Talent Market

Talent Market is a nonprofit whose mission is to promote liberty by providing talent for critical roles within the free-market nonprofit sector

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Considering a Career in Fundraising?

So, you’re considering a career in fundraising?

We’re elated to hear it! Why? Because more than a third of Talent Market’s searches are for development staff!

Despite the constant demand for development talent, fundraising is not a common career path — especially for those coming out of college. However, many of the people who stumble into a career in advancement quickly learn it’s a rewarding, dynamic field with the potential to make an enormous impact.

Many different careers can translate well for fundraising. Sales, banking, communications, client management, and advocacy all lend themselves to development roles. But as you’ll learn below, fundraising’s diversity makes it a fit for a wide swath of talent.

Fundraising is Diverse

One unique aspect of fundraising is its diversity. There are a multitude of specialties within fundraising, all of which require slightly different skills. Here is a sampling of the specialties along with the skills needed for each:

  • Fundraising Program Management — Usually titled Director of Development, this individual manages the overall fundraising program with an organization. You can think of this person as the “Team Captain.” The Director of Development should be a solid manager of people and projects, highly organized, capable of follow-through, and good at “managing up.”
  • Major Gifts — A Major Gifts Officer builds relationships with donors and often “makes the ask.” You can think of MGOs as client relations specialists. A successful MGO is a strong listener and relationship-builder who is confident and not afraid to make the ask.
  • Grant Writing/Foundation Relations — A Grant Writer/Foundation Relations Manager authors proposals and builds personal relationships with foundation representatives. Ideal candidates for this role are good writers who can digest a large-scale mission and notable metrics into a succinct couple page report.The ideal Grant Writer/Foundation Relations Manager is a strong writer who excels at building relationships.
  • Direct Mail/Marketing — The Direct Mail Manager oversees an organization’s direct marketing efforts to donors and prospective donors. Someone that has a high attention to detail and process improvement is usually good in this sort of role. A competent Direct Mail Manager will be a persuasive copy writer who enjoys data analysis and thinking outside the box.
  • Donor Research — A Donor Research Manager identifies and uncovers critical information about potential individual, foundation, and corporate donors. A strong Donor Research Manager excels at research and finding new ways to uncover hard-to-find information.
  • Estate Planning — The Planned Giving Officer works closely with donors on the largest and most impactful philanthropic decision of their lives: estate gifts. An ideal Planned Giving Officer will have the same traits as a Major Gifts Officer, but will also have experience in estate planning, trust and estate management, charitable giving tax law, or a related field. Having a law degree is icing on the cake.
  • Event Planning — The Event Planner plans and implements an organization’s events — from lunches to roundtable events and annual gala dinners. A strong Event Planner is highly organized, loves entertaining, and absolutely sweats the small stuff.
  • Development Administration — Development Assistants/Coordinators provide the back-end administrative support to the fundraising team. This can include research, scheduling, coordinating, meeting preparation, and just about everything but the kitchen sink. A successful Development Assistant is highly organized, persistent, and doesn’t mind being behind-the-scenes.

Two Cents of Advice

  • Start talking to your friends in fundraising! Take them to lunch and pick their brains about the profession and their recommendations for how you can get started.
  • Patience is a virtue — especially in fundraising. Fundraising success will not come overnight; but if you do the right things, your efforts will eventually pay off.

Resources for Getting Started

If you’re excited about exploring a career in fundraising, here are some resources that might prove useful.

  • An Overview of the Fundraising World
    • Institute for Charitable Giving – founded by Jerry Panas, they have some of the best seminars in the field.
    • The Balance: Fundraising for Nonprofits – If you’re interested in non-profits in general, and how the fundraising world works, this gives a great overview.
  • Resources for Transitioning to a Development Career
    • Leadership Institute Fundraising Trainings
  • Fundraising-specific Books
    • The Artful Journey by Bill Sturtevant
    • Any book by Jerold Panas
    • Any book / blog / article by Richard Viguerie – Viguerie is the direct mail guru of the fundraising world.
    • Retention: Science Keeping Donors by Roger Craver
    • How to Turn Your Words Into Money by Jeff Brooks
    • Seeing Through a Donor’s Eyes by Tom Ahern
    • Revolution in the Mailbox by Mal Warwick
  • Non-fundraising Books that Line Many Good Fundraiser’s Shelves
    • The Millionaire Next Door – While not a fundraising book per se, this a staple of many fundraisers’ libraries.
    • Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini
    • To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink

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    Strategic Research Deputy Director – Pacific Legal Foundation – Virtual Office

    Philanthropic Investments Officer – Moving Picture Institute – Virtual Office

    Vice President/Director of Development – American Institute for Economic Research – Virtual Office, Barrington, MA, or Washington, DC

    Legal Policy Manager – Pacific Legal Foundation – Virtual Office

    Membership Marketing Manager – Institute for Justice – Hybrid in Arlington, VA

    Donor Relations Manager – Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom – St. Paul, MN or Virtual in the Greater Twin Cities Metro Area

    Communications Manager – Tax Foundation – Washington, DC or Virtual Office

    President and CEO – Philanthropy Roundtable – Washington, D.C.

