Do you have an interest in fundraising work? Maybe there’s a cause that you’re really passionate about, or perhaps you just find joy in volunteering. No matter your reason, getting a degree can help. And certain degrees are better for fundraisers than others. You’ll need a level of expertise in economics and marketing before you get started. Getting a degree doesn’t need to be an impossible challenge, either. Plenty of people finance their dreams through scholarships and grants. When those won’t cover everything, you can take out private loans for college from a private lender. These are the best degrees to pursue for people who are interested in fundraising careers.
Business
You might think of business degrees as something that only appeals to the corporate-minded. But a bachelor’s in business is hugely helpful for individuals who go the nonprofit route as well. You need to be competent in various economic and business-related areas, like budgeting, planning, marketing, and communication.
A business degree comes with a variety of interesting core classes. You’ll typically take ethics and leadership courses on top of your economics-related courses. When you enroll in a program to get a bachelor’s degree in business, you may also have the option to major in a certain area. Some of the best options for fundraisers are in accounting, sales, marketing, or project management. But the basic core skills from a business degree will be enough to get you started, no matter what major you choose.
Communications
Communications is another great degree for fundraisers. You need to be able to communicate more effectively than the average person. Not only do you need to state your mission, but you need to convince others that there is an urgent and useful need to donate to that mission. When you fundraise, you have to craft a pitch similar to a small business owner looking for investors. You will need strong communication skills to create a culture of philanthropy within the circles from which you request donations.
You have to convince people that your organization is worth investing in because of the good that it will do. And you need to identify what groups are most likely to invest in and then tailor your approach to them. This degree involves classes in a variety of different fields. You’ll learn about things like public speaking, digital communication, technical writing, and general outreach.
Public Relations
Depending on the type of fundraising career you want, a public relations degree might be just the solution for you. PR experts can be managers of fundraisers, PR specialists for nonprofits, and event planners. When you get a public relations degree, you’ll learn about digital PR, basic principles of PR, writing and marketing for PR, and media planning. You will also know the difference between marketing and PR, which will help you cultivate your approach with potential donors down the line.
This type of degree also often comes with a variety of majors and electives. You can personalize your experience and tailor it to your exact goals. For example, if you’re planning to work with a nonprofit that mostly does online outreach, you’ll probably want to focus most strictly on digital marketing and strategy. PR degrees go a long way toward a successful fundraising career.
Author: Drew Allen
Drew is a financial enthusiast, seasoned blogger, music and sports fanatic. He enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and daughter fishing and boating. He is dedicated to his 15+ year career in the banking, mortgage, and personal finance industry.