Occupation · SOC 11-2033
Fundraising Managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities to solicit and maintain funds for special projects or nonprofit organizations.
Median wage
—
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
—
Job Zone 4
Typical preparation
Considerable preparation
Stackable credential programs
1,011 mapped
Core skills
Critical ThinkingSpeakingPersuasionActive ListeningSocial PerceptivenessWritingReading ComprehensionJudgment and Decision Making
Knowledge areas
Administration and ManagementCustomer and Personal ServiceAdministrativeEnglish LanguageSales and Marketing
Technology & tools
Document management softwareVideo creation and editing softwareGraphics or photo imaging softwareDesktop publishing softwareWeb page creation and editing software
Representative tasks
Develop strategies to encourage new or increased contributions.Manage fundraising budgets.Develop fundraising activity plans that maximize participation or contributions and minimize costs.Plan and direct special events for fundraising, such as silent auctions, dances, golf events, or walks.Establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, government officials, and media representatives and use these relationships to develop new fundraising opportunities.Establish goals for soliciting funds, develop policies for collection and safeguarding of contributions, and coordinate disbursement of funds.Compile or develop materials to submit to granting or other funding organizations.Contact corporate representatives, government officials, or community leaders to increase awareness of organizational causes, activities, or needs.Conduct research to identify the goals, net worth, charitable donation history, or other data related to potential donors, potential investors, or general donor markets.Write interesting and effective press releases, prepare information for media kits, and develop and maintain company internet or intranet Web pages.Formulate policies and procedures related to fundraising programs.Assign, supervise, and review the activities of fundraising staff.Evaluate advertising and promotion programs for compatibility with fundraising efforts.Design and edit promotional publications, such as brochures.Direct activities of external agencies, establishments, or departments that develop and implement fundraising strategies and programs.Produce films and other video products, regulate their distribution, and operate film library.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Fundraising contribution strategies — research and draft initial recommendations under supervisor guidance within a nonprofit development office.Fundraising budget components — identify and track line items using spreadsheet software under direct oversight in a department-level budget cycle.Special event logistics — assist in coordinating tasks such as venue setup and volunteer scheduling for silent auctions or charity walks under senior direction.Donor contribution policies — review and apply established collection and safeguarding procedures under supervision in a development department.Grant support materials — compile background data and organizational facts to assist senior staff in preparing submissions to funding organizations.CRM database records — enter and update donor contact information accurately using customer relationship management software in a development office.Community outreach messages — draft written communications to increase awareness of organizational causes under editorial review by a manager.Active listening skills — apply during donor intake conversations and team briefings to capture key information in a nonprofit fundraising environment.Fundraising participation plans — support the development of cost-conscious activity schedules by gathering participation data under manager guidance.Corporate representative contact lists — research and organize prospect information to support outreach efforts directed by senior fundraising staff.
developing
Donor contribution strategies — develop and implement targeted approaches to encourage increased giving within an established mid-size nonprofit program.Fundraising event budget — manage income and expense tracking for golf tournaments, galas, or auction events with limited oversight from department leadership.Special fundraising events — plan and coordinate logistics end-to-end, including vendor contracts and volunteer coordination, for recurring annual campaigns.Fund solicitation goals — establish realistic targets and monitor progress against benchmarks using CRM reporting tools in a development department.Grant proposal packages — compile and edit complete submissions, including narratives and financial documentation, for foundation or government funding bodies.Stakeholder relationships — cultivate and maintain ongoing working relationships with community leaders and local officials to surface new fundraising opportunities.Fundraising activity plans — design participation-maximizing, cost-minimizing campaign calendars aligned with organizational capacity and donor segments.Persuasive oral presentations — deliver clear fundraising pitches to corporate representatives and community groups in professional outreach settings.Financial resource management — monitor fundraising revenue and disbursement of contributed funds in compliance with organizational policy and donor intent.Donor communication materials — write and edit compelling appeals, newsletters, and stewardship reports using desktop publishing and office suite software.
