Fundraiser Resume Guide

Introduction

Creating a compelling resume for a fundraiser role in 2025 requires a clear focus on relevant skills, achievements, and keywords that ATS systems recognize. Fundraiser resumes must highlight your ability to generate donations, build relationships, and manage campaigns efficiently. An ATS-friendly format ensures your application gets through initial screenings and reaches hiring managers.

Who Is This For?

This guide is suitable for individuals with entry-level to mid-level experience seeking a fundraising position in regions like the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, or similar markets. Whether you’re transitioning from a different sector, returning to work after a break, or applying for a nonprofit or corporate fundraising role, this approach helps tailor your resume to match your experience level and target roles.

Resume Format for Fundraiser (2025)

Start with a clear, well-structured format: include sections like Summary, Skills, Experience, Projects (optional), Education, and Certifications. For less experienced applicants, a one-page resume is often enough; more seasoned fundraisers can extend to two pages if they include significant achievements or campaigns. Use bullet points for clarity and emphasis. If you have a portfolio of successful campaigns or donor contacts, consider including a link in your header or a Projects section. Keep the layout simple, avoiding excessive graphics or tables that ATS scanners may misinterpret.

Role-Specific Skills & Keywords

• Donor relationship management
• Fundraising campaign development
• CRM software proficiency (e.g., Salesforce, Blackbaud)
• Grant writing and proposal development
• Event planning and management
• Data analysis for fundraising trends
• Communication and interpersonal skills
• Stakeholder engagement
• Budget management and reporting
• Digital fundraising strategies (social media, email campaigns)
• Knowledge of nonprofit laws and ethics
• Volunteer coordination
• Fundraising metrics and KPIs
• CRM and donor database segmentation
• Effective storytelling for donor engagement

Ensure these keywords appear naturally throughout your resume, especially in the Skills and Experience sections, matching the language used in job descriptions.

Experience Bullets That Stand Out

• Led a donor acquisition campaign that increased contributions by ~20% over 12 months through targeted outreach and engagement strategies.
• Managed a portfolio of 200+ donors, maintaining relationships that resulted in a ~15% growth in recurring donations.
• Developed and executed a social media fundraising campaign, raising over $50,000 in 3 months and expanding online donor base.
• Wrote successful grant proposals securing over $100,000 in funding from local and national agencies.
• Organized annual fundraising events, increasing attendance by ~30% and boosting event revenue by ~25%.
• Implemented a new CRM system, improving data accuracy and donor segmentation, which enhanced personalized outreach efforts.
• Analyzed fundraising data to identify trends, resulting in optimized campaign timing and messaging that improved response rates.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop compelling storytelling content, increasing donor engagement rates.
• Trained volunteers and junior staff on fundraising best practices, increasing team productivity and campaign success.
• Managed budgets for multiple campaigns, ensuring targets were met while maintaining cost-efficiency.

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Common Mistakes (and Fixes)

• Vague summaries: Instead of “Responsible for fundraising,” specify the scope and results, e.g., “Led a campaign that increased donations by ~20% within one year.”
• Dense paragraphs: Break text into bullet points to improve scanability and ATS parsing.
• Overused keywords: Avoid keyword stuffing; focus on relevant, naturally integrated terms.
• Decorative formatting: Use simple fonts and styles—avoid excessive colors, graphics, or text boxes that can confuse ATS systems.
• Lack of metrics: Quantify achievements whenever possible to demonstrate impact and effectiveness.

ATS Tips You Shouldn't Skip

• Save your resume as a Word document (.docx) or plain PDF with a clear filename like “Firstname_Lastname_Fundraiser_Resume_2025.”
• Use standard headers (e.g., Summary, Skills, Experience) to help ATS identify sections.
• Incorporate synonyms for key skills (e.g., “donor relations” instead of just “donor relationship management”).
• Ensure consistent tense—past tense for previous roles, present tense for current roles.
• Avoid complex tables or heavy formatting that can disrupt ATS parsing.
• Keep spacing consistent and use bullet points to improve readability.
• Align keywords with the job description, tailoring your resume for each application.

Following these tips will help your fundraiser resume stand out to ATS systems and hiring managers alike in 2025.