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Higher Education
Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Michigan
Fundraising Managers
Fundraising managers figure out how an organization will bring in money, then turn that plan into donor meetings, grant requests, events, and staff coordination. The work is distinct because it depends on relationships and persuasion as much as budgets and writing, and the tradeoff is that even a well-run campaign can still miss its goal if donors or sponsors do not respond.
Also known as Development DirectorDirector of DevelopmentFundraising DirectorDevelopment ManagerHead of Development
Median Salary
$123,480
Mean $137,290
U.S. Workforce
~37K
3.6K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+4.2%
45.7K to 47.6K
Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
+ 5 years or more experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Fundraising Managers sits in the Business category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~37K workers, with a median annual pay of $123,480 and roughly 3.6K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 45.7 K in 2024 to 47.6K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Bachelor's degree, and employers typically expect 5 years or more of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Development Coordinator and can progress toward Director of Development. High-value skills usually include Donor Strategy & Critical Thinking, Donor Presentations & Speaking, and Active Listening in Donor Meetings, paired with soft skills such as Critical Thinking, Speaking, and Active Listening.
Core Responsibilities
- Write grant applications and other funding requests for foundations, companies, or public agencies.
- Build plans that encourage donors to give more often or increase their support.
- Organize fundraisers such as auctions, walks, galas, and golf outings.
- Create press releases, brochures, and website updates that explain the organization’s work.
Keep exploring: more Business careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Write grant applications and other funding requests for foundations, companies, or public agencies.
02 Build plans that encourage donors to give more often or increase their support.
03 Organize fundraisers such as auctions, walks, galas, and golf outings.
04 Create press releases, brochures, and website updates that explain the organization’s work.
05 Research potential donors and sponsors to find people and businesses likely to support the cause.
06 Supervise fundraising staff and meet with community, business, or government leaders to build support.
Industries That Hire
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Healthcare and Hospitals
Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins Medicine
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Arts and Cultural Nonprofits
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lincoln Center, Smithsonian Institution
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Human Services and Relief
American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, UNICEF USA
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Foundations and Philanthropy
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Ford Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York
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Environmental and Conservation Groups
The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, Sierra Club
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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Pay is strong for the nonprofit world, with a mean annual wage of $137,290 and a median of $123,480.
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The work changes from week to week, mixing grant writing, donor research, events, and staff coordination.
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You can build a clear leadership track because the role usually expects 5 or more years of experience and no on-the-job training.
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There are still 3.6K annual openings, so experienced candidates can find real opportunities instead of waiting for a rare opening.
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The skills transfer across education, healthcare, arts, and advocacy organizations, so you are not locked into one niche.
Challenges
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Growth is only 4.2% through 2034, which is modest for a job that already needs 5 or more years of experience.
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Breaking in can be hard because employers usually want substantial fundraising experience before they will trust someone with revenue targets.
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The job depends on donor behavior and the economy, so a strong plan can still fall apart when giving slows or a budget gets cut.
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Evening and weekend events are common, and donor meetings often happen outside normal office hours.
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Some of the routine work is becoming easier to automate with CRM and email tools, which makes basic outreach less valuable and raises the bar for candidates.
Career Progression
Development Coordinator
0-2 years
$42K-$57K
Handles donor lists, event logistics, mailings, and basic support work for a fundraising team.
Fundraising Specialist
2-5 years
$58K-$83K
Runs parts of campaigns, drafts appeals, follows up with donors, and helps track fundraising results.
Fundraising Manager THIS ROLE
5-10 years
$100K-$140K
Owns fundraising plans, manages staff or volunteers, and works directly with major donors and sponsors.
Senior Fundraising Manager
8-12 years
$141K-$175K
Leads larger campaigns, oversees multiple fundraising channels, and handles higher-stakes donor relationships.
Director of Development
12+ years
$176K-$220K
Sets the organization’s full fundraising strategy and is responsible for the biggest gifts and long-term revenue goals.
Education Paths
Bachelor's degree
BLS lists this as the typical entry point, usually paired with 5 or more years of related experience before moving into the role.
Master's degree
A master's degree shows up for 10.93% of workers in the O*NET distribution and is more common for people aiming at larger organizations or senior development teams.
Associate's degree
An associate's degree appears for 3.93% of workers in the O*NET distribution, usually as part of a longer climb through events, donor support, or administrative work.
Fundraising certificate or CFRE-style credential
This is an alternative route for people who build donor, event, or grant-writing experience on the job, even though it is not reflected in the degree distribution.
Key Skills
Technical
Donor Strategy & Critical Thinking 82%
Donor Presentations & Speaking 82%
Active Listening in Donor Meetings 80%
Persuasive Grant and Appeal Writing 78%
Salesforce, Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT & Donor CRM Platforms 77%
Excel, Budget Tracking & Fundraising Dashboards 75%
Soft Skills
Critical ThinkingSpeakingActive ListeningPersuasionSocial PerceptivenessWriting Job Outlook and Trends
+4.2%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
3.6K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 45.7K to 47.6 K over the next decade, representing 4.2% growth. Around 3.6 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Moderate. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.