Occupation · SOC 13-1131
Fundraisers
Organize activities to raise funds or otherwise solicit and gather monetary donations or other gifts for an organization. May design and produce promotional materials. May also raise awareness of the organization's work, goals, and financial needs.
Median wage
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Projected growth
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—
Annual openings
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per year
Employed (US)
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Job Zone 4
Typical preparation
Considerable preparation
Stackable credential programs
621 mapped
Core skills
SpeakingWritingReading ComprehensionPersuasionActive ListeningNegotiationCritical ThinkingCoordinationSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationJudgment and Decision MakingComplex Problem SolvingActive LearningSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisMonitoringTime ManagementMathematicsManagement of Financial ResourcesInstructingLearning StrategiesManagement of Personnel ResourcesManagement of Material ResourcesOperations AnalysisTechnology DesignOperations MonitoringOperation and ControlQuality Control AnalysisProgrammingScienceEquipment SelectionTroubleshootingRepairingInstallationEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Customer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageSales and MarketingAdministration and ManagementCommunications and MediaEconomics and AccountingComputers and ElectronicsAdministrativeMathematicsPsychologyPersonnel and Human ResourcesEducation and TrainingLaw and GovernmentSociology and AnthropologyTelecommunicationsDesignPhilosophy and TheologyFine ArtsTransportationPublic Safety and SecurityGeographyProduction and ProcessingHistory and ArcheologyForeign LanguageTherapy and CounselingEngineering and TechnologyBuilding and ConstructionMedicine and DentistryMechanicalFood ProductionBiologyChemistryPhysics
Technology & tools
Adobe PageMakerAudienceView TicketingBlackbaud Luminate CRMBlackbaud The Raiser's EdgeBlackbaud eTapestryConstant ContactCorel CorelDraw Graphics SuiteDatabase softwareEmail softwareFacebookFileMaker ProFoundatino Directory Online (FDO)Microsoft DynamicsMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft PublisherMicrosoft WordSAP BusinessObjects Crystal ReportsSalesforce softwareSofterWare DonorPerfectStructured query language SQLTessitura Network Tessitura SoftwareTwitterWealthEngine FindwealthWeb browser software
Representative tasks
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationGetting InformationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesWorking with ComputersThinking CreativelyOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesSelling or Influencing OthersAnalyzing Data or InformationDeveloping and Building TeamsUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersCoaching and Developing OthersPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicProcessing InformationDocumenting/Recording InformationScheduling Work and ActivitiesResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleTraining and Teaching OthersCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsPerforming Administrative ActivitiesEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesAssisting and Caring for OthersStaffing Organizational UnitsMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentPerforming General Physical ActivitiesControlling Machines and ProcessesInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsHandling and Moving ObjectsRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Donor prospect lists — compile and organize under supervisor guidance using CRM software in a nonprofit development office.Thank-you correspondence — draft and send to donors following established templates and organizational tone guidelines.Donor database records — enter and update accurately using data entry protocols in a development department setting.Individual donor profiles — research and summarize background information to support relationship-building efforts.Direct mail materials — assemble and prepare for distribution under direction as part of an annual giving campaign.Grant application components — gather required documents and data to support a senior officer's submission to funding organizations.Donor solicitation calls — participate in under supervision, following scripted talking points for a telefund or phonathon program.Fundraising event logistics — assist in coordinating tasks such as registration, materials, and donor check-in at organizational events.Sponsorship request letters — draft initial versions for review, incorporating organizational mission and giving opportunity details.Office suite and spreadsheet tools — use to track donation records, prepare reports, and support team communications in a development office.