    Accounting Associate – Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd) – Virtual Office

    Associate Counsel – Defense of Freedom Institute – Virtual Office or Washington, DC Area

    Communications Director – Center for American Liberty – Virtual Office

    State Tax Policy Analyst – Tax Foundation – Washington, D.C. or Virtual Office

    Program Manager – Paragon Health Institute – Arlington, VA 

    Director of Chapter Development – Benjamin Rush Institute – Virtual

    Attorney – Competitive Enterprise Institute – Washington, D.C.

    Local Outreach Programs Officer – Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation – Des Moines, Iowa

    Operations Associate – State Policy Network – Arlington, VA 

    Research Assistant – Paragon Health Institute – Arlington, VA

    Director/Senior Director of Foundation Relations – American Enterprise Institute – Washington, DC

    Privacy Policy Analyst – Libertas Institute – Lehi, UT or Virtual Office

    Editor – Mercatus Center at George Mason University – Arlington, VA, or Virtual Office

    Technology & Innovation Policy Fellow – R Street Institute – Washington, D.C. or Virtual Office

    Director, Fellows and Leaders - Foundation for Excellence in Education - Virtual Office

    Operations Associate - John Locke Foundation - Raleigh, NC

    Deputy Director, Adam Smith Society – Manhattan Institute for Policy Research – New York, NY or Virtual

    Capitol Hill Outreach Director – Young America’s Foundation – Washington, DC and Reston, VA

    Vice President of Research – Cascade Policy Institute – Portland, OR

    Director of Academic Programming – Open Discourse Coalition – Lewisburg, PA

    Manager of Donor Relations – Institute for Humane Studies – Virtual Office in the Western Region

    Civil Rights Attorney – Pacific Legal Foundation – Virtual Office

    Washington State News Editor – The Center Square – Virtual in WA

    North American Programs Manager – Students for Liberty – Virtual Office

    Development Writer – American Enterprise Institute – Washington, DC

    Assistant Director, Educational Programs – Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans – Alexandria, VA

    Vice President of External Relations – Illinois Policy Institute – Virtual Office or Hybrid in Chicago, IL

    Senior Litigation Counsel – New Civil Liberties Alliance – Washington, DC

    Litigation Counsel – New Civil Liberties Alliance – Washington, DC

    Chief Development Officer – The Fund for American Studies – Washington, DC

    Communications Director – Network of enlightened Women – Virtual Office 

    Manager, FREE Initiative - American Enterprise Institute - Washington, DC

    Grants Manager – Heritage Foundation – Washington, DC

    Operations Coordinator – Philanthropy Roundtable – Washington, DC

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SEND US YOUR RESUME

If you want us to keep you in mind for opportunities, send us your resume so we have all the details that will help us help you.

About Us

Claire Kittle Dixon

Claire Kittle Dixon
Executive Director
Claire has more than a decade of experience in the talent development field. She…
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Katelynn Barbosa
Director of Talent Engagement
Katelynn started her career in the Koch Associate Program and then litigated at the Institute for Justice…
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Katy Gambella
Director of Outreach
Katy began her career at the Institute for Humane Studies and later joined the Cato Institute…
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Stephanie Keaveney
Outreach Manager
Stephanie’s career started at the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal…
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Lydia Ocampo
Outreach Specialist
Lydia started her career with Young Americans for Liberty. During her time with YAL…
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Wait, You’re a Nonprofit?

Talent Market is a nonprofit. We’ll wait here while that sinks in. We know it’s a crazy concept, but it’s been working like a charm since 2009.

Talent Market’s mission is to promote liberty by providing talent for critical roles within the free-market nonprofit sector.

We provide consulting and recruiting services at no cost to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations that clearly and directly focus on advancing the principles of economic freedom, free enterprise, free trade, free speech, property rights, rule of law, and limited regulation. (We do not work with political organizations, organizations with mission statements that do not clearly advance free-market principles, organizations that focus on social issues, or organizations that have a focus outside of the United States. We are not a job board. ) 

Talent Market believes that the road to prosperity is paved with freedom and that the success of our movement hinges on the talent that will take us there.

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