How to hire a fundraising director

How to hire a fundraising director, step by step

Here's a step-by-step fundraising director hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a fundraising director job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new fundraising director
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a fundraising director, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

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   Hiring the perfect fundraising director also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of fundraising directors and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Fundraising Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Fundraising Director	Public relations managers plan and direct the creation of material that will maintain or enhance the public image of their employer or client. Fundraising managers coordinate campaigns that bring in donations for their organization.	$27-67
   Client Relations Manager	A client relations manager is responsible for managing and maintaining healthy and professional relationships with business partners and clients. Client relations managers coordinate with account managers and the marketing department to monitor the growth and development of client accounts by strategizing methods of enhancing the brand image in the market... Show more	$26-62
   Community Relations Manager	Community Relations Managers take care of the company's relationship with a specific community. Often, they are employed by a nonprofit organization, and they take care of the community that the organization serves... Show more	$22-51

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Non-Profit Organization
   • Donor Relationships
   • Volunteer Recruitment
   • Capital Campaign
   • Fund Raising
   • Financial Support
   • Corporate Sponsors
   • Alumni
   • Walkers
   • Fundraising Strategy
   • Individual Giving
   • Public Speaking
   • Strategic Plan
   • Local Businesses

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage fundraiser with third party; currently raise over $2500 in one month on literacy fundraiser.
   • Manage organization s membership program by implementing annual membership drives and appeals.
   • Collaborate in fundraising with alumni appeals, grant research and proposals, and mass mailing campaigns.
   • Update and maintain the business Facebook page.
   • Solicit local city newspaper to promote the fundraiser.
   • Institute new methodology to track event fundraising revenue and ROI.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your fundraising director job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A fundraising director can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, fundraising directors' average salary in florida is 42% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level fundraising directors 59% less than senior-level fundraising directors.
   • Certifications. A fundraising director with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a fundraising director's salary.

   Average fundraising director salary

   $90,716yearly

   $43.61 hourly rate

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   Entry-level fundraising director salary

   $58,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 13, 2026

4. Writing a fundraising director job description

   A fundraising director job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a fundraising director job description:

   Fundraising director job description example

   WHO WE ARE
   United Way of Greater Los Angeles (UWGLA) is home to the change makers and justice seekers. We're individuals from various walks of life making collective steps towards a better future for our community. Our focus is on bringing about real and sustainable change by unleashing the collective power of people to open minds, unite diverse communities, and covert compassion into action for a more just, inclusive, and thriving L.A. County. Together, we make tangible impact on some of our toughest community issues including poverty, homelessness, education equity, and economic mobility. For us, being 'united' isn't just in reference to our organization but to our hope for the future of Los Angeles. Regardless of race, gender, orientation, or self-identification - we do our part as one by making room for all.
   
   WHAT WE DO
   Our Strategic Partnerships department advances United Way's mission by creating a philanthropic coalition of the willing: donors, connectors, and advocates who share our values of racial equity and our vision for a thriving Los Angeles. Our success is measured by the strength of the relationships we build that drive resources to the work that advances our mission. At our core, we are vocal activists who believe that the support we gather today, directly impacts how far we can go tomorrow in our pursuit of a better Los Angeles.
   
   WHY WE NEED YOU
   We are inviting analytical and systems-oriented development leaders who understand how behind-the-scenes operations, analytics, and project management can enhance the donor experience to apply for our Director, Fundraising Operations role.
   
   You will contribute to the annual growth of revenue by successfully bringing order and efficiency to strategic partnerships operations; evaluating and developing strategies that enhance the donor experience and establishing a data-driven approach to future planning.
   
