New to Fundraising?

What is Fundraising?

A charity's work simply wouldn't be possible without committed and innovative Fundraisers. They are responsible for achieving a money-raising target by approaching trusts, corporations, statutory bodies, major donors, individuals and by running events. In larger charities, the role is likely to be specialised on one particular source. In smaller charities, a fundraiser may work several sources.

Fundraisers work with individuals, communities, businesses and charitable trusts to raise awareness of the charity's work, aims and goals. Ultimately, their job is to increase the contributions of those individuals and groups by building relationships and exploring new fundraising ideas.

Building a career in fundraising

Fundraising is similar to marketing and sales, so individuals with this background should have relevant transferable skills. Volunteering as a fundraiser for a charity may also help you get your foot in the door and secure yourself a temporary or permanent job within the organisation.

Here is summary of skills required to be a good Fundraiser:

Good communication skills: both verbal and written. Creative, persuasive, concise and articulate copy will prove effective in persuading people to give.

Research: using the internet, phone, CD ROMs and library resources.

Database and IT Skills: Managing information is crucial, profiles of companies and donors, trusts, names of contacts, and criteria for giving will all need to be recorded on a database.

Organisational skills: An ability to manage a number of things at once is vital.

Budgeting: All fundraisers are likely to look after their own budget.

Relationship building: to encourage a commitment to funding.

Presentation skills: to schools, local companies and churches.

Account Handling: Servicing a company, ensuring they are happy with the scheme and are kept well informed of progress and success.

Opportunism: The ability to see a potential relationship.

People Management: Good relations with volunteers are vital. Being able to support and motivate volunteers is necessary to ensure they are happy.

Direct Marketing: a popular marketing tool.

Enthusiasm and commitment: You must really believe and be committed to the cause you are addressing.

Day to Day in Fundraising

Fundraising's main streams of income generation can be split into Corporate Fundraising, Trust Fundraising, Foundation and Statutory Fundraising, Major Donor Fundraising, Legacy Fundraising, Events Fundraising, Community Fundraising and Direct Marketing/Individual Giving.

Corporate Fundraising

Involves the raising of income from the corporate sector, specifically through large-scale integrated Charity of the Year partnerships, employee fundraising & volunteering, payroll giving and CRM (Cause Related Marketing) campaigns.

Corporate Fundraisers will be expected to build relationships with relevant corporate bodies and produce compelling bids and deliver pitches to win new corporate sponsorship income.

Trust, Foundation and Statutory Fundraising

Income generated through detailed written applications to grant making trusts, foundations & statutory funders (government).

Such roles involved a high level of research and a deep understanding of specific programmes or services provided by the charity. Fundraisers are required to develop and nurture relationships with funders through regular reporting and feedback on income investment.

Major Donor Fundraising

Income is generated through the identification and cultivation of high net worth individuals who have an affiliation or personal interest in the charity's cause.

Major Donor Fundraisers match prospects to relevant projects and strategically plan the level and most effective form of approach to engage appropriate prospects and donors on a one to one tailored basis and develop strong personal relationships.

Legacy Fundraising

Involves an in memorandum donation from life long supporters of the charity. Fundraisers can nurture and develop face to face relationships with individuals or ask their supporters to consider leaving a bequest gift through mailings or adverts.

Legacy Fundraisers also manage a wide range of external relationships including solicitors, will executors and family of the deceased, probate offices and co-beneficiaries.

Events Fundraising

Fundraising events range widely from fetes and celebrity galas through to sponsored sports & running events, challenge and overseas treks, entertainments and fashion shows. Such events are organised to raise money and raising awareness of the cause often building contacts and supporter networks for the charities involved.

Events Fundraisers usually require experience of working in an events department within a charity and must be able manage limited budgets in order to successfully meeting income targets.

Community Fundraising

Fundraisers in the community ensure that fundraising activity is implemented and managed locally usually in line with a charity's National and Regional strategy.

They support and develop volunteer networks and fundraising groups across their local area, ensuring that fundraising events, activities and collections run effectively and are marketed and supported in the community.