proficient
Multi-channel contribution strategies — autonomously design and execute integrated approaches across digital, direct mail, and event channels to grow a diversified donor base.Annual fundraising budget — oversee full budget lifecycle including forecasting, variance analysis, and reallocation decisions across multiple concurrent campaigns.Complex fundraising event programs — lead planning and execution of large-scale events such as multi-day conferences or major donor galas, resolving non-routine operational issues independently.Fund collection and disbursement policies — establish comprehensive governance frameworks covering contribution safeguarding, audit compliance, and disbursement protocols.Major grant submissions — direct the full development cycle for competitive government and foundation grants, including multi-year narrative strategies and detailed financial plans.High-value stakeholder relationships — cultivate and leverage long-term partnerships with senior government officials, media representatives, and corporate executives to open significant funding streams.Corporate outreach campaigns — lead targeted engagement with C-suite representatives to secure sponsorships and cause-related marketing partnerships aligned with organizational mission.Critical problem solving — diagnose and resolve complex fundraising challenges such as mid-campaign revenue shortfalls by adapting strategy in real time.Fundraising data analysis — interpret CRM analytics and performance metrics to inform evidence-based decisions on donor segmentation and campaign investment.Cross-functional team coordination — direct communications, marketing, and program staff toward integrated fundraising goals across the full annual development calendar.
advanced
Organizational fundraising vision — set multi-year strategic direction for all contributed revenue streams, aligning development priorities with institutional mission and board expectations.Enterprise fundraising budget — lead organization-wide financial planning for development operations, including capital campaigns, endowment growth, and operating fund targets.Institutional fundraising policy — establish and continuously refine governance standards for solicitation, stewardship, and fund management across all programs and subsidiaries.Senior stakeholder ecosystem — build and sustain a high-influence network of government officials, philanthropic leaders, and media figures that generates transformational funding opportunities.Fundraising team development — mentor, evaluate, and grow a professional development staff, building organizational capacity and succession depth across all fundraising functions.Campaign innovation strategy — introduce emerging fundraising models such as crowdfunding platforms, impact investing vehicles, or cause marketing alliances to diversify and grow revenue.Board and executive partnership — advise board members and executive leadership on fundraising positioning, goal setting, and donor engagement at the highest organizational levels.Major gift and capital campaign leadership — direct transformational giving initiatives including naming opportunities and endowment campaigns in partnership with principal gift officers.Cross-sector partnership development — negotiate and structure strategic alliances with corporations, government agencies, and peer institutions to co-fund large-scale community impact programs.Organizational fundraising culture — model and instill a mission-driven culture of philanthropy across all staff and volunteer stakeholders, ensuring long-term sustainability of contributed income.
Also known as
57 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Civil Affairs (Army 38A)Institutional Advancement VP (Institutional Advancement Vice President)Public Affairs Officer (Navy 2412)Campaign ManagerGrants ManagerFundraising ManagerPublic Affairs Specialist (Coast Guard PA)Annual Giving DirectorRecruiting Station Marketing and Communication Marine (Marine Corps 4511)Foreign Area Officer, Asia-Pacific (Army 48P)Public Affairs, General (Army 46A)Donor Engagement DirectorProgram ManagerDevelopment DirectorForeign Area Officer, Europe and Eurasia (Army 48E)Grants Management SpecialistAdvancement DirectorDirector, Underwriter SolicitationPhilanthropy DirectorThird Tier Recruiter (Air Force 8R300)Psychological Operations, Designated (Army 37X)Foundation DirectorRL - Special Duty Officer (Public Affairs) (Navy 165)Psychological Operations (Army 37A)Foreign Area Officer, Sub-Saharan Africa (Army 48J)Individual Giving DirectorCivil Affairs Specialist (Army 38B)RL - Special Duty - Foreign Area Officer, Qualified (Navy 171)Individual Giving ManagerCivil Affairs Officer Special Operations (Army 38S)Fundraising Events ManagerMajor Gifts ManagerPsychological Operations Specialist (Army 37F)Mass Communications Specialist (Navy MC)Civil Affairs Senior Sergeant (Army 38Z)Account SupervisorMajor Gifts DirectorFunding CoordinatorLDO - Photography (Navy 647)Foreign Area Officer, Middle East and North Africa (Army 48G)