A senior fundraising leader once shared this powerful insight with me:

“You can be very busy, work incredibly hard—and still raise no money—if the activities you focus on don’t directly support your fundraising goals.”

It’s a reminder every major gifts officer needs to hear.

Here are five common distractions that pull fundraisers away from what truly matters:

1️⃣ Supporting Special Events. Important, but often not where major gift magic happens.

2️⃣ Writing Newsletter Announcements. Sharing success stories is great, but is it moving the needle on your portfolio?

3️⃣ Recruiting/Managing Board Members. Essential for the organization but not always aligned with a fundraiser’s core objectives.

4️⃣ Overseeing Program Delivery Linked to Gifts. It’s tempting to ensure things are done right, but it can shift focus away from donor engagement.

5️⃣ Attending Endless Internal Meetings. Necessary, but too often they take valuable time away from donor-facing work.

If you’ve ever struggled to keep the main thing the main thing, you’re not alone. Here are strategies I’ve used to stay focused on major gift success:

✅ Block Time for Donor Communication. Dedicate 2 hours each morning to meeting requests, thank-you notes, and donor outreach.

✅ Set Weekly Goals. Track how many calls, meetings, and follow-ups you complete each week.

✅ Audit Your Time. Keep a log to identify how much of your day is spent on activities unrelated to fundraising.

✅ Ask for Help. Delegate or engage colleagues to take on tasks that don’t require your unique expertise.

Major gifts fundraising is all about deepening donor relationships, not juggling distractions.

By staying intentional and strategic, you can achieve your goals while protecting your time and energy.