Skills you need as a fundraiser

If you're encouraging people to donate, it helps if you believe that the cause they’re donating to is worthwhile. Knowing the impact that donations will have on the charity can help reinforce the authenticity of your communications. Where possible, visit charities to see their work in action, speak to beneficiaries and really get under the skin of why what you’re doing is worthwhile.

Although the size of a fundraising team and your particular role will vary depending on the size of the charity itself, teamwork will always be crucial. You’ll need to build strong and collaborative relationships with both the fundraising team and your communications colleagues, volunteering teams, senior leaders and the board, so you’re all working towards one goal.

When you’re communicating with donors and supporters, kindness and understanding is key. For some people, even a few pounds is a lot of money, and for those leaving legacy gifts, it’s a huge and emotional undertaking. The need to treat donors with kindness and compassion and be thankful for their support is vitally important. 

Being a fundraiser means a lot of communication! Communicating to your team and encouraging people to work towards a common goal, or communicating when there are challenges and how to overcome them. Then there’s communication with trustees and board members as to why fundraising is so worth the investment. And, of course, communicating to supporters and donors, who need to feel welcomed, valued, and reassured that their donation is going to have a meaningful impact. Good fundraisers have a range of verbal, written and visual communication skills, with the ability to convey their message in a way that is persuasive and compelling.

We’re all different, and humans have many varied outlooks, motivations and values that drive them to donate to a cause. A curiosity and fascination about what makes people ‘tick’ goes a long way in fundraising. It’s all about the ‘why.’ People might donate to charity because they care about the cause and the impact on the world, or because they have personal experience of being supported by a charity. They may also want to contribute in memory of a loved one. The more you can tap into a donor’s motivations and values, the better your connection with them will be.

You need to plan ahead to achieve your goals. There will likely be targets to be met to help keep your charity delivering its services. This might mean mapping out when particular campaigns and events will run or take place, or planning when communications will go out to particular audiences. You’ll need to know what you’re saying, to who, and when. There are a rang e of tools that can help in the planning process, such as spreadsheets and work trackers.

Fundraising does come down to money. In more senior roles you may need to budget and forecast,  in which case you’ll need to have an understanding of finances. You don’t need to be an account, but it’s helpful to know your way around a spreadsheet and be able to plan what income you need, how you’re going to get there, and factor in any ups and downs.

Fundraising can be a tough job at times. Not everyone you approach to donate will be willing to do so. For some it’s the disposable income, for others it’s the cause, and for some, it just might not be the right time. Great fundraisers don’t take the no’s personally, they acknowledge, accept, and move on.

As we’ve seen over the last few years, we never really know what is going to happen in the world that can impact on fundraising activity. In recent times, fundraising teams have had to adapt and pivot in response to the pandemic and cost of living crisis. Keeping the big picture in mind, but being aware of the need to shift specific tactics or skills is essential.