Careers · Explore one path
Fundraising Managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities to solicit and maintain funds for special projects or nonprofit organizations.
Other titles employers use
Advancement Director · Annual Giving Director · Development Director · Donor Engagement Director · Foundation Director · Fundraising Manager · Individual Giving Director · Individual Giving Manager
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- 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 goals for soliciting funds, develop policies for collection and safeguarding of contributions, and coordinate disbursement of funds.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, government officials, and media representatives and use these relationships to develop new fundraising opportunities.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to persuading, organizing and helping work.
- Persuading
- Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Social Perceptiveness
- Persuasion
- Reading Comprehension
Subjects to know
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administrative
- English Language
- Sales and Marketing
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Deductive Reasoning
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 2.6 | Largely your own space |
| On your feet | 1.9 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.8 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 2.1 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a bachelor's degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A four-year degree 65%
- A certificate or some college 20%
- A master's degree 11%
- A two-year degree 4%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Sales and marketing software
- Document management software
- Word processing software
- Video creation and editing software
- Desktop publishing software
- Customer relationship management CRM software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 5,200
- Job openings each year
- 380
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 13.0%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 5,200 | 380 | 13.0% |
| Illinois | 1,990 | 140 | 4.2% |
| Maryland | 1,650 | 120 | 9.3% |
| Colorado | 1,550 | 110 | 11.5% |
| Georgia | 1,510 | 110 | 7.1% |
| North Carolina | 1,500 | 110 | 11.1% |
| Alabama | 1,380 | 100 | 7.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 1,380 | 100 | 3.8% |
| Indiana | 1,200 | 90 | 6.2% |
| Florida | 970 | 70 | 14.1% |
| Oregon | 940 | 70 | 14.6% |
| Ohio | 910 | 60 | 5.8% |
| Connecticut | 890 | 70 | 9.9% |
| District of Columbia | 840 | 60 | 10.5% |
| Michigan | 800 | 60 | 3.9% |
| New Jersey | 780 | 60 | 6.8% |
| Arkansas | 680 | 60 | 25.9% |
| Massachusetts | 660 | 50 | 10.0% |
| Wisconsin | 600 | 40 | 11.1% |
| Iowa | 590 | 40 | 11.3% |
| Nebraska | 580 | 40 | 7.4% |
| Minnesota | 550 | 40 | 7.8% |
| Virginia | 490 | 40 | 6.5% |
| Arizona | 460 | 30 | 12.2% |
| South Carolina | 450 | 40 | 12.5% |
| Missouri | 420 | 30 | 7.7% |
| Utah | 420 | 30 | 16.7% |
| Kansas | 360 | 30 | 9.1% |
| Oklahoma | 300 | 20 | 3.4% |
| New Hampshire | 260 | 20 | 4.0% |
| Tennessee | 250 | 20 | 25.0% |
| Maine | 240 | 20 | — |
| Kentucky | 220 | 20 | 4.8% |
| Rhode Island | 190 | 10 | 5.6% |
| Nevada | 160 | 10 | 6.7% |
| Delaware | 130 | 10 | 8.3% |
| Mississippi | 110 | 10 | 22.2% |
| Montana | 100 | 10 | 11.1% |
| Vermont | 100 | 10 | 11.1% |
| West Virginia | 80 | 10 | — |
| Alaska | 40 | 0 | 33.3% |
| New Mexico | 40 | 0 | 33.3% |
| North Dakota | 30 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Southern New Hampshire University
- Degrees each year
- 6,435
- Admit rate
- 96%
- Annual cost after aid
- $37,000
Western Governors University
- Degrees each year
- 3,033
- Admit rate
- Not reported
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
California State University-Fullerton
- Degrees each year
- 2,781
- Admit rate
- 87%
- Annual cost after aid
- $6,000
San Diego State University
- Degrees each year
- 2,303
- Admit rate
- 34%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
University of Colorado Boulder
- Degrees each year
- 1,813
- Admit rate
- 83%
- Annual cost after aid
- $19,000
San Jose State University
- Degrees each year
- 2,011
- Admit rate
- 80%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
Liberty University
- Degrees each year
- 1,715
- Admit rate
- 99%
- Annual cost after aid
- $27,000
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
- Degrees each year
- 1,700
- Admit rate
- 74%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
Compare every college offering public relations, advertising, and applied communication