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June 20, 2024

Remote Work and the Fundraiser

I remember the time when women couldn’t go to work without socks or hosiery and men wore ties every day but Friday—now, for many employees, you don’t even have to wear pants to “work.” A huge reality that arose from the pandemic is a world of remote workers. For a relationships-based industry such as fundraising, how feasible is a remote development office? Are we missing the boat requiring more and more onsite employees post-pandemic?

An article posted by the National Council of Nonprofits about a year ago reveals some interesting data. With 43% of job applicants desiring fully remote work when searching for nonprofit positions, only 19% of listings are for fully remote roles. Ironically, 43% of posts are for on-site employees and the final 38% for a hybrid workplace. Remote jobs received nine times as many applications as onsite or hybrid positions. Looks like nonprofit leadership and hiring teams need to start looking at remote or hybrid work options a little deeper.

To be blunt, jobs got done all over the world during the pandemic, so we know remote jobs can be effective. Working outside of the office provides a better work-life balance for employees, saves costs for the nonprofit, and provides access to top talent that isn’t restricted by geography. However, can employees be relied upon to remain effective and high performing? Issues around communication and collaboration can be a challenge on virtual teams, which can have a negative impact on organizational culture. In industries where program services require employees to be on-site, the optics of support staff, such as development, “never being in the office,” can be a challenge.

Personally, I prefer a hybrid work week. I need face-to-face interaction to make me happy and fulfilled professionally. Likewise, I can foster connections with highly personal and effective virtual meetings. Hybrid work almost forces development officers to “get out from behind” their desks. With this flexibility, there is more of an opportunity for in-person cultivation touches. In addition, expensive travel for short visits and meetings can be significantly reduced through balancing in-person and virtual visits.

Some people would much rather be fully productive from a home office, and many high-performing and connected teams hardly ever see each other in person. Roles that do not really require donor interaction, such as researchers, some advancement services, etc., could very well be fully remote jobs.

The partners at the firm had a wonderful online collaboration on this topic (interestingly, this all happened over email), and I would imagine that most nonprofit professionals have differing opinions on this subject. I don’t have the magic solution or answer, but I do know that our industry must keep an open mind and continue to explore how to best strategize around on-site, remote and hybrid work.

Shelly Manuel

From the desk of
Shelly Manuel       Associate Partner

Gen Z Donors Are Coming. Here’s What You Need to Know

Although members of Generation Z are still far from their prime giving years, it’s never too soon for fundraisers to learn how to attract their support. A new report offers some insights into how Gen Z — born from 1997 to 2005 — likes to give and corrects some common misconceptions about their philanthropic style.

Key Findings

  • 19% said they donate money, but 84% said they support nonprofits or causes in some way — including by volunteering (33%) or following or promoting them on social media (25%). A third of Gen Z donors said they plan to give more as the year progresses.
  • 14% of nonprofit professionals thought Gen Z donors would find a thank-you letter meaningful, but actually, 34% of those donors did. 57% said they would give more if an organization mailed them a thank-you note.
  • While 63% of fundraisers surveyed said they thought Gen Z donors were giving through social media, only 23% of Gen Zers said that was the case.
  • 52% of those surveyed said they turn to social media to research organizations they’re considering supporting.
  • 21% said they felt they could make the biggest difference on causes that mattered to them by promoting them on social media.
  • 22% said the same about volunteering, and 18% about advocating. Just 11% said they felt they could make the biggest difference by giving.
  • Much lower proportions of Gen Z reported donating through traditional channels — such as through monthly giving programs (8%), in response to an email appeal (8%), or in response to a mailed appeal (8%). Gen Zers were far more likely to say they made a donation at a checkout counter (40%), at a fundraising event (30%), or through the nonprofit’s website (29%).
  • 42% said they tend to give spontaneously. 56% of Gen Z donors said they prefer to give “periodically, when I feel like it.” 18% said they like to give annually, and 11% said they make monthly gifts.

The report, Gen Z at the Table, from the Blackbaud Institute, can be found here.

COP, 5-7

New Overtime Rules May Impact Fundraising Staff Pay

On July 1, new federal rules will go into effect that will raise the amount of money an employee must earn to be exempt from being paid overtime. As a result, more nonprofit employees will receive overtime pay for the extra hours they work — or their employers will have to boost their income so they’re above the new limits. The Department of Labor plans a much larger increase in January.

Currently, employees whose jobs meet certain criteria do not have to receive overtime pay if they earn more than $35,308 a year. That salary threshold, which has been in place since 2019, is being increased to $43,888 on July 1. The increase is roughly equivalent to the rate of inflation over that time. On January 1, the salary threshold will jump again, to $58,656, and will be updated every three years based on federal wage data.

The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that 460,000 nonprofit workers will be affected by the July and January changes and that it will cost groups $44.8 million. COP, 5-23

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