What They Do: Fundraisers organize events and campaigns to raise money and other kinds of donations for an organization.
Work Environment: Fundraisers work primarily for nonprofit organizations, including educational institutions, religious organizations, health research foundations, social services organizations, and political campaigns. Most work full time.
How to Become One: Fundraisers typically need a bachelor’s degree and strong communication and organizational skills. Employers generally prefer candidates who have studied public relations, journalism, communications, English, or business.
Salary: The median annual wage for fundraisers is $60,660.
Job Outlook: Employment of fundraisers is projected to grow 11 percent over the next ten years, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of fundraisers with similar occupations.
Fundraisers organize events and campaigns to raise money and other kinds of donations for an organization. They also may design promotional materials and increase awareness of an organization's work, goals, and financial needs.
Fundraisers typically do the following:
Fundraisers plan and oversee campaigns and events to raise money and other kinds of donations for an organization. They ensure that campaigns are effective by researching potential donors and examining records of those who have given in the past.
Fundraisers who work for political campaigns must be knowledgeable about campaign finance laws, such as the contribution limits of an individual giving to a specific candidate.
The following are examples of types of fundraisers:
Annual campaign fundraisers solicit donations once a year for their organization. Many nonprofit organizations have annual giving campaigns.
Capital campaign fundraisers raise money for a specific project, such as the construction of a new building at a university. Capital campaigns also raise money for renovations and the creation or expansion of an endowment.
Major-gifts fundraisers specialize in face-to-face interaction with donors who can give large amounts.
Planned-giving fundraisers solicit donations from those who are looking to pledge money at a future date or in installments over time. These fundraisers must have specialized training in taxes regarding gifts of stocks, bonds, charitable annuities, and real estate bequests in a will.
Fundraisers hold about 105,800 jobs. The largest employers of fundraisers are as follows:
| Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations | 41% |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 25% |
| Healthcare and social assistance | 17% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 5% |
| Administrative and support services | 2% |
Most fundraisers raise funds for an organization which employs them directly, although some fundraisers work for consulting firms that have many clients.
Fundraisers spend much of their time communicating with other employees and potential donors, either in person, on the phone, or through email.
Some fundraisers may need to travel to locations where fundraising events are held. Events may include charity runs, walks, galas, and dinners.
Most fundraisers work full time. Some attend fundraising events on nights and weekends, possibly requiring additional hours.
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Fundraisers typically need a bachelor's degree and strong communication and organizational skills. Employers generally prefer candidates who have studied public relations, journalism, communications, English, or business.
Although fundraisers have a variety of academic backgrounds, employers typically prefer a candidate with a bachelor's degree in public relations, journalism, communications, English, or business. Degrees in other subjects also may be acceptable.
Internships and previous work experience are important in obtaining a paid position as a fundraiser. Many fundraising campaigns rely on volunteers having face-to-face or over-the-phone interaction with potential donors. It is important for the fundraiser who organizes the campaign to have experience with this type of work.
Laws vary by state, but many states require some types of fundraisers to register with a state authority. Check with your state for more information.
Fundraisers can advance to fundraising manager positions. However, some manager positions may also require a master's degree, in addition to years of work experience as a fundraiser.
Communication skills. Fundraisers need strong communication skills to clearly explain the message and goals of their organization so that people will make donations.
Detail oriented. Fundraisers must be detail oriented because they deal with large volumes of data, including lists of people's names and phone numbers, and must comply with state and federal regulations. Failing to do so may result in penalties.
Interpersonal skills. Fundraisers need strong interpersonal skills to develop and maintain relationships with donors.
Organizational skills. Fundraisers manage large campaigns and events. They must have strong planning and organizational skills in order to succeed.
The median annual wage for fundraisers is $60,660. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $37,020, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $100,620.
The median annual wages for fundraisers in the top industries in which they work are as follows:
| Educational services; state, local, and private | $62,480 |
| Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations | $60,590 |
| Healthcare and social assistance | $52,320 |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | $50,630 |
| Administrative and support services | $48,970 |
Most fundraisers work full time. Some attend fundraising events on nights and weekends, possibly requiring additional hours.
Employment of fundraisers is projected to grow 11 percent over the next ten years, much faster than the average for all occupations.
About 11,400 openings for fundraisers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment growth will be driven by the continued need of nonprofit organizations to collect donations in order to run their operations.
Many nonprofit organizations are focusing on cultivating an online presence and are increasingly using social media for fundraising activities. As a result, social media platforms have created new avenues for fundraisers to connect with potential donors and to spread their organization’s message.
| Occupational Title | Employment, 2021 | Projected Employment, 2031 | Change, 2021-31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | |||
| Fundraisers | 105,800 | 117,600 | 11 | 11,800 |