Managing Your Fundraising Team Through This Heated Election

With only a few days left until the 2024 U.S. election, fundraising professionals and their managers find themselves in a precarious situation. Regardless of who wins, someone on your team or within your constituency is going to be very upset. 

As fundraisers, you are the relationship builders for your organization, serving as both connectors and stewards of your mission. As a fundraising leader, your role is more than just a manager of tasks—you also are a safeguard of your team’s emotional and psychological well-being. 

Even in this environment of uncertainty, the next several weeks present an opportunity to strengthen relationships, create inclusive spaces, and provide the support your team needs to navigate the coming months—regardless of the outcome.

Leaders must step up and create environments that help their teams remain focused, supported, and resilient. 

Now more than ever, leaders must step up and create environments that help their teams remain focused, supported, and resilient. That’s why this article provides recommendations to help guide your team through this period of heightened stress while continuing to focus on the relationships that will move your organization forward. 

Creating Safe Spaces for Fundraising Teams

One of the most important and effective ways you can support your team during a time of heightened anxiety is to intentionally create safe spaces. Safe spaces are environments where individuals feel psychologically secure to express their thoughts, concerns, and emotions without fear of judgment or reprisal. 

This concept is critical not only for promoting harmony within your team but also for fostering a culture of openness and building trust. In the context of election season, when political discourse can often become divisive, having a place for employees to feel heard and supported becomes even more essential.

How to Cultivate Safe Spaces

1) Establish clear communication boundaries: 

It’s important to set the tone for what constitutes respectful dialogue. Develop ground rules that encourage active listening, empathy, and respectful disagreement. For instance, encourage team members to use “I” statements to express how they feel without generalizing or projecting assumptions onto others. Clear boundaries help everyone know what is acceptable, reducing the risk of misunderstandings.

2) Co-create ground rules with your team: 

Your team is more likely to take ownership of the space and abide by the rules if they are involved in creating and establishing the ground rules. Some key principles to consider include embracing discomfort (since tough conversations can lead to growth), treating all perspectives as legitimate, and giving others the benefit of the doubt.

3) Create structured opportunities for open dialogue: 

Consider setting up regular check-ins or forums where employees can voice their thoughts and feelings. These spaces should be structured to promote positive dialogue—such as anonymous surveys or facilitated discussions—and allow people to express themselves without feeling pressured or isolated. 

On a recent We Are For Good podcast, Rashaunda Williams emphasized that safe spaces don’t just appear organically—they are built with intention, patience, and a willingness to hear diverse perspectives. I encourage you to listen to the full episode here: Training Leaders on Building Safe, Inclusive Spaces - Rashaunda Williams.

4) Model vulnerability and inclusivity: 

As a leader, your team will follow your cues. Demonstrating vulnerability by sharing your own experiences with stress or uncertainty can encourage others to feel comfortable sharing their own struggles. Create an inclusive environment by actively soliciting input from all team members, particularly those who might feel marginalized or less inclined to speak up.

5) Encourage team members to use the space:

It’s not enough to just provide a safe space; team members need to be encouraged to use it. Emphasize that the purpose is to support their well-being, not just during election season but whenever they need it. Normalize the use of these spaces by scheduling regular times for team members to come together and check in, and be sure to follow up with individuals who may need additional support.

6) Find common ground:



When disagreements do arise, help your team find common ground. Remind them that while their personal political beliefs may differ, their shared commitment to your organization’s mission unites them. Encourage a culture of giving others the benefit of the doubt and focusing on solutions rather than exacerbating divisions.

By providing a structured, supportive environment, you not only help your team process the external tensions of election season, but you also build a stronger, more cohesive organization that thrives under pressure.

Leading with Transparency and Core Values

During times of stress, clarity and consistency become even more important. It is your responsibility as a leader to anchor your team in the values and mission of your organization. Your team needs to be reminded of what the organization stands for and why their work matters, especially when external distractions are pulling them in different directions.

It is your responsibility as a leader to anchor your team in the values and mission of your organization. 

