Your CV is your professional story, a succinct yet comprehensive overview of your skills, experiences, and the unique value you bring as a fundraising professional. It's about striking a balance between showcasing your fundraising abilities and your strategic impact on organizational growth. Writing an impactful CV means emphasizing the aspects of your career that highlight your fundraising expertise and demonstrate why you're the ideal fit for fundraising roles.
Whether you're aiming for a role in nonprofit fundraising, corporate partnerships, or grant writing, these guidelines will help ensure your CV stands out to employers.
Highlight Your Fundraising Achievements: Specify successful campaigns you've led, the funds you've raised, and the impact these funds have had on your organization. Quantify your achievements where possible.
Detail Your Specialization: If you specialize in a particular type of fundraising, such as major gifts, corporate partnerships, or grant writing, make sure to highlight this early on in your CV.
Customize Your CV to the Job Description: Align your CV content with the job's needs, emphasizing relevant experiences and skills that match the employer's requirements.
Showcase Your Communication Skills: Fundraising is all about building relationships. Highlight your ability to communicate effectively with a variety of stakeholders, from donors to board members.
Demonstrate Your Strategic Thinking: Show how you've used strategic thinking to plan and execute successful fundraising campaigns. This could include identifying potential donors, developing a fundraising strategy, or implementing a donor stewardship program.
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Dynamic Fundraising professional with a proven track record of increasing donations, cultivating donor relationships, and implementing innovative fundraising strategies. Successfully led teams to exceed fundraising targets, raising over $2M in a single campaign and increasing annual donations by 35%. With a knack for donor retention and community engagement, I am committed to leveraging my expertise to ensure the financial health and growth of my next organization.
CAREER Experience
Fundraising• 01/2024 – Present
GenomicSolutions
Orchestrated a comprehensive fundraising strategy that increased annual donations by 35%, contributing significantly to the organization's financial health.
Managed and cultivated relationships with major donors, resulting in a 20% increase in large-scale donations over a two-year period.
Implemented a new donor management system that streamlined the donation process, improving donor retention by 15% and enhancing the overall donor experience.
Fundraising Manager• 03/2023 – 12/2023
Kaleid Creative Agency
Directed a team of 6 fundraising professionals, achieving a record-high in annual fundraising by fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation.
Launched a successful capital campaign that raised $2M, exceeding the target by 25% and enabling the organization to expand its services.
Developed and executed a series of fundraising events that increased community engagement and resulted in a 30% increase in new donors.
Fundraising Coordinator• 11/2021 – 03/2023
Spark Innovations
Conducted detailed donor analysis, identifying key donor segments and tailoring fundraising strategies accordingly, resulting in a 20% increase in targeted donations.
Collaborated with the marketing team to create compelling fundraising campaigns, boosting online donations by 40%.
Initiated a planned giving program that secured $500K in future donations, ensuring the long-term financial stability of the organization.
SKILLS
Strategic Fundraising Planning
Donor Relationship Management
Donor Retention Strategies
Team Leadership and Management
Capital Campaign Management
Event Planning and Execution
Donor Analysis and Segmentation
Collaboration with Marketing Teams
Online Fundraising Campaigns
Planned Giving Program Development
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Nonprofit Management and Leadership
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
2016-2020
Milwaukee, WI
CERTIFICATIONS
Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE)
04/2024
CFRE International
Advanced Certified Fundraising Executive (ACFRE)
04/2023
Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)
Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP)
04/2023
The American College of Financial Services
Fundraising CV Template
1.) Contact Information
Full Name
[email protected] • (XXX) XXX-XXXX • linkedin.com/in/your-name • City, State
2.) Personal Statement
Passionate Fundraising Professional with [number of years] years of experience in [specific fundraising strategies, e.g., donor relations, grant writing]. Seeking to leverage my skills in [specific fundraising skills, e.g., campaign management, event planning] to drive [specific outcomes, e.g., donor engagement, fundraising targets] for [Company Name]. Committed to fostering philanthropic partnerships and achieving fundraising goals to support the mission of the organization.
3.) CV Experience
Current or Most Recent Title
Job Title • State Date • End Date
Company Name
Worked closely with [teams/departments] to raise [amount of funds, e.g., $500,000], demonstrating strong [soft skill, e.g., teamwork, leadership].
Implemented [system or process improvement, e.g., donor management software, online donation platform], leading to [quantifiable benefit, e.g., 20% increase in donations, improved donor tracking].
Previous Job Title
Job Title • State Date • End Date
Company Name
Played a pivotal role in [project or initiative, e.g., capital campaign, major gift solicitation], resulting in [measurable impact, e.g., exceeded fundraising goal by 30%, secured a significant donation from a major donor].
Conducted [type of analysis, e.g., donor trend analysis, fundraising strategy evaluation], using [analytical tools/methods] to guide [decision-making/action, e.g., campaign planning, donor outreach strategies].
Key contributor to [task or responsibility, e.g., grant writing, donor stewardship], ensuring [quality or standard, e.g., compelling proposals, high donor satisfaction] across all fundraising efforts.
