Fundraiser Career
A fundraiser is someone who plans and executes events and raises funds or other donations on behalf of an organization. Fundraisers generally work in the nonprofit sector, often among religious, social, civic or charitable organizations. Monies you raise as a fundraiser benefit the organization or cause for which you work. In addition to increasing an organization’s donations, fundraisers also work to increase awareness about an agency’s work, goals and financial needs.
Fundraisers are often the face of an organization, and interact with the general public and other potential donors regularly. Fundraising may be a great career choice for you if you enjoy social interactions and desire to make a difference in your community.
Fundraiser Career Snapshot
Fundraisers may work in an office setting, where they contact potential donors via phone or through email, or in the field, where they communicate with donors in person. A lot of fundraising efforts, like galas or charity runs, take place outside of the office, and may require traveling.
Further details on a career as a fundraiser are listed below (statistics from the May 2015 Bureau of Labor Statistics and Onet Online):
is the average annual pay for fundraising professionals.
increase in employment between 2014 and 2024.
have a Bachelor’s degree while 9% have attended some college, but have no degree.
Fundraiser Education
Most organizations require fundraisers to have some higher education, so if you’re interested in becoming a fundraiser, you’d want at least a bachelor’s degree. There’s usually no specific degree requirements, but many organizations prefer their fundraisers have degrees in communications, public relations, English, or business. If you decide to become a fundraiser, you can advance to a fundraising manager position but may be required to have a master’s degree and several years of experience.
Fundraiser Job Duties
Fundraisers are responsible for organizing fundraising events, soliciting donations, maintaining donation records and training volunteers. Being a fundraiser requires great organizational and leadership skills. Creativity is also needed to properly plan and execute fundraising campaigns.
Fundraiser Salaries
Typically, fundraising salaries can vary from $31,340 to $90,770 per year according to BLS.gov May 2015 data. Depending on the size of the organization for which you work, salaries can be affected by experience and education level. Most fundraisers make an average of $52,970 per year.
Fundraiser Job Outlook
If you’re considering a career as a fundraiser, job growth numbers look promising. In fact, the percentage of fundraiser positions is growing faster than in other job fields. In 2014, the number of fundraisers totaled 73,400, but that number is expected to increase by 6,900 positions – that’s a 9% growth rate – by the year 2024.
Fundraiser Skills & Traits
| Fundraiser Skill Set: | Required Abilities: | Tools Used by Fundraisers: | Typical Work Activities: |
|---|---|---|---|
| • Speaking • Writing • Active Listening • Persuasion • Critical Thinking | • Oral Expression • Written Expression • Oral Comprehension • Speech Recognition • Speech Clarity | • Automobiles or cars • Laser fax machine • Computer laser printers • Laptop computers • Photocopying equipment | • Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships • Communicating with Others • Getting Information • Selling or Influencing Others • Working Directly with the Public |
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