Start by regularly communicating the organization’s mission and values. During moments of tension, remind your team that their work is about making a meaningful impact, and it transcends any one election or political issue. Celebrate examples of team members who embody your core values and make a point to connect the dots between those values and the broader mission.

Consider adding a mission moment to your standing agendas to remind everyone of the difference your work makes in the lives of others. Being clear about this helps reduce ambiguity and allows your team to focus on what they can control: their work and the impact they are making.

Transparency includes being honest about the challenges your team may face during this time. As fundraisers, you may not only have tension within the internal team; you may also find yourself across the table from a donor whose viewpoint is the complete opposite of your own. When you do, it is important to remember that becoming combative or defensive will only deepen the divide. Instead, use the situation as an opportunity to deepen the relationship with your donor.



One of the most valuable pieces of feedback I ever received from a mentor was that the only thing you control in any given situation is how you react to it. You can better navigate difficult situations when you are aware of your triggers and pay close attention to them.

Tips for Managing Your Own Behavior

Some of the behaviors you can adopt to manage these difficult situations are: 

• Practice Mindfulness: Try mindfulness exercises throughout your day to keep your attention focused on the present moment, rather than on the myriad of events and actions that are outside of your control.
• Focus on Your Breathing: Connect to your breath by focusing on the air flowing in and out of your lungs to help you stay centered. Some mindfulness experts suggest counting your breaths or guided breathing exercises to stay connected to your breathing.
• Say a Mantra: Come up with a phrase that you can repeat to yourself and that reinforces your ability to project calm. Some popular ones from Amy Jen Su, coauthor of Own the Room are “Go to neutral,” “It isn’t about me,” or “This will pass.”
• Use Visualization: Jeanne Brett from the Kellogg School of Management reminds us that if you don’t feed the negative emotion with your own, the individual will likely wind down. Visualize the words of your donor going over your shoulder rather than hitting you in the chest. 

These techniques can keep you and your team stay grounded in your shared goals, even when the world outside feels chaotic.

Managing Team Stress and Election-Related Anxiety

It is especially important that leaders model self-care. Your team will take cues from how you handle your own stress, so if you prioritize mental health by taking breaks, setting boundaries around work, and managing your own emotions, your team will feel empowered to do the same. Regularly check in with yourself and your team, and encourage them to step away from work or the 24-hour news cycle when needed.

Providing access to mental health resources is another critical step. Offering flexible work arrangements, encouraging mental health days, and ensuring your team knows how to access employee assistance programs can help alleviate the pressure many will feel. This is especially important for those who may find the election’s outcome personally distressing.

Encourage team members to participate in activities that help release tension and improve emotional well-being. Physical movement, mindfulness practices, and creative outlets can be powerful tools in managing stress. Consider hosting team wellness events—such as virtual mindfulness sessions or lunchtime walks—to create moments of collective relief from the election atmosphere.

A Season for Growth

While the election season brings stress, it also presents an opportunity for growth and engagement. Nonprofits—particularly fundraising organizations—can leverage this time to connect more deeply with their communities and donors by focusing on mission-driven issues. 

Internally, election season can serve as a time to emphasize your values and strengthen bonds between teammates. A post-election retreat or team meeting can provide valuable space to reflect on the impact of the election and plan for the months ahead. Use this moment to refocus on the mission, celebrate wins, and identify opportunities for future growth.

As stressful as this period can be, it also offers a chance to reaffirm your organization’s commitment to the values and goals that brought everyone together in the first place. 



This is the time to strengthen your internal culture and ensure that your team feels supported, empowered, and ready to face the future—no matter the election’s outcome.

Additional Resources



Below are some excellent resources to help guide leaders during election season:

1. We Are For Good Podcast: Training Leaders on Building Safe, Inclusive Spaces - Rashaunda Williams
2. Harvard Business Review: Preparing Your Team for a Year of Intense Political Polarization
3. coLeague: Leading Through Election Anxiety: Navigating Organizational Challenges in Polarized Times
4. MIT Sloan Management Review: How to Deal With Political Polarization in the Workplace
5. Spring Health: How Leaders Can Protect and Support Psychological Safety in the Workplace