Glossary
Fundraiser Terms & Vocabulary
15 essential fundraiser terms with plain-English definitions: the vocabulary you’ll hear in training and on day one.
Key fundraiser vocabulary
These 15 terms come up constantly in fundraiser training, on the job and in interviews. Knowing them helps you follow instructions, document accurately and sound prepared.
- Annual fund
- Yearly giving program.
- Capital campaign
- Fundraising for a big project.
- Case for support
- Why donors should give.
- Cultivation
- Building donor relationships.
- Donor retention
- Keeping donors giving.
- Gift acknowledgment
- A thank-you and receipt.
- LYBUNT
- Last year but unfortunately not this year donors.
- Major gift
- A large donation.
- Matching gift
- An employer matching donations.
- Moves management
- Tracking steps with donors.
- Planned giving
- Gifts through wills and estates.
- Pledge
- A promise to give.
- Prospect
- A potential donor.
- Solicitation
- Asking for a gift.
- Stewardship
- Thanking and engaging donors.
Practice these terms
Test yourself with the free Fundraiser practice test: it includes vocabulary questions built from this list. For a complete course, see Fundraiser training.
Browse terms from every career in our career glossary.