Are advancement VPs, AVPs, and Directors aligned on their biggest challenges?

In fall 2024, we surveyed more than 160 advancement leaders about the biggest challenges facing their teams. Nearly 40% of respondents were VPs, with AVPs, Directors, and other advancement leaders making up the rest. The findings highlighted some clear trends, but what really stood out to me were the differences between how VPs and their teams prioritized key challenges.

In this blog, I’ll walk through a few of the most interesting disconnects between leadership roles and what that means for how advancement teams work together.

3 disconnects between advancement leadership by level

1. AVPs and Directors feel staffing shortages more acutely than VPs

While 54% of all respondents ranked staffing shortages as a top three challenge, VPs notably selected it less than AVPs and Directors. This suggests that AVPs and Directors are feeling the strain more – likely because they’re closer to the day-to-day work and often the ones stepping in to cover gaps when positions are vacant.

Other notable survey results:

• 75% of all respondents reported having current vacancies in their advancement office
• 42% of all respondents reported deprioritizing less urgent projects due to staffing shortages.

What this means:
Even if hiring isn’t an option right now, supporting the team you have is critical. That might mean investing in staff retention efforts, bringing in external support for time-consuming tasks, or rethinking workloads so people aren’t stretched too thin. VPs must look for ways to remove low-value work that takes time away from donor engagement. Are staff spending hours on manual reporting? Juggling administrative tasks that could be automated? Streamlining processes and cutting unnecessary work frees up time for what matters most.

Why advancement employees leave (and how leaders can fix it)

2. Pipeline growth is a concern for everyone, but VPs are especially focused on it

Over 80% of respondents said they’re concerned about declining donor counts and the long-term impact on their pipeline. VPs reported this concern at higher rates than their AVP and Director colleagues. That’s likely because VPs are responsible f leading the big picture strategy and strategic vision for advancement and are more focused on future growth and sustainability.

Other notable survey results:

• Despite pipeline growth being a top concern, 29% of advancement leaders said boosting annual giving efforts is not a priority
• Growing pipelines involves expanding donor bases, but 55% of institutions do not collect DEI data from donors

What this means:
Advancement teams need to prioritize pipeline growth alongside their other work. If bringing in new donors isn’t an intentional part of your strategy, you won’t build the pipeline you need to sustain future fundraising. Annual giving is one of the most effective ways to attract new donors, yet nearly a third of advancement leaders aren’t prioritizing it. At the same time, many institutions lack the data needed to expand outreach to younger and more diverse donors. VPs should set clear goals for donor acquisition, ensure their teams have the resources and bandwidth to execute, and make it a consistent part of their strategy.

Annual giving’s critical role in fueling your donor pipeline

3. VPs are overestimating their teams’ digital marketing capabilities

When asked what their institution’s biggest barrier is in incorporating digital marketing, 56% of AVPs and Directors cited lack of staff expertise, compared to just 33% of VPs. This tells me that VPs may think their teams are more prepared to handle digital marketing than they actually are.

Other notable survey results:

• While 100% of teams use email, only 56% use digital ads
• 57% of advancement leaders cite difficulty measuring ROI as the biggest digital marketing challenge

What this means:
Digital marketing is essential for modern fundraising, but most teams aren’t set up to do it well. More than half of AVPs and Directors say they don’t have the expertise to run strong digital campaigns, and that’s on top of already being short-staffed. VPs should sit down with their teams to understand where the gaps are—whether it’s skills, time, or resources—and work with them to fix it. Digital isn’t just about sending emails anymore. Paid ads, social media, and targeted campaigns are critical for reaching new donors and keeping existing ones engaged. If teams don’t have what they need to do digital well, advancement programs will fall behind.

Final thoughts
At the end of the day, everyone on the advancement team is working toward the same goals, even if they experience the challenges differently. The key is making sure teams are aligned on what needs to be prioritized and that everyone has the support they need to do the work.

If these challenges resonate with you, I’d love to hear how you’re approaching them. Reach out on LinkedIn or send me an email. And if you haven’t already, download the full 2025 Advancement Leaders Playbook to explore all the insights.