Fundraisers
Also called: Annual Giving Coordinator, Annual Giving Officer, Campaign Fundraiser, Capital Campaign Fundraiser, Community Fundraiser, Contract Grant Writer, Development Associate, Development Coordinator
Organize activities to raise funds or otherwise solicit and gather monetary donations or other gifts for an organization.
What fundraisers do
Typical tasks
- Identify and build relationships with potential donors.
- Secure commitments of participation or donation from individuals or corporate donors.
- Write and send letters of thanks to donors.
- Solicit cash or in-kind donations or sponsorships from individual, business, or government donors.
- Create or update donor databases.
- Develop strategies to encourage new or increased contributions.
- Develop or implement fundraising activities, such as annual giving campaigns or direct mail programs.
- 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.
- Develop fundraising activity plans that maximize participation or contributions and minimize costs.
- Direct or supervise fundraising staff, including volunteer staff members.
- Establish fundraising or participation goals for special events or specified time periods.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Fundraisers salary
The median annual wage for fundraisers is $72,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $46,630 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $115,820. The mean annual wage is $77,200.
The mean hourly wage of $37.00 is 5.1× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Fundraisers (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $72,550 → in 3 years $78,700 → in 5 years $83,100 → in 10 years $95,100 (10-year range $81,800–$110,400). The model assumes pay growth of +2.7% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Fundraisers
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Fundraisers? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Fundraisers
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Fundraisers
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become fundraisers
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as fundraisers
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.