I love people who make things happen.They create systems and organizations to better their community. They feel deeply responsible for the mission. They will do anything to keep things going……Yes almost anything. Sacrifice time, family, health, sanity. This is not sustainable.
In many ways, we become victims of our own success. The better we do at fulfilling our mission, the more the community asks us to help. The need never stops. There is always more to do.
Add to this the growing economic struggles we’re seeing everywhere. The number of individuals and families needing help continues to rise, creating yet another layer of pressure. You know it’s not just about maintaining what you’re doing heading into 2026, you already know you’ll be expected to do more.
The reason you’re in your position is because you care. You want to help. You want to make a difference in the place you serve. People with high levels of compassion often end up working in nonprofits, faith groups, and community organizations.
What makes leading a nonprofit especially stressful is that the most compassionate, community-minded people are often asked to do work they were never trained or equipped to do. Most nonprofit leaders end up becoming fundraisers, or what I call “money entrepreneurs” by necessity, not by choice.
For example, in college I learned how to run youth programs. No one ever taught us how to pay for those programs, how to fund staff positions, cover salaries, or build sustainable funding models.
So here you are. You’re being asked to do something you may have zero training for. You’re being asked to do more of it. And everyone is depending on you.
That’s stress.
And this is a big reason why 95% of nonprofit leaders say burnout is a major concern, and 70% say they are currently experiencing burnout.
This is also why I now help leaders in nonprofits, faith groups, and community organizations develop the skills they need to sustain their work. For over 25 years, I worked in organizations that relied on constant funding, from donors, offerings, grants, and government sources.
I personally carried the weight of raising hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, and millions for large projects. I burned myself out doing it.
What’s changed? I now focus my time on the things that produce the greatest results, and I’ve learned to let a lot of things go.
If all of this sounds way to familiar, I would love to talk with you.
To be a place where you can be encouraged. A place where you can voice your stress. And together, we can discover ways to help your organization thrive, while you get your life back.
Dave
The Funding Coach