How to hire a professional fundraiser

How to hire a professional fundraiser, step by step

Here's a step-by-step professional fundraiser hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the professional fundraiser you need to hire. Certain professional fundraiser roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect professional fundraiser 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.

   This list presents professional fundraiser salaries for various positions.

   Type of Professional Fundraiser	Description	Hourly rate
   Professional Fundraiser	Fundraisers organize events and campaigns to raise money and other donations for an organization. They may design promotional materials and increase awareness of an organization’s work, goals, and financial needs.	$12-35
   Major Donor Coordinator	The major function of a donor coordinator is to oversee the full implementation of activities such as fundraising or gift-giving. They manage all the transactions of the clients, donors, and volunteers, depending on the organization... Show more	$16-32
   Director Of Capital Giving	A director of capital giving oversees program operations to ensure they run smoothly and efficiently according to company standards and regulations. They primarily set goals and protocols, establish timelines and budgets, perform market research and analyses, review and assess applications, and make decisions... Show more	$32-71

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Alumni
   • Non-Profit Organization
   • Telephone Calls
   • Customer Service
   • Outbound Calls
   • Charitable Donations
   • Cold Calls
   • Veterans
   • Political Organizations
   • Political Campaigns
   • Breast Cancer
   • Law Enforcement
   • Charitable Organizations
   • Computer System

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Mentore new and struggling CSP's to help them reach and achieve their goals.
   • Contact alumni to update/verify their personal information and raise money for the university through gifts from alumni and friends of the university
   • Monitor complaint database assign customers grievances to designate department or CSR for further investigation and resolution.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your professional fundraiser job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A professional fundraiser salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, professional fundraisers' average salary in mississippi is 60% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level professional fundraisers earn 66% less than senior-level professional fundraisers.
   • Certifications. A professional fundraiser with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a professional fundraiser's salary.

   Average professional fundraiser salary

   $43,692yearly

   $21.01 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level professional fundraiser salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a professional fundraiser job description

   A professional fundraiser 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 professional fundraiser job description:

   Professional fundraiser job description example

   Begin a career that makes a real difference, empowers real growth, and builds a real sense of community!
   
   DialogueDirect is getting you in front of the public and amplifying your voice on behalf of world-renowned charities. Our team believes that a lasting career must align a person's goals with an environment that fosters professional and personal development. As a global Face-to-Face Fundraising team and a Certified B Corporation dedicated to impact, DialogueDirect coaches passionate communicators to gain an irreplaceable skillset.
   
   We partner with amazing charities like Save the Children, Humane Society of the US, ChildFund International, PLAN International USA, and World Wildlife Fund. Our teams include former sales professionals, customer service experts, teachers, military veterans, avid volunteers, and recent graduates - inspiring individuals who were looking for a career to make a difference and an opportunity to grow into leadership. If you are committed to being the face of our charity partners, we encourage you to raise your voice!
   Curious to see us in action? Take a look:
   
   Benefits for Fundraisers:
   
   $20 to $25 Hourly Base
   
   Bonuses for BOTH Individual and Team Performance (UNCAPPED)
   
   Fully Paid Orientation, Training, and Travel
   
   Investment into Team (401K and Company Profit Share)
   
   100% Covered Healthcare Plans (Dental, Medical, and Vision)
   
   100% Covered Employee Assistance Program (Financial Planning, Mental Health, Telemedicine, etc)
   
   30-40 Days Paid Time Off (Vacation, Personal, Sick, and Volunteer)
   
   15-30 Days Unpaid Time Off (Optional for Roaming Teams)
   
   1st B Corp Certified Face-to-Face Fundraising Organization in the United States
   
   2020 and 2021 Real Leaders Impact Awards Recipient
   
   Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Team Environment
   
   Extensive Fundraising and Leadership Training
   
   What You'll Do as a Fundraiser:
   
   Share your voice through street fundraising in high-traffic locations
   
   Advocate on behalf of our charity partners and signing up new regular donors
   
   Engage members of the public, building rapport, and inspiring them to take action
   
   Uphold a solutions-focused mindset to meet and exceed performance expectations.
   
   Develop a professional fundraising skill set and contribute to a team dynamic of respect and appreciation.
   
   Fulfill a Full-Time schedule to participate in morning meetings and contribute to successful field canvassing campaigns.
   
   Why You'll Love Working Here:
   
   Big Impact: You'll be part of a passionate team of world changers dedicated to making a real and lasting impact on the world.
   
   Growth: We're growing rapidly. If you're excited about an engaging, goal-oriented environment or about building a business that's a force for good - we're coaching future leaders.
   
   Values: We live by our values. Community, integrity, and opportunity aren't just words to our team. We're committed to growing together, taking ownership, and spreading joy.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find professional fundraisers 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 professional fundraiser job on Zippia to find and recruit professional fundraiser candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit professional fundraisers, 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. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 professional fundraiser

   Once you've selected the best professional fundraiser candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new professional fundraiser. 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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