4 Ways To Attract Top-Tier Talent To Your Nonprofit, NGO or Charity

All charities, nonprofit organizations and NGOs have one thing in common: 

They’re continually looking for the best talent. Every mission-driven organization needs experienced board members, skilled management and top fundraisers.  

It can be easy to assume that money is the key to attracting the best and brightest for your charity, NGO or nonprofit organization, but that isn’t necessarily true. 

Your mission-driven organization exists to impact the world in a positive way. Your first goal is to achieve your mission and purpose— not increase ROI, satisfy stockholders or gain market shares. 

Luckily, the nonprofit sector attracts passionate and skilled people, but top-tier directors, management and fundraisers know their worth. They understand how in-demand they are. And if you don’t connect potential candidates to the heart of your purpose, you might lose your dream employee to another charity, NGO, nonprofit or company.

As a trainer, coach, and speaker to global leaders like Microsoft, WWF UK, and The Learning Trust, I’m sharing the 3 areas to focus on to attract top-tier talent so you don’t waste resources on misaligned staff and create deeper impact for your mission:

It starts at the top. 

When you’re trying to make a sizable impact, raise funds and fulfill your mission, it’s crucial to set the tone from the top down. 

Your charity, NGO or nonprofit leaders should participate in the talent sourcing and recruiting process. Since they’re already passionate about the cause and highly-skilled, they’ll have valuable insights on what your organization needs for the future.

And remember: this doesn’t end.

Always be scouting for top-tier talent, not just when you have a position vacancy. People who are perfectly aligned with your purpose are hard to find— keep a list of anyone who might be the ideal fit for your mission-driven organization. It’ll simplify hiring and strengthen your organization.

Communicate the heart of your purpose.

If you want to attract remarkable people who believe in your work, your organization’s mission and purpose should be loud and clear. It’s not enough to say “NGO” or “nonprofit.” Your entire organization should be connected to its purpose so it’s easily communicated and highlights what makes it different from others in the same sphere.

My clients who’ve done this have not only attracted dream staff, they’ve also magnified their impact with high net-worth donors who deeply believe in their work. You can get the tools they’re using in my Ideal High Net-Worth Training program here.

Plus, you’ll attract talent who are aligned with your approach and objectives as well. While two organizations may be targeting the same issue, they can have wildly  different philosophies. To ensure your potential staff is a perfect fit, your purpose, values and identity need to be fully internalized by everyone so they don’t clash with new hires’ beliefs.

It’s not just about money; offer the intangibles too.

Most organizations don’t realize that attracting the best candidates involves one scary word: selling. Although recruitment agencies can do the heavy lifting, it’s vital to sell your organization’s benefits (and the impact you’re making) to prospective employees.

When I worked in the corporate sector as a sales manager for T&T Logistics, one of the largest logistics firms in the world, I saw firsthand that offering staff development can make a big difference. 

However, most charities, nonprofits and NGOs complain about a lack of budget and time, doing little to develop their employees. Yet one of the key questions that top candidates ask about is skills training, advancement and personal development. And many talented team members leave positions if they feel they’re not growing enough. 

To attract and retain top-notch people, offer workshops, training or speaking events that grow your staff’s passion, skills and talents. If your organization is strapped for staff development funds, my Ideal High Net-Worth Training program is accessible, effective and simple. It’ll give you the exact tools I’ve used with global changemakers like WWK Africa and The Ella Foundation to ignite employees, fuel their purpose and land ideal high net-worth donors.  

Recognize your people! 

Who are the people that are doing a bang-up job? Who’s going above and beyond for your cause? Are you rewarding, really rewarding, your top performers?

Many nonprofit organizations, NGOs and charities position themselves as equal, fair and democratic. But recognizing your top performers will help you retain them. 

In a world where career-hopping has become the norm, it’s important to reward those who perform well. Plus, they’ll be more likely to praise you on social media— sharing your cause with people who have similar values and beliefs— where you’ll likely find ideal donors, volunteers and top-tier staff!

Running a charity, NGO or nonprofit isn’t easy, but it can be more fulfilling and impactful with top-tier talent who truly believe in your work. 

If you want to attract perfectly aligned staff, volunteers and high net-worth donors, you can speed up development with my Ideal High Net-Worth Training right now. It’s got everything your organization needs to land 6 or 7-figure donations and develop your teams to operate at their best (no matter how many obstacles they face or ‘NOs’ they hear). 

Because, when it comes down to the wire, you don’t just need top-tier talent— you need a team of dedicated people to achieve mission success. 

That’s how we’ll make a BIGGER difference together.

Extraordinary impact starts with one chat:

Unleash your best.
Make your mark.
Impact the world.

For a limited time, Craig is offering Magnify Your Impact consultations to align your mission with your deeper purpose.