Direct Marketing/Individual Giving

Charities will use various methods of direct marketing including face to face, door to door, telemarketing and direct mail to recruit, acquire, retain and develop income from individual cash and regular givers.

Fundraisers in this stream have direct marketing experience and work closely with agencies to deliver direct marketing campaigns and utilise supporter databases for reporting and data analysis.

See our latest fundraising jobs below.

Latest jobs

Part Time Major Gifts Manager Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £38,198.00, Salary Max: £44,555.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description This leading human rights organisation is recruiting for a part time Major Gifts Manager to undertake a 12 month interim role. The post holder will be responsible for implementing new major donor part...
Head of Direct Marketing Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £42,000.00, Salary Max: £48,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description This leading disability charity are looking to recruit a Head of Direct Marketing to lead and manage their Direct Marketing team and strategy ensuring the team deliver to plan and achieve continued lo...
Senior New Business Fundraiser Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £37,200.00, Salary Max: £37,200.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description This leading disability charity are looking to a Senior New Business Fundraiser on a maternity cover basis to identify, develop and win major long term partnerships to ensure opportunities for income ...
Community and Individuals Fundraising Officer Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £28,640.00, Salary Max: £29,876.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description This leading international religious organisation is recruiting for a Community and Individuals Fundraising Officer to take responsibility for the charity's income generation through individuals, chur...
Account Manager Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £26,000.00, Salary Max: £28,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description This leading DM agency works closely with clients within the charity sector to provide and deliver exceptional fundraising projects to help them achieve their aims successfully. Working on so...
Community and Events Manager x 2 Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £29,958.00, Salary Max: £29,958.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description This Community and Events Manager position is with one of the charity sectors leading lights, an organisation that consistently has a huge impact on the nations most deprived people and pushes against...
Partnerships Development Manager Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £35,499.00, Salary Max: £39,972.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description This leading children's charity is recruiting for a Corporate Partnership Development Manager to play a key role in securing new business and managing existing charity partnerships. You will be respo...
Corporate Partnerships Manager Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £32,000.00, Salary Max: £32,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: Midlands Description This leading medical charity is recruiting for a Corporate Partnerships Manager to develop existing corporate support and implement new corporate partnerships. The post holder will also be responsibl...
Head of Major Giving Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £45,000.00, Salary Max: £50,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description Our client is going through an exciting period of growth, expanding its central fundraising and alumni relations department to significant increase income generation. Working closely with the Dire...
Individual Giving Executive Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £27,530.00, Salary Max: £27,530.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description This leading social welfare organisation are looking for an Individual Giving Executive to recruit, retain and manage donors using traditional and online marketing techniques to maximise the charities...
Trust and Lottery Fundraiser Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £29,958.00, Salary Max: £29,958.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description We are working with the leading homelessness charity in the UK who are currently recruiting for a Lottery & Trust Fundraiser. You will work directly with the charity's service team in England and Scot...
Corporate Account Coordinator Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £23,000.00, Salary Max: £25,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description This top children's charity are looking for a Corporate Account Coordinator to assist in the coordination and administration of the organisations corporate accounts, specifically taking responsibility...
Senior Direct Marketing Executive - Donor Development Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £26,000.00, Salary Max: £28,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description This leading charity with an excellent reputation for direct marketing is looking to recruit a Senior Direct Marketing Executive in Donor Development to play an active role in the strategic planning a...
Direct Marketing Officer Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £28,800.00, Salary Max: £28,800.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description A cancer charity has a brand new and exciting opportunity for a Direct Marketing Officer to join their team. The successful candidate will have experience of working across different channels includin...
Head of Global Major Donor Fundraising Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £75,000.00, Salary Max: £75,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description Amnesty International's (AI) Secretariat operates from a number of sites around the world, campaigning for meaningful human rights change. They provide strategic leadership, support and advice to the ...
New Business Manager (Corporate Partnerships)) Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £40,000.00, Salary Max: £45,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description This leading national social welfare charity are looking to recruit a Corporate Partnerships Manager to develop, implement and deliver a strategy for engaging new corporate partners and increasing the...
Major Gifts Manager Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £40,000.00, Salary Max: £40,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description This leading health charity is recruiting for a Major Gifts Manager to develop, manage and grow the major gifts income stream from high value supporters, major donors and celebrities. The main duti...
Supporter Engagement Manager Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £55,000.00, Salary Max: £55,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: South West Description This well known national charity is re-shaping their Marketing and Fundraising Department. To help them do this they are developing an integrated, audience-focused, multi-channel and innovative strate...
Fundraising Manager Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £29,794.00, Salary Max: £31,584.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: South East Description This leading animal charity is recruiting for a Fundraising Manager on a 3 year fixed term contract. The post holder will be responsible for generating income on an annual basis, cultivating and manag...
European Fundraising and Partnerships Manager Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £50,000.00, Salary Max: £60,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London City Description This is a newly created role within this expanding international charity. The role will primarily be responsible for establishing and implementing the infrastructure needed to grow the annual revenue...
Grants Manager Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £27,000.00, Salary Max: £32,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description This learning disability charity is recruiting for a Grants Manager to generate income for the charity by working with a portfolio of grant giving organisations and by working on the identification an...
Area Fundraiser - London and SE Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £26,200.00, Salary Max: £29,700.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: South East Description This leading benevolent fund is looking for an Area Fundraiser to work from home to promote the fund across London and the South East with the aim to increase financial and voluntary support for. ...
Trust & Foundations Executive Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £25,000.00, Salary Max: £25,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description This leading medical charity are looking to recruit a Trust and Foundations Executive to support and develop the charity and its substantial growth in the next 12 months by managing a portfolio of tru...
Senior Major Giving Manager x 2 Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £40,000.00, Salary Max: £45,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description This leading cancer charity is recruiting for 2 x Senior Major Giving Managers to work on a new appeal; the most ambitious in the charity's history and one of global significance. You will be respons...
Major Giving Managers x 2 Apply Add to basket Salary Min: £35,000.00, Salary Max: £40,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly Location: London Description This leading cancer charity is recruiting for 2 x Major Giving Managers to work on a new appeal; the most ambitious in the charity's history and one of global significance. You will be responsible fo...

