your journey. After all, the most successful fundraising isn’t just about asking for support; it’s about celebrating the people who make your mission possible.