The Fundraiser Is Gone . . .Will the Donors Follow?

Send us Fan Mail Donor relationships when a fundraiser leaves can expose serious gaps in nonprofit ethics, succession planning, data security, and donor communication. When the development professional changes (but the donor’s trust remains) who is responsible for what happens next? On this Fundraisers Friday conversation, Julia Patrick and Tony Beall confront one of fundraising’s most uncomfortable transitions: whether donors should follow a fundraiser to another organization. Julia begins with the ethical baseline established by the Association of Fundraising Professionals: donor data and portfolios belong to the nonprofit. She also cites a striking sector concern . . .the average professional fundraiser may remain in a position for only about 19 months. That turnover makes donor-transition planning a business necessity, not a hypothetical exercise. Tony draws an essential distinction between responsibility and ownership : “We do that on behalf of, as the ambassador of, as the champion of—not as the owner of.” But organizational ownership of the database is only the first layer. Donor trust can be deeply personal, multigenerational, and connected to a fundraiser’s integrity. Corporate partners introduce another dynamic: they may value a fundraiser’s reliability, reporting, and responsiveness, yet their funding must still align with the new organization’s mission. The conversation moves directly into nonprofit operations: controlling CRM access, preventing unauthorized data exports, preparing donor communications, assigning interim relationship managers, and making introductions before a departing fundraiser leaves. Tony recommends a “no surprises” rule so important donors never discover a staffing change through LinkedIn. A respectful, documented transition plan protects the organization, the professional, and the donor! Key Takeaways: Donor records and portfolios are organizational assets—not employee property. Personal trust may follow a fundraiser even when donor data cannot. Every development department needs a ready-to-activate departure plan. Major donors should hear about staffing transitions directly from the nonprofit. CRM access and export permissions require immediate attention during departures. Portfolio decisions should serve the mission rather than individual goals or ego. 00:00:00 Fundraiser Turnover and the Donor Question 00:02:00 Who Owns the Donor Data? 00:06:43 Portfolio Competition, Goals, and Ego 00:09:08 When Donors Want to Follow a Fundraiser 00:12:44 Corporate Partners Change the Equation 00:15:21 Building the Fundraiser Exit Plan 00:18:02 CRM Access, Data Exports, and Integrity 00:22:58 The No-Surprises Donor Communication Rule 00:25:26 Hiring Pressure and the Fundraising Talent Pipeline #NonprofitFundraising #FundraisingEthics #TheNonprofitShow Find us Live daily on YouTube! Find us Live daily on LinkedIn! Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_Show Our national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PT Send us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.com Visit us on the web: The Nonprofit Show