4.) CV Skills
Strategic Fundraising Planning
Donor Relationship Management
Donor Retention Strategies
Team Leadership and Management
Capital Campaign Management
Event Planning and Execution
Donor Analysis and Segmentation
Collaboration with Marketing Teams
Online Fundraising Campaigns
Planned Giving Program Development
5.) Education
Official Degree Name
University Name
City, State • State Date • End Date
Major: Name of Major
Minor: Name of Minor
6.) Certifications
Official Certification Name
Certification Provider • State Date • End Date
Official Certification Name
Certification Provider • State Date • End Date
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In the competitive field of fundraising, the formatting of your CV can significantly influence your chances of landing an interview. A well-structured CV not only reflects your professionalism and attention to detail, both crucial in fundraising, but also makes your CV easier to read and more appealing to potential employers.
Start with a Compelling Objective
Begin your CV with a clear, concise objective that aligns with the fundraising role you’re applying for. This should succinctly state your career goals and how you plan to contribute to the prospective organization. Highlighting your passion for the cause and your readiness to make a significant impact sets a positive tone for the rest of your CV.
Highlight Relevant Experience
In fundraising, your experience can be your most valuable asset. Format this section to list your most relevant roles at the top, detailing your responsibilities and achievements. Use bullet points to highlight successful campaigns, funds raised, and relationships built with donors. This layout helps hiring managers quickly understand your fundraising capabilities.
Detail Skills and Competencies
Fundraising requires a unique blend of skills. Detail your ability to build relationships, communicate effectively, and strategize. Also, include any competencies in fundraising software or CRM systems. Use bullet points to make this section easy to read and understand.
Emphasize Education and Certifications
While experience is crucial, don't overlook your educational background and any relevant certifications. Whether you have a degree in nonprofit management, a certificate in fundraising management, or any other relevant qualifications, make sure to include them. This shows your commitment to professional development in the field.
Include Volunteer Work and Affiliations
In the fundraising sector, your involvement in volunteer work and affiliations with charitable organizations can be a significant advantage. Include a section detailing these, as they demonstrate your commitment to the cause and provide insight into your network within the sector.
Personal Statements for Fundraisings
Fundraising Personal Statement Examples
Strong Statement
"Dynamic and dedicated Fundraising professional with over 7 years of experience in strategic donor cultivation, campaign management, and event planning. Proven track record in exceeding fundraising targets and fostering long-term donor relationships. Passionate about leveraging communication skills and strategic planning abilities to drive philanthropic efforts. Seeking to bring my expertise in donor engagement and fundraising strategy to a mission-driven organization."
Weak Statement
"Results-driven Fundraising professional with a strong background in non-profit management, donor relations, and grant writing. With a proven ability to develop and implement effective fundraising strategies, I excel at building and nurturing donor relationships, securing major gifts, and driving revenue growth. Eager to contribute to a forward-thinking organization by providing expert fundraising guidance and robust strategic insights."
Strong Statement
"Results-driven Fundraising professional with a strong background in non-profit management, donor relations, and grant writing. With a proven ability to develop and implement effective fundraising strategies, I excel at building and nurturing donor relationships, securing major gifts, and driving revenue growth. Eager to contribute to a forward-thinking organization by providing expert fundraising guidance and robust strategic insights."
Weak Statement
"Experienced in various fundraising tasks, including event planning and campaign management. Familiar with donor relations and grant writing. Looking for a role where I can use my fundraising knowledge and improve donor engagement processes."
What Makes a Strong Personal Statement?
A strong personal statement for a Fundraising CV seamlessly blends professional achievements with specific fundraising skills, clearly demonstrating the candidate's value through measurable outcomes. It stands out by being highly tailored to the fundraising field, highlighting expertise in areas like donor cultivation, campaign management, and strategic planning, directly addressing how these skills meet the needs of the prospective employer.
Compare Your CV to a Job Description
Use Matching Mode to analyze and compare your CV content to a specific job, before you apply.
The ideal length for a Fundraising professional's CV is 1-2 pages. This allows enough room to showcase your fundraising skills, achievements, and experiences without overloading with unnecessary details. Prioritize highlighting your most impactful fundraising campaigns and the strategies you used, especially those that align closely with the role you're applying for. Remember, clarity and relevance are key in making your CV stand out.
What's the best format for an Fundraising CV?
The best format for a Fundraising CV is a combination format. This highlights both your fundraising skills and work history. Start with a compelling summary, followed by a skills section emphasizing fundraising-specific abilities. Then, list your work experience in reverse-chronological order, detailing fundraising roles, responsibilities, and achievements. This format showcases your fundraising expertise and career trajectory, making it easier for employers to assess your suitability for the role. Tailor each section to align with the specific fundraising job you're applying for.
How does a Fundraising CV differ from a resume?
To make your Fundraising CV stand out, highlight your successful campaigns, quantifying the funds raised and the impact made. Showcase your skills in donor engagement, event planning, and grant writing. Mention any unique fundraising platforms you've used. Tailor your CV to each role, using keywords from the job description. Include any relevant certifications or professional development courses. Remember, demonstrating your passion for the cause can set you apart.