Part Time Major Gifts Manager

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £38,198.00, Salary Max: £44,555.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description This leading human rights organisation is recruiting for a part time Major Gifts Manager to undertake a 12 month interim role. The post holder will be responsible for implementing new major donor part...

Head of Direct Marketing

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £42,000.00, Salary Max: £48,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description This leading disability charity are looking to recruit a Head of Direct Marketing to lead and manage their Direct Marketing team and strategy ensuring the team deliver to plan and achieve continued lo...

Senior New Business Fundraiser

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £37,200.00, Salary Max: £37,200.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description This leading disability charity are looking to a Senior New Business Fundraiser on a maternity cover basis to identify, develop and win major long term partnerships to ensure opportunities for income ...

Community and Individuals Fundraising Officer

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £28,640.00, Salary Max: £29,876.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description This leading international religious organisation is recruiting for a Community and Individuals Fundraising Officer to take responsibility for the charity's income generation through individuals, chur...

Account Manager

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £26,000.00, Salary Max: £28,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description This leading DM agency works closely with clients within the charity sector to provide and deliver exceptional fundraising projects to help them achieve their aims successfully. Working on so...

Community and Events Manager x 2

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £29,958.00, Salary Max: £29,958.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description This Community and Events Manager position is with one of the charity sectors leading lights, an organisation that consistently has a huge impact on the nations most deprived people and pushes against...

Partnerships Development Manager

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £35,499.00, Salary Max: £39,972.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description This leading children's charity is recruiting for a Corporate Partnership Development Manager to play a key role in securing new business and managing existing charity partnerships. You will be respo...

Corporate Partnerships Manager

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £32,000.00, Salary Max: £32,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: Midlands
Description This leading medical charity is recruiting for a Corporate Partnerships Manager to develop existing corporate support and implement new corporate partnerships. The post holder will also be responsibl...

