Senior fundraising expertise, without the full-time price tag.
FRACTIONAL FUNDRAISING
Most small and mid-sized charities know they need stronger fundraising. What they can't justify is the salary, benefits, and management overhead of a full-time hire. Fractional fundraising closes that gap, bringing in the right expertise at the right scale, exactly when it's needed.
Fractional fundraising means engaging a professional fundraiser on a part-time basis rather than hiring a full-time development staff member. The organization gets experienced, strategic fundraising support at a cost that fits the actual budget.
THE APPROACH
“The question isn't whether an organization needs a fundraiser. It's whether it needs one five days a week.”
Most small charities don't need a full-time development department. They need someone who knows fundraising deeply, shows up consistently, and focuses on the work that actually moves the needle. A fractional engagement gives an organization access to that expertise (strategic planning, donor cultivation, campaign execution, board coaching) without committing to a salary it can't yet sustain. V Formation builds fractional engagements around what the organization genuinely needs, not a fixed package
Structured support that fits the organization, not the other way around.
HOW IT WORKS
A fractional engagement begins with a clear assessment of where the organization stands and what it needs most. From there, V Formation works on a defined scope of hours each month, functioning as a senior fundraising resource for the staff and board.
Defined Scope and Schedule
A clear engagement agreement: how many hours or days per month, what the priorities are, and how progress will be tracked. The scope is built around the organization's needs and budget, not a one-size-fits-all package.
Discovery and Assessment
A thorough review of the current fundraising program: revenue streams, donor file health, board engagement, staff capacity, and the gaps between where the organization is and where it needs to be. This shapes the scope and priorities of the engagement.
Ongoing Fractional Support
V Formation shows up as a consistent, senior fundraising presence, attending board meetings, coaching staff, managing campaigns, cultivating donors, and advancing the program month over month. The engagement scales as the organization grows.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
The full scope of a development function at a fraction of the cost.
Donor cultivation and stewardship
Identifying and building relationships with major gift prospects, stewarding mid-level donors, and ensuring no significant donor relationship goes unattended due to staff capacity limits.
Fundraising strategy and planning
Setting annual fundraising goals, identifying the right revenue mix, and building the month-by-month plan that gives staff and board a clear picture of what's happening and why.
Campaign planning and execution
Managing the full cycle of direct mail appeals, digital fundraising campaigns, and special appeals, from strategy and creative brief through to results analysis and segmentation for the next campaign
Board fundraising coaching
Working directly with board members to clarify their fundraising role, build confidence in making introductions and asks, and activate the relationships the board already has but isn't currently using
Fractional fundraising with V Formation is not consulting from a distance. It means a senior fundraising professional embedded in the organization's rhythm: present, accountable, and focused on results
Staff mentorship and capacity building
Bringing the development coordinator or communications staff along, building their skills, expanding their confidence, and reducing the organization's long-term dependence on outside support.
Database and donor file management
Ensuring the donor database is segmented correctly and tracked consistently, and generating the reports the organization needs to make good decisions about where to invest fundraising efforts.
Grant and funder research
Identifying appropriate grant opportunities, supporting application preparation, and managing funder relationships to ensure institutional revenue is pursued strategically rather than opportunistically.
Monthly reporting and accountability
Clear, consistent reporting to the ED and board on fundraising progress, pipeline status, and what's coming next, so leadership always knows where the program stands without having to ask.
WHO THIS IS FOR
Organizations that need more fundraising capacity than they have, without the cost of a full hire.
The metrics that matter in direct mail aren’t response rates and cost-per-piece, it’s the numbers that indicate donor health over time.
Growing organizations
Organizations that have outgrown ad hoc fundraising but can't yet justify a full salary for a development director. Fractional fundraising fills that gap with the expertise the stage demands.
Lean organizations
Organizations that have lost a development director and need experienced coverage while they search, or that want to build the fundraising foundation before bringing on a permanent staff member.
Transitional organizations
Organizations where the ED is also the fundraiser, and where the program needs to grow, but the budget for a full hire isn't there yet. Fractional fundraising gives the ED a genuine partner without overextending the budget
The fundraising expertise is there. The question is how to access it.
A free call is the right place to explore whether fractional fundraising is the right fit and what a realistic scope and budget might look like for the organization.