The survey of almost 500 fundraisers was conducted by the French Association of Fundraisers (AFF) between February and April 2026 to better understand the pressures they face, the impact on their mental health, and what can help. Most were full-time employees with more than two years’ experience.  

Key findings 

• 57% report high or very high stress 

• 63% have experienced burnout or a near-burnout situation at some point in their career 

• Managers are more affected: 67% report high stress (versus 50% of non-managers), and 73% have experienced burnout or come close 

• 76% think about work outside working hours, and 58% struggle to switch off 

• Only 20% often or always feel calm and relaxed, and just 14% woke up feeling rested in the two weeks before the survey 

• 51% have seriously considered leaving their job in the past 12 months 

At the same time, there were also positives: half said their daily lives are often or always filled with interesting things, and 41% reported being in good spirits. 

Sources of pressure 

Respondents cited declining funding (54%), pressure to compensate for falling resources (58%) and rising targets as resources shrink (51%) as key sources of pressure. 42% are very concerned about their organisation’s long-term viability, rising to 52% among lone fundraisers. 

How work is organised also adds to the strain, particularly last-minute requests (52%), short-term demands overriding strategy (50%) and administrative and reporting burdens (45%). The report adds that the pressure many fundraisers put on themselves reflects strong commitment but can also become a vulnerability. 

Relationships with donors and supporters are seen positively, with 65% describing them as built on trust and partnership. However, only 48% feel able to set professional boundaries, and 17% have encountered inappropriate behaviour. 

Impact on work 

The stress experienced has tangible effects on professional practice: 47% have cut back on high-value activities due to lack of time, 45% said their motivation suffered and 40% felt the quality of their work declined. Some 74% have worked while their ability to function was impaired by stress, including 30% who do so often or very often, yet despite this the majority (78%) have never taken sick leave because of stress. 

Support gaps 

Flexible hours and remote working are widespread (77%) and the right to disconnect is generally respected (65%). Formal support such as coaching and mentoring is less common however, although the more measures an organisation has in place, the lower the reported stress.  

Two in three respondents said mental health is discussed in their organisation, mainly by HR (26%) and senior leadership (25%), while only 15% said their line manager raises it. 

Overall though: 

• 46% do not have regular conversations about their wellbeing 

• 39% feel their workload is rarely or never prioritised 

• 27% do not feel safe discussing their difficulties 

What fundraisers want 

Asked what measures they would like to see implemented respondents most often chose peer discussion groups (20%) and tools for prioritising workloads. Open-ended answers pointed to working conditions, with fundraisers keen to see more staff, resources matched to fundraising targets, clearer priorities, and a better understanding of the profession from management and governing bodies. 

More on this topic: Read AFF CEO Yaële Aferiat’s reflections on the study findings here.

Fundraisers dedicate their professional lives to helping others. They work every day to generate the resources that allow charities, foundations, universities, hospitals and social organisations to fulfil their missions. They help causes grow, communities thrive and social challenges receive the attention and support they deserve.

Yet one question is rarely asked: who takes care of the people whose work is to take care of causes?

This year, the French Association of Fundraisers (AFF) conducted the first national study on the mental health of fundraisers in France. Nearly 500 professionals participated. While the survey is not statistically representative of the entire profession, the results provide an important snapshot of how fundraisers are living and working today and highlight issues that deserve greater attention across Europe. The findings are both concerning and revealing.

More than half of respondents reported high or very high levels of stress. Nearly two thirds said they had experienced burnout or come close to burnout during their career. More than half had seriously considered leaving their job within the previous twelve months. Managers appeared particularly exposed, reporting even higher levels of stress and burnout.

These figures should not be interpreted simply as individual vulnerabilities. They point to broader structural realities affecting the fundraising profession.

Fundraising has always involved a degree of pressure. Professionals work in environments where resources are limited and needs are growing. They are expected to secure income, build relationships, demonstrate impact and contribute to organisational sustainability. In recent years, however, this pressure has intensified.

Economic uncertainty, inflation, changing donor expectations and increasing competition for funding have created more demanding conditions. In our survey, respondents frequently cited declining resources, higher fundraising targets and concerns about their organisations’ long-term viability as significant sources of stress. For many fundraisers, the challenge is no longer simply to grow income. It is to compensate for shrinking resources elsewhere in the organisation while facing growing expectations from leadership and boards.

At the same time, the issue is not only about funding.

The way fundraising work is organised also matters. Respondents reported that last-minute requests, short-term priorities overriding strategic thinking, and growing administrative requirements contribute significantly to workplace pressure. Many fundraisers find themselves caught between ambitious expectations and limited capacity. They know what should be done strategically but struggle to find the time, resources or organisational support to do it.

One particularly striking result concerns the relationship fundraisers have with their work.

The survey suggests that fundraisers care deeply about what they do. Many remain highly committed to the missions they serve and find meaning in their work. This commitment is undoubtedly one of the profession’s greatest strengths. However, it can also become a source of vulnerability.

People who care strongly about their work often find it difficult to disconnect. They frequently absorb the responsibility of organisational challenges as personal responsibility. They may continue working despite exhaustion because they believe their cause cannot afford for them to stop.

The survey reflects this reality. Large numbers of respondents reported thinking about work outside working hours and struggling to switch off mentally. Many reported working despite being significantly affected by stress. Yet relatively few had taken sick leave related to their mental health.

This raises an important question. If people continue delivering despite high stress levels, how visible does the problem become to leaders?

A profession can appear resilient while simultaneously becoming exhausted. Perhaps the most encouraging finding from the study is that solutions exist. Respondents whose organisations offered a greater number of support measures generally reported lower levels of stress. Flexible working arrangements, remote working opportunities and respect for the right to disconnect appear to make a positive difference. At the same time, significant gaps remain. Many fundraisers reported that wellbeing is rarely discussed directly with managers, and a substantial proportion do not feel comfortable discussing their difficulties.

This suggests that improving mental health in fundraising is not simply about introducing wellbeing programmes. It is about culture.

Creating healthier fundraising environments requires organisations to recognise that wellbeing is a strategic issue rather than a personal one. It affects retention, performance, creativity, decision-making and ultimately fundraising effectiveness itself.

Leaders can play an important role by setting realistic expectations, clarifying priorities, encouraging strategic focus and creating spaces where challenges can be discussed without stigma. Boards also have a responsibility to ensure that fundraising targets are aligned with available resources and organisational capacity.

The fundraising profession itself has an equally important role to play.

For many years, conversations about fundraising have focused primarily on techniques, channels, innovation and performance. These topics remain essential. But we must also create space to discuss the people behind the results.

• How do we make fundraising careers sustainable?
• How do we support professionals through increasingly complex environments?
• How do we ensure that commitment does not become self-sacrifice?
• How do we help managers lead teams while protecting their own wellbeing?

These are questions that deserve wider discussion across our sector.

The findings from France are unlikely to be unique. Similar pressures can be observed throughout Europe and beyond. While organisational contexts differ, many of the challenges faced by fundraisers are shared: rising expectations, limited resources, increasing complexity and a deep commitment to mission.

The good news is that mental health is no longer a taboo subject. More organisations are beginning to recognise its importance, and more professionals are willing to speak openly about their experiences.

This study should be seen not as a diagnosis of a problem specific to France but as an invitation to a broader conversation. Fundraisers help organisations change the world. To do that effectively over the long term, they need environments that allow them not only to perform but also to thrive.

Taking care of fundraisers is not separate from achieving impact. It is one of the conditions that makes impact possible.

Read the AFF’s summary of the study here, and the key findings in EFA’s news story here. 

Yaële Aferiat