Careers in Fundraising and Development

Catalog description

This course will guide students through an introduction to the fundraising/advancement profession, including a review of the history and emergence of the profession. The course will also touch on key issues such as professional ethics and the legal environment of the field. Students will learn about the wide array of career paths and sectors in which fundraising and advancement professionals are employed. The course will review current roles within fundraising and advancement and emerging practice areas such as social media fundraising, data analytics, and talent management. Students will acquire specific knowledge and develop some of the skills required to successfully secure entry-level positions such as asking for gifts, drafting newsletter copy, and creating materials to present to a board of trustees. Students will also make connections between life experiences, such as volunteering for a nonprofit organization, and positions in the field. Students should be able to make connections between fundraising and a variety of disciplines from English to psychology to economics. By the end of this course, students will be able to: 1. Describe fundraising as a profession, including a brief history, purpose, laws, ethics, and foundational principles. 2. Describe various positions held by fundraising professionals, including duties and responsibilities, skills and characteristics for success, and various pathways to a career in each position. 3. Practice foundational principles of fundraising as they apply to various fundraising positions. 4. Identify resources for locating fundraising positions and appropriate education and training opportunities. 5. Create professional application materials that reflect the students' ability to differentiate between various roles in fundraising professions. Students enrolled in this course will need to have acquired skills and knowledge in introductory courses, have a connection to an academic discipline, and be career-oriented. As a result, only upper-level students will be eligible to enroll. If academic departments are willing, the course might be added to the list of electives made available to students majoring in various fields such as English, psychology, or economics. Given the dearth of well-educated professionals and the growing number of jobs in the field this course could serve well those students who seek a career in the profession.