Fundraising Staffing a Matter of Need
How many development employees does it take to staff a nonprofit effectively? The answer: Most nonprofits aren't sure.
"There is no comprehensive data set on the size of the organization and development staff, and that is for a very good reason—organizations and development needs vary widely depending on the circumstances," said Kyle Caldwell, executive director of the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Mich., in an email.
That being said, there are reasons why some development offices have larger staffs and others smaller. An example from Caldwell: "A food pantry engaged in a large capital campaign for a new building expansion will need more employees until the campaign is completed."
