Fundraising Managers

Overall employment of public relations and fundraising managers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 7,800 openings for public relations and fundraising managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Education: Bachelor's degree Details

Education Details

65%

Bachelor's Degree

20%

Some College Courses

11%

Master's Degree

Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)

Salary

High: $205,230.00

Average: $124,450.00

Hourly

Average: $59.83

Summary of What they do:

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities to solicit and maintain funds for special projects or nonprofit organizations.

Responsibilities

Evaluate employee performance.

Supervise employees.

Prepare proposal documents.

Examine financial records.

Inform the public about policies, services or procedures.

Edit documents.

Develop promotional materials.

Develop financial or business plans.

Develop business or market strategies.

Direct sales, marketing, or customer service activities.

Establish interpersonal business relationships to facilitate work activities.

Develop organizational goals or objectives.

Develop organizational policies or programs.

Direct financial operations.

Evaluate program effectiveness.

Develop operating strategies, plans, or procedures.

Manage organizational or project budgets.

Organize special events.

Develop library or archival databases.

Operate still or video cameras or related equipment.

Distribute instructional or library materials.

Present information to the public.

What Public Relations and Fundraising Managers Do

Public relations managers plan and direct the creation of material that will enhance the public image of their employer or client. Fundraising managers coordinate campaigns that bring in donations for their organization.

Duties

Public relations and fundraising managers plan an organization’s communication with the public, including consumers, investors, and media outlets.

Public relations managers typically do the following:

Develop their organization’s or client’s corporate image and identity
Identify audiences and determine the best way to reach them
Designate an appropriate spokesperson or information source for media inquiries
Help clients communicate effectively with the public
Write press releases and prepare information for the media
Assist and inform an organization’s executives and spokespeople
Devise advertising and promotion programs
Assign, supervise, and review the activities of staff

Fundraising managers typically do the following:

Develop and carry out fundraising strategies
Identify and contact potential donors
Create and plan different events that can generate donations
Meet face-to-face with donors
Apply for grants
Manage progress toward achieving an organization’s fundraising goals
Assign, supervise, and review the activities of staff

Public relations managers review press releases and sponsor corporate events to help maintain and improve the image of their organization or client.

Public relations managers help clarify their organization’s point of view to its main audience through media releases and interviews. They monitor social, economic, and political trends that might affect their organization, and they recommend ways to enhance the firm’s image on the basis of those trends. For example, in response to concern about damage to the environment, the public relations manager for an oil company may create a campaign to publicize its efforts to develop cleaner fuels.

In large organizations, public relations managers often supervise a staff of public relations specialists. They also work with advertising, promotions, and marketing managers to ensure that advertising campaigns are compatible with the image the company or client is trying to portray. For example, if a firm decides to emphasize its appeal to a certain group, such as young people, the public relations manager needs to make sure that current advertisements are well received by that group.

In addition, public relations managers may handle internal communications, such as company newsletters, and may help financial managers produce an organization’s reports. They may also draft speeches, arrange interviews, and maintain other forms of public contact to help the organization’s top executives .

Public relations managers must be able to work well with many types of specialists. In some cases, the information they write has legal consequences. As a result, they must work with the company’s or client's lawyers to be sure that the information they release is both legally accurate and clear to the public.

Fundraising managers oversee campaigns and events intended to bring in donations for their organization. Many organizations that hire fundraising workers rely heavily on the donations they gather in order to run their operations.

Fundraising managers usually decide which fundraising techniques are necessary in a certain situation. Common techniques include annual campaigns, capital campaigns, planned giving, and soliciting for major gifts. Social media has created another avenue for fundraising managers to connect with potential donors and to spread their organization’s message.

Those who work on annual campaigns focus heavily on contacting donors who have given in the past to request that they give again. Finding new contacts for future donations is also part of a successful annual campaign.

In contrast, fundraising managers who work on capital campaigns generally focus on raising money over a short time period for a specific project, such as the construction of a new building at a university.

