How to hire a fundraising manager

How to hire a fundraising manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step fundraising manager 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 manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new fundraising manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The fundraising manager hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a fundraising manager to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a fundraising manager that fits the bill.

   This list presents fundraising manager salaries for various positions.

   Type of Fundraising Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Fundraising Manager	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.	$27-55
   Director Of Special Events	A director of special events spearheads and oversees the planning and execution of various events, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently. They typically set goals and guidelines, manage schedules and timelines, outline plans and strategies, coordinate managers and different departments, and liaise with vendors and suppliers, building positive business relationships in the process... Show more	$16-54
   Director, Customer Relations	Director of Customer Relations is responsible for leading the design and improvement of an organization's overall customer service experience. Their duties include developing customer service budget, driving customer service process improvements, implementing customer service agents, managing email and telephony customer service routing, and creating training programs for customer service staff... Show more	$43-94

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Fundraiser
   • Event Planning
   • CRM
   • Donor Database
   • Strategic Plan
   • Fundraising Strategy
   • Fundraising Campaigns
   • Appeals
   • Financial Reports
   • Public Speaking
   • Alumni
   • Non-Profit Organization
   • Strategic Direction
   • ROI

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage fundraiser with third party; currently raise over $2500 in one month on literacy fundraiser.
   • Start the first monthly alumni newsletter with up-to-date content to keep donors engage.
   • Update and improve calling scripts to match the experiences of various groups of alumni.
   • Refocuse the analytic competency from pivot table producers to producing analytics that are driving the business.
   • Maintain targeted print and electronic media database.

   More fundraising manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the fundraising manager job description is a good way to get more applicants. A fundraising manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a fundraising manager in Missouri may be lower than in Nevada, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level fundraising manager. Additionally, a fundraising manager with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average fundraising manager salary

   $82,082yearly

   $39.46 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level fundraising manager salary

   $57,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 22, 2025

   Average fundraising manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Nevada	$107,956	$52
   2	California	$105,585	$51
   3	Virginia	$100,096	$48
   4	District of Columbia	$98,548	$47
   5	Massachusetts	$94,718	$46
   6	South Dakota	$91,971	$44
   7	Oregon	$91,546	$44
   8	New York	$91,423	$44
   9	Kansas	$88,341	$42
   10	Georgia	$87,392	$42
   11	Texas	$85,439	$41
   12	Wisconsin	$81,666	$39
   13	Colorado	$81,512	$39
   14	Indiana	$81,397	$39
   15	Arizona	$77,557	$37
   16	Maryland	$77,555	$37
   17	Washington	$76,056	$37
   18	Florida	$75,586	$36
   19	North Carolina	$75,287	$36
   20	Pennsylvania	$74,531	$36

   Average fundraising manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center	$107,960	$51.90
   2	Wood County Hospital	$95,422	$45.88
   3	Mercy Corps	$95,095	$45.72
   4	Rbscc	$86,651	$41.66
   5	NYU Lutheran Medical Center	$85,492	$41.10	2
   6	Americorps	$83,483	$40.14	4
   7	EAH Housing	$82,650	$39.74
   8	CARE	$81,040	$38.96
   9	American Heart Association	$77,252	$37.14	3
   10	National Parks Conservation Association	$75,058	$36.09
   11	Wounded Warrior Project	$71,151	$34.21	36
   12	OxfamAmerica	$69,660	$33.49
   13	The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society	$63,916	$30.73
   14	John F Kennedy Middle School	$60,456	$29.07	2
   15	HIAS	$60,396	$29.04
   16	American Public Media Group	$58,516	$28.13

4. Writing a fundraising manager job description

   A fundraising manager 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a fundraising manager job description:

   Fundraising manager job description example

   Why LLS
   
   How many people can answer the question, "What do you do for a living?" with the answer, "I help find cures for cancer." At LLS, employees take our mission seriously. Whether you work in one of our chapters, are an accountant at the national office or a specialist in our Information Resource Center, you work each day on making our mission a reality: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.Join us and give new meaning to the word, "job."
   