   You will have the unique opportunity to develop the foundational processes and practices that will help UWGLA connect better to our current donors while also propelling the organization towards new opportunities to generate revenue in the future.
   HOW YOU'LL CONTRIBUTE TO THE CAUSEFundraising Process Improvement o Establish standard operating procedures that improve donor data management; projection and forecasting; and receipting and acknowledgement o Develop dashboard and effective metrics to track Development Officers activities in order to identify bottlenecks and recommend strategies to overcome hurdles o Evaluate and optimize, as needed, annual individual and corporate solicitation plan templates o Ensure the Strategic Partnerships team is aware and trained on new analytic tools, research methodology and implement strategic suggestions and approaches o Serve as the departmental internal partner to the Finance Business Services and Operations & Business Development divisions o Serve on the Strategic Partnerships leadership team and contribute to the overall direction of the department Donor Data Management, Analysis & Forecasting o Develop dashboard to track revenue, projections, lead and lag indicators, and overall department performance o Utilize data to forecast fundraising trends recommending new and adapted strategies accordingly o Develop reports that align with our annual and long-term goals to inform strategy in their execution o Support the annual goal setting process in collaboration with the VP, Strategic PartnershipsProspect Management o Evaluate and reconfigure, as necessary, the portfolios of frontline fundraisers to align with identified growth areas o Oversee the prospect research functions of the Strategic Partnerships team including providing ongoing insight on current donors as well as identifying and recommending new leads based on publicly available data. Donor Stewardship and Engagement o Develop and drive overarching donor stewardship and engagement strategies with a focus on deepening relationships, increasing giving, and creating understanding and excitement around UWGLA's vision for the future of LA County o Create personalized, end-to-end, donor-centric connection points that drive engagement, build loyalty, and create positive donor experiences, with the ultimate goals of increasing revenue, donor participation, and taking the donor from awareness to ownership on the donor commitment continuum o Oversee the execution of mass engagement and programming for mid-level and major donors o Facilitate outcomes reporting in partnership with the Engagement and Activation division o Manage the gift acknowledgement process Donor Appeals & Fundraising o Lead fundraisers to reach or exceed revenue goal of $500,000 through annual giving, direct mail, and donor appeals efforts o Oversee the development and execution of a strategy that communicates UWGLA impact to donors o Identify new and innovative approaches to evolve UWGLA's leadership donor appeals tactics supporting growth of engagement and revenue Team Management & Development o Mentor and coach a diverse team of development professionals to grow skillsets, support individual professional development goals, and inspire team members to both lead and follow. o Provide direct but respectful constructive feedback in real-time and during formal review periods to elevate team performance, maintain accountability, and reach goals.
   WHAT 1 YEAR OF SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE Contribute to the annual growth of revenue by implementing donor segmentation practices to identify high potential donors within the existing CRM database and leading portfolio management by optimizing account assignments. Lead fundraisers in securing at least $500k in revenue through annual giving, direct mail, and donor appeal efforts, and in successfully increasing retention of existing leadership donors ($1,000-$9,999) by 5%. Develop and execute donor recognition and thank you plan, in partnership with Engagement and Activation department, to ensure frequent and regular touchpoints that connect donors to United Way's mission and acknowledge their contributions. Define and optimize internal processes related to key donor engagement activities (stewardship, prospect research/management, project management) to strengthen United Way's ability to cultivate donor relationships and increase connection to the organization.
   SKILLS YOU'LL NEED TO SUCCEED (The Must-Haves) Education & Experience o High school diploma or GED required; Bachelor's Degree strongly preferred o Minimum of 7 years' experience in frontline fundraising or operations utilizing proactive prospecting methodologies, concepts, and strategies to cultivate and secure prospects; Experience in frontline fundraising is strongly preferred o Minimum 3 years of experience supervising and developing direct reports Personal Qualities o You enjoy a hybrid environment that includes both in-person and remote work styles and are able to work from our DTLA office on Tuesdays and Thursdays. o You are able to provide documentation of your status as fully vaccinated with primary series of COVID-19 vaccine upon being hired. o You understand the value of racial equity as an organizational operating principle and are committed to continued learning on issues related to race, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
   HOW TO KNOW IF YOU'RE A FIT (The Nice-to-Haves) You know how to build a plane while you fly it and thrive in the face of ambiguous situations. You understand the all aspects of data analysis - the graphs, charts, facts and figures - well enough to explain the story they tell to others.You make numbers look good with charts, graphs, and visuals that represent all the key findings in all the right places.You've always lived true to the phrase, 'Where there's a will, there's a way," and you're willing to pave the way by creating or improving processes where needed.You can distinguish quantitative from qualitative when assessing ROI and can answer all the deep dive questions that start with what, when and why?You have no issue transforming a problem into a solution with your troubleshooting skills.You are passionate about non-profit work and committed to understanding UWGLA's landscape as it relates to business, community and politics.You have a results-oriented mindset, utilizing planning and problem-solving skills to get the job done. You can adapt and pivot quickly without so much as feeling dizzy. You stay calm under pressure and can meet tight deadlines when necessary.You work well with others - stakeholders and colleagues alike would agree that you are the quintessential “Team PlayerYou know your way around the Microsoft Windows operating systems and all it's essential programs including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Teams.

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right fundraising director for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your fundraising director job on Zippia to find and attract quality fundraising director candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as pr news job board, pr council, prsa job center, hoojobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with fundraising director candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new fundraising director

   Once you've decided on a perfect fundraising director candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new fundraising director. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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