Fundraising managers who spend most of their time on planned giving must have specialized training in taxes related to gifts of stocks, bonds, charitable annuities, and real estate bequests in a will. Major gifts are a feature of many fundraising efforts, and fundraising managers generally request these gifts in person, given the large value of the potential donation.

Important Qualities

Interpersonal skills. Public relations and fundraising managers deal with the public regularly; therefore, they must be friendly enough to build a rapport with, and receive support from, their media contacts and donors.

Leadership skills. Managers often lead large teams of specialists or fundraisers and must be able to guide their activities.

Organizational skills. Public relations and fundraising managers are often in charge of running several events at the same time, requiring superior organizational skills.

Problem-solving skills. Managers sometimes must explain how the company or client is handling sensitive issues. They must use good judgment in what they report and how they report it.

Speaking skills. Public relations and fundraising managers regularly speak for their organization. When doing so, they must be able to explain the organization’s position clearly.

Writing skills. Managers must be able to write well-organized and clear press releases and speeches. They must be able to succinctly present the key messages they want to get across in order to keep the attention of busy readers or listeners.

Tasks On The Job

Assign, supervise, and review the activities of fundraising staff.
Compile or develop materials to submit to granting or other funding organizations.
Conduct research to identify the goals, net worth, charitable donation history, or other data related to potential donors, potential investors, or general donor markets.
Contact corporate representatives, government officials, or community leaders to increase awareness of organizational causes, activities, or needs.
Design and edit promotional publications, such as brochures.
Develop fundraising activity plans that maximize participation or contributions and minimize costs.
Develop strategies to encourage new or increased contributions.
Direct activities of external agencies, establishments, or departments that develop and implement fundraising strategies and programs.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, government officials, and media representatives and use these relationships to develop new fundraising opportunities.
Establish goals for soliciting funds, develop policies for collection and safeguarding of contributions, and coordinate disbursement of funds.
Evaluate advertising and promotion programs for compatibility with fundraising efforts.
Formulate policies and procedures related to fundraising programs.
Manage fundraising budgets.
Plan and direct special events for fundraising, such as silent auctions, dances, golf events, or walks.
Produce films and other video products, regulate their distribution, and operate film library.
Write interesting and effective press releases, prepare information for media kits, and develop and maintain company internet or intranet Web pages.

Personality Strengths:

Determined by your work personality assessment.

Strength:

Determined by your Aptitude Aversion Assessment (A3).

Caution:

Potentially negative impact as a result of your A3.

Warning:

Likely negative impact as a result of your A3.

Potential Strength:

A characteristic you could perform competently, but may not come naturally.

PERSONALITY

KEY:

Personality Strengths

Strength

Caution

Warning

Potential Strength

Your Assessment Results		CAREER CHARACTERISTICS Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	90%	Dependability - A tendency to be reliable, responsible, and consistent in meeting work-related obligations.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	80%	Integrity - A tendency to be honest and ethical at work.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	70%	Cooperation - A tendency to be pleasant, helpful, and willing to assist others at work.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	60%	Achievement Orientation - A tendency to establish and maintain personally challenging work-related goals, set high work-related standards, and exert high effort toward meeting those goals and standards.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	50%	Social Orientation - A tendency to seek out, enjoy, and be energized by social interaction at work.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	40%	Perseverance - A tendency to exhibit determination and resolve to perform or complete tasks in the face of difficult circumstances or obstacles at work.

Your Assessment Results		IMPORTANT STRENGTHS Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment		100%	Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment		64%	Conventional - Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

APTITUDES

KEY:

Personality Strengths

Strength

Caution

Warning

Potential Strength

Your Assessment Results		ABILITIES \| SKILLS Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	78%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	78%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	69%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	66%	Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	63%	Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	63%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	60%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	60%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	60%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	59%	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	55%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	55%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	55%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	55%	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	55%	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	52%	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	52%	Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	52%	Management of Financial Resources - Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.

