Sexual harassment in fundraising and what to do about it

Sexual harassment is common in nonprofit fundraising — really, really common.

According to a recent study, 76% of fundraisers have experienced sexual harassment at some point in their careers; 42% of fundraisers have experienced it within the last two years. Women and members of the LGBTQ+ community are the most likely to experience harassment from both donors and co-workers.

This is a discouraging topic, but if your work involves fundraising the issue is too important to sugarcoat. Three out of every four people you work with have been affected, perhaps including you.

There are three ways you can use this article:

1. If you want to spark a conversation about this topic at your workplace or amongst a group of peers, forward this message and say “I’d like to discuss this.”
2. If you want to understand the scale of the problem better, read the entire set of study reports from the Association of Fundraising Professionals. It’s the most current and in-depth portrait available.
3. If you want to understand more about the connections between fundraising and harassment, keep reading.

Why is harassment so common in fundraising?

Sexual harassment isn’t unique to this sector, but it is more common than in some other fields.

Harassing behaviour is so common that the research team had to specifically define sexual harassment to help fundraisers distinguish it from acceptable workplace experiences. (The definitions are in this study if you’re curious.)

So what is it about nonprofit work — and fundraising in particular — that puts staff at risk?

A few things:

1. General risk factors for sexual harassment

In general, three factors increase someone’s risk of experiencing harassment at work: exchanging money, interacting with the public, and serving alcohol.

These factors were identified through a survey of mostly unionized workers in a variety of sectors in Canada. (See Respect at Work for more info.)

Those three factors basically describe many fundraisers’ jobs: handle money, engage with the public, and attend events where alcohol is served.

Based on those risk factors alone, it’s not surprising that people who work galas, community events, networking dinners, and conferences often experience harassment.

2. The power imbalances in fundraising

Power imbalances are everywhere in fundraising. This is inevitable, so organizations and stakeholders should be aware of the ways that power imbalances can put staff in difficult situations.

For example:

• Donors typically have more financial and social status than staff.
• Donors are usually older.
• Donors are often recognizable members of a community.
• Donors often have better access to senior management and the board than junior staff do, giving them influence over a young fundraiser’s career.

Fundraisers are often trained to put the donor and the mission first, even at the expense of their own comfort. With these dynamics and this culture, it’s difficult for staff to defend their boundaries or to report inappropriate behaviour.

Donors with financial clout aren’t the only issue. Organizations depend on celebrity ambassadors, entertainers, or board members for their survival; reporting an incident or voicing concerns about any external stakeholder is a scary act.

Problems exist inside of organizations too. Fundraisers experience more harassment by coworkers than by stakeholders, making your organization’s harassment policy very important.

That said, fundraisers generally believe that organizations are more likely to take appropriate steps when the harassment comes from a coworker than an external stakeholder. This speaks to the real or perceived power that donors and other stakeholders have over organizations.

What do you do next?

The mingling of professional and personal worlds can be one of the most exciting parts of social impact work. It’s why this sector is able to do things that no other sector can.

But organizations need to recognize the unique risks people in this sector face and take steps to ensure they are respected and protected.

If you are looking for a place to start, the Speaking Truth to Power in Fundraising: A Toolkit is a great resource. It contains scenarios with discussion questions you can use for internal discussions and a checklist to help you audit your organization’s sexual harassment prevention and response readiness.