developing
Prospective individual and corporate donors — identify and cultivate relationships through outreach and networking with reduced supervisory oversight.Donor acknowledgment letters — write and personalize at scale to reinforce giving relationships and stewardship across a mid-sized portfolio.Annual giving campaigns — implement end-to-end, coordinating direct mail, email, and digital channels in a development department setting.Cash and in-kind solicitations — conduct independently with individuals and small business donors using persuasive communication techniques.CRM donor database — manage and update regularly, running queries and generating reports to support campaign planning and donor tracking.Grant proposal narratives — compile and draft for submission to foundation and government funders, meeting stated requirements and deadlines.Contribution strategies — adapt existing frameworks to encourage lapsed donors to renew or upgrade their giving levels.Donor prospect research tools — apply independently to assess capacity and interest, prioritizing outreach for a defined prospect pool.Sponsorship packages — develop and present to corporate partners, aligning giving opportunities with organizational programs and donor interests.Fundraising performance data — monitor and analyze across campaigns, identifying trends and recommending adjustments to development leadership.
proficient
Major gift donor relationships — cultivate and manage autonomously across a full portfolio, navigating complex solicitation strategies for high-capacity prospects.Comprehensive fundraising strategies — develop and execute to encourage new and increased contributions across individual, corporate, and government donor segments.Multi-channel fundraising programs — design and lead, integrating direct mail, digital, events, and personal solicitation within an organization's development plan.Complex grant proposals — author and submit independently to competitive funding sources, synthesizing organizational data and programmatic evidence.Donor commitment negotiations — lead with corporate and major individual donors, resolving objections and securing multi-year or planned giving agreements.Donor database architecture — configure and optimize CRM systems to support moves management, prospect tracking, and campaign segmentation.Stewardship communications — develop and oversee, ensuring donor recognition and impact reporting align with gift agreements and organizational brand standards.Non-routine fundraising challenges — assess and resolve, such as donor attrition crises or campaign underperformance, applying critical thinking and adaptive tactics.Cross-functional campaign coordination — lead across marketing, finance, and program teams to align fundraising activities with organizational priorities.Presentation materials and case statements — produce using desktop publishing and presentation software to articulate organizational impact to diverse donor audiences.
advanced
Organizational fundraising vision — set and communicate, defining multi-year revenue goals and philanthropic priorities that align with institutional strategic plans.Development department staff — mentor and develop, building team competency in solicitation, stewardship, and donor relationship management practices.Enterprise-wide donor engagement strategy — architect and oversee, integrating major gifts, planned giving, annual fund, and corporate partnerships into a unified framework.Board and leadership volunteers — equip and mobilize as fundraising ambassadors, coaching them in prospect cultivation and donor ask techniques.Institutional grant and funding relationships — lead at the executive level, stewarding government agencies and major foundation partners across complex multi-year agreements.Fundraising systems and technology infrastructure — evaluate and govern, directing adoption of CRM platforms, analytics tools, and digital engagement solutions organization-wide.Sector-wide fundraising trends — analyze and translate into organizational strategy, applying systems analysis to anticipate shifts in donor behavior and philanthropic markets.High-level corporate and government partnerships — negotiate and secure, structuring sponsorship and grant agreements that deliver transformational organizational impact.Ethical standards and compliance frameworks — establish and enforce for all fundraising operations, ensuring adherence to professional codes, donor intent, and regulatory requirements.Organizational culture of philanthropy — champion across departments, integrating donor-centered values into leadership practices, staff orientation, and public communications.
Also known as
35 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Annual Giving CoordinatorAnnual Giving OfficerCampaign FundraiserCapital Campaign FundraiserCommunity FundraiserContract Grant WriterDevelopment AssociateDevelopment CoordinatorDevelopment OfficerDirect Response ConsultantDonation CoordinatorDonation SpecialistDonor OfficerDonor Relations OfficerDonor SpecialistFundraiserFundraising AssociateFundraising ConsultantFundraising CoordinatorFundraising OfficerFundraising Sale RepresentativeFundraising SpecialistGrant CoordinatorGrant WriterGrant Writing SpecialistGrants SpecialistMajor Donors CoordinatorMajor Gifts OfficerMarket Development SpecialistNonprofit FundraiserPhilanthropy OfficerPlanned Giving OfficerPrincipal Gifts OfficerSpecial Events FundraiserTelemarketing Fundraiser