charity fundraiser

The work

Charity fundraisers are responsible for raising as much money for their charity as possible. They must constantly think of new ways to raise money, and usually have fundraising targets to reach.

The work can include some or all of the following:

• media and marketing - creating press, television, radio and poster appeals to attract donors
• corporate fundraising - getting companies to give sponsorship or set up schemes for staff or customers to donate
• trust fundraising - building relationships with people who donate large sums of money
• event fundraising - organising charity balls, galas or sporting events
• traditional street or door-to-door collections
• direct mail to ask for donations
• trading – for example, running charity shops or mail order sales
• recruiting and managing volunteers
• managing budgets and reporting on fundraising performance to the charity’s trustees and donors
• raising awareness - giving talks, speaking to the media and writing press releases.

In larger charities, fundraisers often specialise in one or two of these areas. In smaller charities, they may do all kinds of fundraising along with other charity management duties.

Hours and Environment

As a charity fundraiser, you will usually work around 35 to 40 hours a week. Weekend and evening work is common, especially if your job involves organising events. Part-time work is also common, particularly in smaller charities that may not have the budget to employ a full-time fundraiser. 

Depending on your charity, you could be office-based or work mainly from home. You will often be responsible for a local area or larger region, and you will usually need to travel around the area you cover to give presentations and attend meetings.

Skills and Interests

To be a charity fundraiser, you need:

• creativity and imagination
• excellent written and spoken communication skills
• good presentation skills
• drive and enthusiasm
• the ability to motivate and manage others
• excellent organisational skills
• the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• budget management skills
• commitment to your charity’s cause.

Entry

There are no set qualifications for becoming a fundraiser. Employers will mainly be interested in your skills and experience and your commitment to working in the charity sector.

Many fundraisers are graduates. Degrees in business or marketing and communications are useful, but a degree is not essential if you have the right skills and experience.

You will find it useful to have experience in business, sales and marketing, public relations or events management. You should also ideally have some experience of voluntary work or previous paid work for a charity.

Charities often prefer people with a track record of fundraising, so previous experience as a volunteer fundraiser is an advantage.

You can find out about local volunteering opportunities from Volunteering England, Volunteer Scotland, Volunteering Wales or Volunteer Development Agency (for Northern Ireland). See Further Information section below for website details.

Working for a Charity offers short courses that are useful for people who are looking for their first paid job in the voluntary and community sectors. The courses include:

• Introductory Programme – two evening seminars including basic fundraising
• Foundation Course - seven one-day seminars plus a 20-day charity placement
• Effective Voluntary Sector Management – a new online course.

See the Working for a Charity website for full details.

Training

Your training will vary depending on the charity and its budget. Larger charities may offer their own in-house structured training schemes, but in most cases you will mainly learn on the job and attend occasional short courses run by outside organisations like the Institute of Fundraising and the Directory of Social Change.

The Institute of Fundraising and the Directory of Social Change jointly run the Fundraising Programme, a series of short courses at three levels – for people who are new to fundraising, for experienced fundraisers and for current or future fundraising managers.

The Institute of Fundraising also offers the Certificate in Fundraising Management, a professional postgraduate-level qualification for experienced fundraisers.

See the both organisations’ websites for more information about training (contact details in the Further Information section below).

Some universities also offer postgraduate courses in charity fundraising and management, and the Open University Business School offers distance learning courses in Winning Resources and Support, and the Professional Certificate in Management – Public and Not-for-profit Organisations.

Opportunities

As a fundraiser you could work for:

• large national charities
• smaller local charities
• political parties or pressure groups
• other organisations in the ‘not-for-profit’ sector, such as hospitals, schools or community organisations.

Competition for jobs is strong, especially with well-known charities.

Jobs are available all over the UK, although many jobs with national charities are based in London or other major regional cities.

Jobs are advertised in the local and national press, charities’ own websites and specialist recruitment consultancies that deal with the charity and public sectors. See the Working for a Charity website for a list of recruitment links.

Promotion prospects can depend on the charity’s size and finances. You may need to move to a larger charity to get promotion or a higher salary. With experience, you could move into charity management, or you could become a self-employed fundraising consultant.

Annual Income

The annual income section is intended as a guideline only.

Full-time charity fundraisers usually start on £18,000 to £21,000 a year.
Experienced fundraising managers may earn £24,000 to £30,000 a year.
Fundraising managers in larger charities may earn £30,000 to £50,000 a year.

Further information

NCVO
Regent's Wharf
8 All Saints Street
London
N1 9RL
Tel: 020 7520 2512 24 Stephenson Way
London
NW1 2DP
Tel: 020 7391 4800 Park Place
12 Lawn Lane
London
SW8 1UD
Tel:020 7840 1000 Regent's Wharf
8 All Saint's Street
London
N1 9RL
Tel: 020 7713 6161

WoW Careers Services Can Help You Prepare The Perfect CV or Provide Further Advice On This Career Path For More Information Call Us On 0845 224-2613 or Claim Your FREE CV Review Today.

Back

 

© & TM 2007-2008 WoW4 Limited | wowme@wowmycv.co.uk | Counties & Towns | Links | Call Us On: 0845 224-2613