fundraising manager
Role lens
Are you passionate about making a difference and skilled at building relationships? As a fundraising manager, you’ll be at the heart of securing vital resources for organizations, enabling them to achieve their missions and positively impact communities.
Fundraising managers play a crucial role in non-profit organizations, charities, and other entities needing financial support. Your days will be varied, involving strategic planning, relationship building, and hands-on execution of fundraising initiatives. You'll be responsible for identifying funding opportunities, cultivating donor relationships, and ensuring funds are used effectively to support the organization’s programs.
- • Developing and implementing fundraising strategies to meet organizational goals.
- • Building and maintaining relationships with individual donors, corporations, and foundations.
- • Writing grant proposals and securing funding from trusts and statutory bodies.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.
Figures cover Business and administration professionals — 134 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Czechia, Italy, Netherlands, Romania.
Longest-running shortage: Italy, 3 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
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Could fundraising manager fit you?
Answer three quick questions. This is not a full assessment — it is a teaser to help you decide whether to compare your profile.
Do you enjoy tasks that require Integrity?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Cooperation?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Attention to Detail?
Future Outlook for fundraising manager
The outlook for fundraising manager reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could fundraising manager change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How could fundraising manager change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- follow company standards
- develop professional network
- liaise with managers
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- analyse financial performance of a company
- analyse market financial trends
- develop promotional tools
Tasks most exposed to automation
No single task here is highly automatable yet.
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Financial Services
A typical day as a fundraising manager
09 09:00 · Morning create a financial plan
10 10:30 · Mid-morning advise on financial matters
12 12:00 · Midday analyse financial performance of a company
14 14:00 · Afternoon analyse market financial trends
15 15:30 · Late afternoon coordinate events
17 17:00 · Wrap-up develop professional network
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
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corporate social responsibility
The handling or managing of business processes in a responsible and ethical manner considering the economic responsibility towards shareholders as equally important as the responsibility towards environmental and social stakeholders.
- financial analysis
- financial management
- financial statements
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coordinate events
Lead events by managing budget, logistics, event support, security, emergency plans and follow up.
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fix meetings
Fix and schedule professional appointments or meetings for clients or superiors.
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manage budgets
Plan, monitor, report on the budget and prepare set production budgets.
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enforce financial policies
Read, understand, and enforce the abidance of the financial policies of the company in regards with all the fiscal and accounting proceedings of the organisation.
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strive for company growth
Develop strategies and plans aiming at achieving a sustained company growth, be the company self-owned or somebody else's. Strive with actions to increase revenues and positive cash flows.
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create a financial plan
Develop a financial plan according to financial and client regulations, including an investor profile, financial advice, and negotiation and transaction plans.
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analyse market financial trends
Monitor and forecast the tendencies of a financial market to move in a particular direction over time.
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manage staff
Manage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the workers to meet the company objectives. Monitor and measure how an employee undertakes their responsibilities and how well these activities are executed. Identify areas for improvement and make suggestions to achieve this. Lead a group of people to help them achieve goals and maintain an effective working relationship among staff.
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recruit employees
Hire new employees by scoping the job role, advertising, performing interviews and selecting staff in line with company policy and legislation.
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perform fundraising activities
Perform activities which will raise funds for an organisation or campaign, such as speaking with the public, gathering funds during fundraising or other general events, and using online fundraising tools.
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develop promotional tools
Generate promotional material and collaborate in the production of promotional text, videos, photos, etc. Keep previous promotional material organised.
Skill DNA
Work personality traits and values that define this role
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Where does fundraising manager fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What skills are most important for a fundraising manager?
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential, as is the ability to build rapport and influence others. Analytical skills are needed for tracking fundraising performance and identifying trends. Project management and organizational skills are also vital to manage multiple campaigns and deadlines effectively.
- Can I become a fundraising manager without a background in non-profits?
- Yes! Transferable skills from sales, marketing, or event management are highly valuable. A strong understanding of financial principles and a genuine passion for the organization's mission are key.
- What’s the difference between a fundraiser and a fundraising manager?
- While both roles involve raising money, a fundraiser often focuses on specific campaigns or tasks. A fundraising manager has broader responsibilities, including developing overall fundraising strategies, managing a team (potentially), and overseeing the entire fundraising process.
- Fundraising Manager — is there a shortage in Europe?
- No. In the 2025 ELA/EURES edition, a surplus was reported in 7 of the 11 European countries that assessed this occupation group: Austria, Bulgaria, Finland, France and 3 more. 4 countries reported a shortage. These assessments are published per occupation group rather than per job title.
- Fundraising Manager — what does it pay in the United States?
- $123,480 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $71,110 to $169,510. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.