Your Assessment Results		TASKS \| ACTIVITIES Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	85%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	84%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	84%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	79%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	79%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	77%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	76%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	74%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	69%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	68%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	64%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	63%	Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	62%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	60%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	60%	Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	60%	Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	60%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	56%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	53%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	53%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	52%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Your Assessment Results		CONTEXT \| ATTRIBUTES Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	100%	E-Mail - How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	99%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	97%	Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	96%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	96%	Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams - How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	95%	Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	90%	Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals - How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	88%	Deal With External Customers or the Public in General - How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	87%	Telephone Conversations - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	85%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	84%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	83%	Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities - How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	79%	Frequency of Decision Making - How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	78%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	76%	Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	74%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	71%	Written Letters and Memos - How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	66%	Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Public Speaking - How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	83%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

Work Environment

Public relations managers and specialists work in fairly high-stress environments, often managing and organizing several events at the same time.

Fundraising managers held about 33,700 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of fundraising managers were as follows:

Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations	36%
Educational services; state, local, and private	30
Social assistance	7
Arts, entertainment, and recreation	6
Hospitals; state, local, and private	5

Public relations managers held about 72,000 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of public relations managers were as follows:

Professional, scientific, and technical services	20%
Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations	18
Educational services; state, local, and private	13
Management of companies and enterprises	8
Government	6

Public relations and fundraising managers usually work in offices during regular business hours. However, many must travel to deliver speeches and attend meetings and community activities.

They work in high-stress environments, often managing and organizing several events at the same time.

Work Schedules

Most public relations and fundraising managers work full time, which often includes long workdays. Some managers work more than 40 hours per week.

Getting Started

How to Become a Public Relations or Fundraising Manager

A bachelor’s degree and years of work experience are typically needed for public relations or fundraising manager positions.

Public relations and fundraising managers typically need at least a bachelor’s degree, and some positions may require a master’s degree. Many years of related work experience are also necessary.

Education

For public relations and fundraising management positions, a bachelor’s degree in a field such as public relations, communications, or business typically is required. However, some employers prefer to hire candidates who have a master’s degree, particularly in public relations, journalism, fundraising, or nonprofit management.

Courses in advertising, business administration, public affairs, public speaking, and creative and technical writing can be helpful.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Although not mandatory, public relations managers can become certified through the Public Relations Society of America. Candidates qualify based on a combination of experience and education and must pass an exam to become certified.

The Certified Fund Raising Executive program, offered by CFRE International, is also voluntary, but fundraisers who are awarded certification demonstrate a level of professional competency to prospective employers. To become certified, candidates must meet certain education, professional practice, and professional performance requirements, as well as pass an exam. Fundraisers must apply for renewal every 3 years to keep their certification valid.

The International Association of Business Communicators offers two credentials that allow communications specialists to demonstrate higher levels of knowledge and expertise. Public relations and fundraising managers may apply to take the certification exams when they have 6 to 8 years of experience in the communications field.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Public relations and fundraising managers must have several years of experience in a related occupation, such as public relations specialist or fundraiser.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about public relations and fundraising managers, including professional certification, visit

CFRE International

International Association of Business Communicators

Public Relations Society of America

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of public relations and fundraising managers.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Advertising Sales Agents	Advertising sales agents sell advertising space to businesses and individuals.	High school diploma or equivalent	$58,450
Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers	Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services.	Bachelor's degree	$138,730
Fundraisers	Fundraisers organize events and campaigns to raise money and other kinds of donations for an organization.	Bachelor's degree	$61,190
Market Research Analysts	Market research analysts study consumer preferences, business conditions, and other factors to assess potential sales of a product or service.	Bachelor's degree	$68,230
Special Effects Artists and Animators	Special effects artists and animators create images that appear to move and visual effects for various forms of media and entertainment.	Bachelor's degree	$98,950
Public Relations Specialists	Public relations specialists create and maintain a positive public image for the clients they represent.	Bachelor's degree	$67,440