Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a Fundraiser
What fundraisers actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for a fundraiser?
Review donor research for today’s meetings. From there, the day usually includes identify and research donors, build donor relationships, and ask for gifts. Most work full-time, with evening events and busy year-end seasons.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a fundraiser working full time.
- Review donor research for today’s meetings.
- Meet a major donor for coffee.
- Draft the year-end appeal letter.
- Plan the spring gala with volunteers.
- Write a foundation grant proposal.
- Call donors to say thank you.
- Update the donor database.
Where fundraisers work
Fundraisers work in offices, at donor meetings and events, with some travel.
Hours and schedule
Most work full-time, with evening events and busy year-end seasons.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Identify and research donors
- Build donor relationships
- Ask for gifts
- Plan events and campaigns
- Write appeals and grant proposals
- Manage donor databases
- Steward and thank donors
Tools you’ll use every day
- Donor CRMs (Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce)
- Email marketing tools
- Wealth screening tools
- Event platforms
- Spreadsheets
- Grant databases
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Fund causes you care about
- People-focused work
- Strong demand for skilled fundraisers
- Transferable skills
What’s hard
- Pressure to hit goals
- Evening and weekend events
- Rejection
- Turnover in the field
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I love building relationships
- I’m comfortable asking for money
- I write well
- I care about causes
- I can handle rejection
- I like events
Not sure? Take the free Fundraiser fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Protect donor data
- Follow ethical fundraising standards
- Be honest about gift use
- Travel safely to meetings