December 10, 2003 | Read Time: 3 minutes
Q. I recently graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in business, and I’m currently working in the contracts and grants office of my university. I’m seeking further education — either a degree or a certificate program — that would prepare me for a career in fund raising. What programs are currently available and how are those programs regarded in the field?
A. You are certainly starting out on the right track, says John D. Sellars, senior vice president for institutional advancement at Syracuse University. Getting a bachelor’s degree in business is good preparation for a job in fund raising, he says, and the experience you’re getting in the contracts and grants office provides you with background that potential employers may find attractive. Mr. Sellars also recommends that you list on your résumé any work experience in sales or volunteer work in fund raising, as those things will help you stand out. Certainly getting an advanced degree is always a good idea, especially as you move up in the profession, but Mr. Sellars says that the degree does not necessarily need to be in philanthropy.
“I have people in my office with advanced degrees in education, business, public administration, communications, and divinity,” he says. “Whatever specialized education you’ll need for working in a particular development office will most likely be provided to you on the job.”
If you do decide to go for an advanced degree in philanthropy, you’ll want to read The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s special issue on graduate nonprofit-management programs, available in January, which will offer some insight into the variety of programs available. In the meantime, visit the comprehensive guide to graduate, continuing education, and noncredit offerings compiled by a Seton Hall University researcher, Roseanne M. Mirabella. Click on “nonprofit management education research” to access the listings.
When choosing a program, look for one that relies on faculty members with extensive work experience in fund raising, because their contacts outside academe may eventually help you land a job, says Steven DiSalvo, executive vice president of Junior Achievement of New York, who has also run capital campaigns for both Fordham University, in New York, and Fairfield University, in Connecticut.
As for certificate and continuing-education programs, many professional associations offer such courses, including the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy. (See this previous Philanthropy Careers article on the Certified Fund Raising Executive credential.) The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, in Indianapolis, offers a certificate in fund-raising management through its Fund Raising School. The center also sponsors a five-day seminar on fund-raising basics offered in several cities throughout the country that could provide you with a solid foundation. Also, the Certified Fund Raising Executive International Web site can direct you to information about other continuing-education classes as well as a comprehensive list of books about entering the fund-raising profession.
Ultimately, while certificate programs and advanced degrees may provide you with formal training, on-the-job experience can be your most valuable asset, says Teri Rukenbrod, senior vice president of development at the Children’s Miracle Network, in Salt Lake City. She says that her organization has a few entry-level positions in which college graduates manage small-scale projects and work alongside experienced fund raisers, who act as mentors.
“They develop their skills,” she says, “and when opportunities for greater responsibility become available, they are more than ready to step into those roles.”
Got a question about job hunting, recruiting, or managing in the nonprofit world? Send it to us at hotline@philanthropy.com.