Head of Major Giving

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £45,000.00, Salary Max: £50,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description Our client is going through an exciting period of growth, expanding its central fundraising and alumni relations department to significant increase income generation. Working closely with the Dire...

Individual Giving Executive

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £27,530.00, Salary Max: £27,530.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description This leading social welfare organisation are looking for an Individual Giving Executive to recruit, retain and manage donors using traditional and online marketing techniques to maximise the charities...

Trust and Lottery Fundraiser

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £29,958.00, Salary Max: £29,958.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description We are working with the leading homelessness charity in the UK who are currently recruiting for a Lottery & Trust Fundraiser. You will work directly with the charity's service team in England and Scot...

Corporate Account Coordinator

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £23,000.00, Salary Max: £25,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description This top children's charity are looking for a Corporate Account Coordinator to assist in the coordination and administration of the organisations corporate accounts, specifically taking responsibility...

Senior Direct Marketing Executive - Donor Development

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £26,000.00, Salary Max: £28,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description This leading charity with an excellent reputation for direct marketing is looking to recruit a Senior Direct Marketing Executive in Donor Development to play an active role in the strategic planning a...

Direct Marketing Officer

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £28,800.00, Salary Max: £28,800.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description A cancer charity has a brand new and exciting opportunity for a Direct Marketing Officer to join their team. The successful candidate will have experience of working across different channels includin...

Head of Global Major Donor Fundraising

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £75,000.00, Salary Max: £75,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description Amnesty International's (AI) Secretariat operates from a number of sites around the world, campaigning for meaningful human rights change. They provide strategic leadership, support and advice to the ...

New Business Manager (Corporate Partnerships))

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £40,000.00, Salary Max: £45,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description This leading national social welfare charity are looking to recruit a Corporate Partnerships Manager to develop, implement and deliver a strategy for engaging new corporate partners and increasing the...

Major Gifts Manager

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £40,000.00, Salary Max: £40,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description This leading health charity is recruiting for a Major Gifts Manager to develop, manage and grow the major gifts income stream from high value supporters, major donors and celebrities. The main duti...

Supporter Engagement Manager

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £55,000.00, Salary Max: £55,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: South West
Description This well known national charity is re-shaping their Marketing and Fundraising Department. To help them do this they are developing an integrated, audience-focused, multi-channel and innovative strate...

Fundraising Manager

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £29,794.00, Salary Max: £31,584.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: South East
Description This leading animal charity is recruiting for a Fundraising Manager on a 3 year fixed term contract. The post holder will be responsible for generating income on an annual basis, cultivating and manag...

European Fundraising and Partnerships Manager

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £50,000.00, Salary Max: £60,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London City
Description This is a newly created role within this expanding international charity. The role will primarily be responsible for establishing and implementing the infrastructure needed to grow the annual revenue...

Grants Manager

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £27,000.00, Salary Max: £32,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description This learning disability charity is recruiting for a Grants Manager to generate income for the charity by working with a portfolio of grant giving organisations and by working on the identification an...

Area Fundraiser - London and SE

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £26,200.00, Salary Max: £29,700.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: South East
Description This leading benevolent fund is looking for an Area Fundraiser to work from home to promote the fund across London and the South East with the aim to increase financial and voluntary support for. ...

Trust & Foundations Executive

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £25,000.00, Salary Max: £25,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description This leading medical charity are looking to recruit a Trust and Foundations Executive to support and develop the charity and its substantial growth in the next 12 months by managing a portfolio of tru...

Senior Major Giving Manager x 2

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £40,000.00, Salary Max: £45,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description This leading cancer charity is recruiting for 2 x Senior Major Giving Managers to work on a new appeal; the most ambitious in the charity's history and one of global significance. You will be respons...

Major Giving Managers x 2

Apply Add to basket

Salary Min: £35,000.00, Salary Max: £40,000.00, Salary Rate:Yearly
Location: London
Description This leading cancer charity is recruiting for 2 x Major Giving Managers to work on a new appeal; the most ambitious in the charity's history and one of global significance. You will be responsible fo...

Remember me

Forgotten password?