4 answers
Chelsea
Student
Sedro-Woolley, Washington
1
Question
Asked
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I am interested in a fund raising career. How do I build up to a career as a fundraiser ?
I am interested in a fund raising career. How do I build up to a career as a fundraiser?
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4 answers
Michelle M.
Entertainment Industry
1849
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Chelsea !
Great question ! Becoming a person who does fund raising and grant writing for a non-profit organization is a very important position. It can be very intense, but the results always have a beneficial effect enabling many organizations with programs to exist so that they can serve the community and there are many realms of this for different types of non-profits. It's great if you can learn all types of the ways to raise money so that you broaden your scope for work.
First, develop an awareness for what fund raising is. It means raising money for a group, organization or a non-profit service. There are many ways to do this work. I left a link below for you to read about what someone who goes into this field should know. Fund raising is not a career, rather a job duty but you may see the career position being termed as Development Director, Grant Specialist or Grant Writer. It's going to depend on where you work - a hospital, a community center, a social service agency, etc.
To prepare for this career, you can attend college for a Bachelors Degree and major in Fundraising Management, Nonprofit Management, Public Relations, or Business. If you decide to go for your Masters Degree you can major in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Management.
I suggest going for a Bachelors Degree for this career because you will possibly be able to do advanced projects connected to this subject at college. You will sharpen your written, verbal and presentational skills also. Before you enroll in college, you can take some free online courses in Grant Writing which will help you know the details of how to write proposals and apply for grants for whatever place you work for.
A lot of fund raising is also done online so you can familiarize yourself with that aspect of it, too. I left a link below for you to become more familiar with that. Class Central has an Introduction to Fund Raising class free online that you can take and I left the link for it below. I also left a link for the fund raising jobs on Indeed so that you can become familiar with the work that employers request from a fund raiser.
There is a lot to learn for this career, but it is a process and you will learn a lot on each project and bring that knowledge to the next project. I hope that this is a helpful start and I wish you all the best moving forward for this wonderful career !
TYPES OF FUND RAISING https://www.nonprofitnext.org/sites/default/files/resource_library/fundraising_types_pros_cons.pdf
VIRTUAL FUNDRAISING https://www.causevox.com/blog/virtual-fundraising-ideas/
FREE ONLINE GRANT WRITING CLASSES https://www.nonprofitready.org/grant-writing-classes
FREE INTRODUCTION TO FUND RAISING COURSE ON CLASS CENTRAL https://www.classcentral.com/subject/fundraising
FUND RAISING JOBS TO READ THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS https://www.indeed.com/q-Fundraising-jobs.html
Great question ! Becoming a person who does fund raising and grant writing for a non-profit organization is a very important position. It can be very intense, but the results always have a beneficial effect enabling many organizations with programs to exist so that they can serve the community and there are many realms of this for different types of non-profits. It's great if you can learn all types of the ways to raise money so that you broaden your scope for work.
First, develop an awareness for what fund raising is. It means raising money for a group, organization or a non-profit service. There are many ways to do this work. I left a link below for you to read about what someone who goes into this field should know. Fund raising is not a career, rather a job duty but you may see the career position being termed as Development Director, Grant Specialist or Grant Writer. It's going to depend on where you work - a hospital, a community center, a social service agency, etc.
To prepare for this career, you can attend college for a Bachelors Degree and major in Fundraising Management, Nonprofit Management, Public Relations, or Business. If you decide to go for your Masters Degree you can major in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Management.
I suggest going for a Bachelors Degree for this career because you will possibly be able to do advanced projects connected to this subject at college. You will sharpen your written, verbal and presentational skills also. Before you enroll in college, you can take some free online courses in Grant Writing which will help you know the details of how to write proposals and apply for grants for whatever place you work for.
A lot of fund raising is also done online so you can familiarize yourself with that aspect of it, too. I left a link below for you to become more familiar with that. Class Central has an Introduction to Fund Raising class free online that you can take and I left the link for it below. I also left a link for the fund raising jobs on Indeed so that you can become familiar with the work that employers request from a fund raiser.
There is a lot to learn for this career, but it is a process and you will learn a lot on each project and bring that knowledge to the next project. I hope that this is a helpful start and I wish you all the best moving forward for this wonderful career !
Michelle recommends the following next steps:
Tiffany Sowang
Marketing
1
Answer
San Francisco, California
Updated
Tiffany’s Answer
That’s awesome! Fundraising is a rewarding career where you can really make a difference by supporting causes you care about. Here’s how to get started:
- Learn About Fundraising: Get a feel for what fundraising is by organizing or attending events, writing grants, listening to podcasts, and reading articles, blogs, or books.
- Build Useful Skills: Focus on skills like nonprofit management, communication (both writing and speaking), marketing, relationship-building, and event planning.
- Gain Experience: Get hands-on experience by volunteering with nonprofits or charities, or consider internships and entry-level jobs like a fundraising assistant or event planner.
- Network: Join groups that align with your passions, both in person and online. Follow experienced fundraisers and industry leaders to learn from them.
- Get Involved: Attend fundraising events, workshops, and conferences to build your knowledge and connections.
- Learn About Fundraising: Get a feel for what fundraising is by organizing or attending events, writing grants, listening to podcasts, and reading articles, blogs, or books.
- Build Useful Skills: Focus on skills like nonprofit management, communication (both writing and speaking), marketing, relationship-building, and event planning.
- Gain Experience: Get hands-on experience by volunteering with nonprofits or charities, or consider internships and entry-level jobs like a fundraising assistant or event planner.
- Network: Join groups that align with your passions, both in person and online. Follow experienced fundraisers and industry leaders to learn from them.
- Get Involved: Attend fundraising events, workshops, and conferences to build your knowledge and connections.
Robin Kammerer
DEIB
2
Answers
Omaha, Nebraska
Updated
Robin’s Answer
Fund raising is challenging, but can be very rewarding! You need to be confident and comfortable speaking in public. Relationship building and networking is key! Raising money for a cause or institution you believe in makes a difference, too. You can start in an entry level position at a non-profit. You can also shadow or intern with a fundraiser.
Thank you for the advice!
Chelsea
Victor Cordon
Corporate Social Impact
4
Answers
Berkeley, California
Updated
Victor’s Answer
Kickstart your career in fundraising by engaging with a nonprofit organization that sparks your passion. Genuine enthusiasm for a cause or organization empowers you to convincingly discuss the significance of their work, a vital skill in fundraising. As you immerse yourself in the organization, you'll connect with its members, including those experienced in fundraising, providing you with valuable learning opportunities. As your career evolves, you can pinpoint your fundraising interests, whether they lie in event planning, liaising with individuals and families, corporate relations, foundation partnerships, or government funding.