Charity fundraiser
Charity fundraisers are employed primarily to increase the contributions of individuals and groups to a charity by building relationships and exploring new fundraising opportunities from various sources. They tend to be categorised according to the types of donors on whom they focus. The main categories of fundraiser are: community, corporate, legacy, major gifts, trusts, and events. In larger charities, fundraisers are likely to specialise in one particular source. In smaller charities, a single fundraiser may cover several types of potential donors.
A unifying feature of all fundraising roles is building successful relationships with supporters and so the ability to network is crucial. Fundraisers also work to raise awareness of the charity's work, aims and goals.
The various types of fundraising involve different activities, but typically include:
Salary figures are intended as a guide only.
Charity fundraising is a popular and therefore competitive area of work. It is open to all graduates and those with an HND qualification, and having a degree may give you an advantage when applying. For some posts, a degree is an essential entry requirement and a qualification or experience in marketing, media or business may also be helpful.
Recent graduates are rarely accepted without relevant experience and employers consider relevant skills and experience to be more important that your subject of study. Experience can usually be gained through volunteering and the most common routes into charity fundraising are to volunteer for a charity or to work as a fundraising assistant. Many employers ask for significant experience and so it is crucial to take every available opportunity. Charities look favourably on experience in marketing, public relations, events, advertising, sales and finance. You need not have had long-term experience with one organisation, nor is full-time experience expected. Voluntary work experience provides evidence of your interest and commitment to working in the not-for-profit sector and gives an opportunity to develop valuable networks within the sector. Some larger charities offer internships, which can provide valuable work experience and sometimes lead to permanent posts.
Posts are normally advertised, but speculative applications are acceptable. Senior posts are often filled from the commercial sector.
The field of international development is particularly competitive and so a relevant undergraduate or Masters degree are desirable.
Taking a fundraising training course is another route into a fundraising career, although these often form part of training within employment. Contact the Institute of Fundraising or see VolResource for further information about available courses.
Candidates need to show evidence of the following:
It is a good idea to research the various types of fundraising and available roles. Below is an overview of the main areas of specialism:
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
Training is primarily on the job. Expect responsibility and autonomy early, with opportunities to work in various roles. Work may be supported by short courses tailored for the not-for-profit sector, ranging from foundation-level courses for new starters to specialist and experienced fundraiser courses in, for example, legacy or corporate fundraising.
The Institute of Fundraising , the Directory of Social Change (DSC) and Working for a Charity offer courses for both new and experienced fundraisers, which offer participants the opportunity to network, learn new and innovative ways of approaching work and examine different methods of raising money and resources. A list of training providers is available from the Institute of Fundraising . These include the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) .
Postgraduate courses cater for professionals working in the field. The Open University Business School , Cass Business School , London South Bank University , Sheffield Hallam University , St Mary's University College, Twickenham and the University of the West of England, Bristol offer such courses.
Many graduates in charity fundraising pursue professional qualifications to distinguish themselves and open new career avenues. This trend is likely to grow. Charities are increasingly looking for staff with membership of the Institute of Fundraising as evidence of professional status and this may become a requirement for career advancement in the future.
Larger charities with a fundraising department and an established staffing structure may offer scope for promotion and career development within the organisation. In smaller charities, one individual is often responsible for a range of fundraising activities, which provides an excellent breadth of experience.
A career path within fundraising might involve moving from volunteering to fundraising officer, then to fundraising manager, head of fundraising in a small charity, or a middle management role in a large charity. At the top end, moves may be possible to become director of fundraising in a small charity or head of a fundraising department in a large charity. As in most professions, the higher you climb on a career ladder, the tougher it becomes, as there is stiff competition for a smaller number of jobs.
If you want to specialise in a particular area, such as corporate or trust fundraising, there will be more opportunities in larger charities, since they are more likely to have several fundraising teams. Large charities also require the full range of business functions, so you could move into specialist areas such as operations, database management or marketing and communications.
The skills you develop as a fundraiser, such as strategic thinking, project management, networking and public relations, are useful and highly valued by employers both within and outside the voluntary sector. Highlighting your commercial awareness and business skills may help with a sideways move into the private or public sector. Corporate social responsibility is a growing area where jobs may emerge.
Between 2001 and 2010 the voluntary sector's paid workforce increased by 40%, resulting in increased opportunities for graduates. There was a 5% reduction in the workforce between 2010 and 2011, but fundraisers were probably less affected than other workers as their role is crucial to keeping charities afloat (National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) , The UK Voluntary Sector Workforce Almanac 2011 ).
Typical employers are charities, although their size, structure and purpose vary tremendously. Other organisations which employ fundraisers include:
The main characteristic of these organisations is that they are dedicated to the promotion of a particular cause rather than to making a profit.
The UK voluntary sector had 765,000 paid workers in 2010 and an additional 20.4 million volunteers who offered their services at least once a month. The total income of all registered charities in England and Wales is estimated to be over £52billion, with a further £10billion raised by Scottish charities (The Charity Commission for England and Wales and Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) , 2011). This income is not evenly distributed, with a minority of larger charities generating a large proportion of the income. Around 75% of charities are small, with incomes below £100,000. These smaller organisations struggle to keep pace and incomes fluctuate year on year, posing a big challenge to fundraisers. Charitable giving has been affected by the recession, with individual donations in the UK falling by 8% between 2010 and 2011.
Recruitment consultancies specialising in the not-for-profit sector are an important source of job vacancies. UK-wide agencies include:
Regional agencies include:
Volunteering vacancies are increasingly advertised on regional job vacancy websites. When looking for volunteering opportunities, try:
You can also make a speculative application for voluntary work to individual charities.
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