   Overview
   
   As part of a mission centric, locally delivered and nationally powered organization this role is accountable for building relationships with fundraising volunteers while implementing innovative peer to peer fundraising products to exceed revenue goals for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) mission, within a designated market area. Relentlessly pursuing cancer cures.
   
   As a valued member of LLS, you are eligible for a comprehensive benefits package. Our offerings include medical, dental, and vision insurance; life insurance; flexible spending accounts; a 403b retirement plan along with generous paid time off. In addition, we observe federal paid holidays throughout the year, and offer a wellness program and an employee assistance program.
   
   All LLS employees are required to provide proof of vaccination for COVID-19 before beginning work at LLS unless a valid medical, religious, or other exemption is approved consistent with applicable law.
   
   While employees may be permitted to work remotely, travel to the assigned office, HUB or Satellite Offices may be required as determined by the employee's manager and the employee's Strategic Talent Partner.
   
   Additional Position Information
   
   All LLS employees are required to provide proof of vaccination for COVID-19 before beginning work at LLS unless a valid medical, religious, or other exemption is approved consistent with applicable law.
   
   Responsibilities
   
   Accountabilities:
   
   Mission Integration
   
   + Partner with Education, Services and Health Research department to effectively communicate the LLS overall mission, programs, resources and priorities.
   
   + Responsible for organizing mission centered, local donor cultivation events and prospecting high-impact donors for national stewardship activities
   
   Fundraising & Relationship Building
   
   + Drive high-impact peer to peer fundraising to achieve overall revenue goals.
   
   + Provide input into the development of a strategic plan for the peer to peer fundraising products, including revenue, budget, goals and timelines.
   
   + Execute innovative strategic plan developed annually and revised periodically to ensure team exceeds all revenue goals.
   
   + Collaborate with local relationship team and national shared service partners throughout LLS.
   
   Volunteer Management
   
   + Responsible for the recruitment and cultivation of high-level volunteer committees
   
   + Responsible for recruiting fundraising volunteers who participate in peer to peer fundraising products resulting in revenue growth and achievement of goals.
   
   + Identify and network with constituents and key donors to engage their support of LLS fundraising products.
   
   + Develop recruitment plans and actively secure new partners through independent research, prospecting and volunteer relationship building.
   
   Perform other related duties as assigned
   
   #LI-Hybrid
   
   Qualifications
   
   Education & Experience Requirements:
   
   + Bachelor's Degree Preferred
   
   + 3-5 years of experience
   
   + Demonstrated knowledge and use of digital, social media & emerging online channels
   
   + Knowledge of MS Office Suite
   
   Physical Demands & Work Environment:
   
   + Physical demands are minimal and typical of similar jobs in comparable organizations
   
   + Work environment is representative and typical of similar jobs in comparable organizations
   
   + May be required to move Campaign materials weighing up to 15 pounds for various events.
   
   + Travel within designated area.
   
   + Required to work some evenings or weekends.
   
   Disclaimer
   
   LLS is an equal employment opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in its workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender, gender identity and expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, race, color, creed, national origin/ancestry, citizenship, religion, genetic predisposition or information, physical or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. LLS seeks such skilled and qualified individuals to share our mission and where they will join a cohort of others who have chosen to call LLS home. LLS complies with all applicable laws which prohibit discrimination and harassment in the workplace, and is committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment supportive of all of our employees and the communities we serve. **All LLS employees are required to provide proof of vaccination for COVID-19 before beginning work at LLS unless a valid medical, religious, or other exemption is approved consistent with applicable law.**
   
   Job LocationsUS-LA-New Orleans
   
   
   # of Openings 1
   
   Category Sales/Business Development
   
   FLSA Status Non-Exempt
   
   Type Full Time Regular

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find fundraising managers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your fundraising manager job on Zippia to find and attract quality fundraising manager 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

   During your first interview to recruit fundraising managers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 manager

   Once you've found the fundraising manager candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new fundraising manager. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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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