Fundraising Officers: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of fundraising officers about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for fundraising officers to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of fundraising officers expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for fundraising officers.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Fundraising Officers?
Do fundraising officers need a degree? What kind of experience do fundraising officers typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for fundraising officers to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Fundraising Officers
Jobs Postings for Fundraising Officers By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 1,566 (70%)
- No Education Listed: 407 (18%)
- Master's degree: 190 (9%)
- High School or GED: 53 (2%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 8 (0%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of fundraising officers. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 70% of positions. In 18% of job listings no education level was listed and in 9% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Fundraising Officers
Jobs Postings for Fundraising Officers By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 148 (9%)
- 2-3 Years: 791 (51%)
- 4-6 Years: 403 (26%)
- 7-9 Years: 163 (10%)
- 10+ Years: 60 (4%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for fundraising officers. In 51% of job postings for Fundraising Officers, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 26% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 7-9 years of experience was sought in 10% of job postings for fundraising officers.
What Kind of Degree Do Fundraising Officers Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for fundraising officers, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 16 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective fundraising officers, and in 2021 a total of 98,254 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective fundraising officers.
Top Degree Programs for Fundraising Officers
Top 5 Degree Programs for Fundraising Officers (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric. | 41,109 |
| Organizational Leadership. | 15,128 |
| Communication, General. | 11,952 |
| Mass Communication/Media Studies. | 10,266 |
| Project Management. | 4,155 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric. | 41,109 |
| Organizational Leadership. | 15,128 |
| Communication, General. | 11,952 |
| Mass Communication/Media Studies. | 10,266 |
| Project Management. | 4,155 |
| Communication and Media Studies, Other. | 3,374 |
| Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management. | 2,897 |
| Organizational Communication, General. | 2,013 |
| Music Management. | 1,957 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication, Other. | 1,547 |
| Communication Management and Strategic Communications. | 1,397 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, General. | 987 |
| Meeting and Event Planning. | 963 |
| Health Communication. | 410 |
| Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management. | 97 |
| Grantsmanship. | 2 |
What Skills Do Fundraising Officers Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by fundraising officers to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for fundraising officers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Fundraising Officers
Based on 2,031 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Fundraising Officers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Fundraising | 2,031 | 100% |
| Sales Prospecting | 847 | 42% |
| Marketing | 700 | 34% |
| Volunteer Management | 394 | 19% |
| Project Management | 375 | 18% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Fundraising Officers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 1,137 | 56% |
| Leadership | 830 | 41% |
| Management | 755 | 37% |
| Microsoft Office | 729 | 36% |
| Research | 674 | 33% |
Based on 2,031 job postings related to fundraising officers, fundraising was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 100% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for sales prospecting, marketing, volunteer management, project management and revenue growth were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for fundraising officers, followed by leadership, management, microsoft office, research and strategic planning.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Fundraising | 2,031 | 100% |
| Sales Prospecting | 847 | 42% |
| Marketing | 700 | 34% |
| Volunteer Management | 394 | 19% |
| Project Management | 375 | 18% |
| Revenue Growth | 368 | 18% |
| Health Research | 340 | 17% |
| Leukemia | 339 | 17% |
| Recruitment Planning | 291 | 14% |
| Customer Relationship Management | 259 | 13% |
| Social Media | 199 | 10% |
| Public Relations | 181 | 9% |
| Philanthropy | 180 | 9% |
| Salesforce | 176 | 9% |
| Newsletters | 172 | 8% |
| Raiser's Edge NXT | 159 | 8% |
| Event Planning | 157 | 8% |
| Marketing Communications | 145 | 7% |
| Appeals | 141 | 7% |
| Advertising Mail | 140 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 1,137 | 56% |
| Leadership | 830 | 41% |
| Management | 755 | 37% |
| Microsoft Office | 729 | 36% |
| Research | 674 | 33% |
| Strategic Planning | 592 | 29% |
| Writing | 570 | 28% |
| Planning | 543 | 27% |
| Innovation | 523 | 26% |
| Detail Oriented | 509 | 25% |
| Relationship Building | 453 | 22% |
| Sales | 414 | 20% |
| Timelines | 387 | 19% |
| Self-Motivation | 344 | 17% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 338 | 17% |
| Presentations | 331 | 16% |
| Customer Service | 319 | 16% |
| Organizational Skills | 303 | 15% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 302 | 15% |
| Microsoft Excel | 301 | 15% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about fundraising officers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for fundraising officers.
What do fundraising officers do?
How much do fundraising officers make?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.