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By Nsim Team
Becoming a fundraiser is a great career choice for those who are skilled in communications and marketing, and have an interest in charitable and not-for-profit organizations.
WHO IS FUNDRAISER?
Fundraisers are responsible for raising money and other kinds of donations for an organization. To accomplish these goals, fundraisers generally plan and oversee campaigns and events. They ensure that campaigns are effective by researching potential donors ahead of time and examining records of those who have given in the past. Many of the organizations that employ fundraisers rely heavily on donations in order to run their operations. Fundraisers who work for political campaigns must be knowledgeable about campaign finance laws, such as the contribution limits of an individual giving to a specific candidate.
The following are examples of types of fundraisers:
Major gifts fundraisers specialize in face-to-face interaction with donors who can give large amounts.
Planned-giving fundraisers solicit donations from those who are looking to pledge money at a future date or in installments over time. These fundraisers must have specialized training in taxes regarding gifts of stocks, bonds, charitable annuities, and real estate bequests in a will.
Direct-mailing fundraisers send out requests for donations to large numbers of people through the mail, over the phone, and online.
Events fundraisers obtain donations through charity events, including dinners, auctions, galas, and charity races such as 10Ks.
Annual campaign fundraisers solicit donations once a year for their organization. Many nonprofit organizations have annual giving campaigns.
Capital campaign fundraisers raise money for a specific project such as the construction of a new building at a university. Capital campaigns also raise money for renovations and the creation or expansion of an endowment.
WHAT IS THE ELIGIBILITY OF FUNDRAISERS?
Although educational requirements vary from employer to employer, you typically need an undergraduate degree (from virtually any field) from an accredited university to become a fundraiser.
As fundraisers must be skilled in areas such as communications and marketing, taking coursework in these areas can be of great value to prospective fundraisers, and degrees in these areas may prove to be more useful for your future career in fundraising.
SKILLS NEEDED TO BECOME FUNDRAISER
• Must be knowledgeable in various fundraising techniques
• Must be sensitive to cultural differences in attitudes towards fundraising
• Must be knowledgeable in legislation and regulations relevant to fundraising
• Must be able to effectively compile information and prepare reports
WHO HIRES FUNDRAISERS?
Fundraisers are employed by charitable, not-for-profit and public sector organizations, such as:
• Amateur sports organizations
• Consulting firms (provide fundraising services on a contractual basis)
• Cultural and arts organizations
• Disease related organizations
• Educational institutions
• Health care facilities
• Religious organizations
• Self-employed (provide fundraising services on a contractual basis)
• Social service agencies
• Various charities
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