Fundraisers held about 105,800 jobs in 2021. The largest employers of fundraisers were 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.
Work Schedules
Most fundraisers work full time. Some attend fundraising events on nights and weekends, possibly requiring additional hours.
Fundraisers typically need a bachelor’s degree and strong communication and organizational skills. Employers may prefer candidates who have studied public relations, communications, English, or business.
Education
Although fundraisers have a variety of academic backgrounds, common bachelor’s degree fields include communications, business, and social science. Degrees in other subjects also are acceptable.
Other Experience
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.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
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.
Advancement
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.
Fundraisers typically have an interest in the Creating, Persuading and Organizing interest areas, according to the Holland Code framework. The Creating interest area indicates a focus on being original and imaginative, and working with artistic media. The Persuading interest area indicates a focus on influencing, motivating, and selling to other people. The Organizing interest area indicates a focus on working with information and processes to keep things arranged in orderly systems.
If you are not sure whether you have a Creating or Persuading or Organizing interest which might fit with a career as a fundraiser, you can take a career test to measure your interests.
Fundraisers should also possess the following specific qualities:
Communication skills. Fundraisers need impeccable communication skills in order to communicate the message 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.
Leadership. Many fundraisers manage large teams of volunteers and must be able to lead them without having the usual incentive of pay at their disposal.
Organizational skills. Fundraisers manage large campaigns and events that require planning and organizational skills to succeed.
The median annual wage for fundraisers was $60,660 in May 2021. 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.
In May 2021, the median annual wages for fundraisers in the top industries in which they worked were 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 from 2021 to 2031, 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
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.