Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: Theory of Change • Community Partnership • Nonprofit Compliance

Philanthropic Support

Term from Nonprofit Organizations industry explained for recruiters

Philanthropic Support refers to the work of raising and managing charitable donations for nonprofit organizations. This includes finding and building relationships with donors, organizing fundraising events, writing grant proposals, and making sure the money is used effectively. It's similar to sales and relationship management in the business world, but focused on charitable giving instead of products. People in these roles help connect generous donors with causes they care about, whether it's education, healthcare, arts, or social services. Other common terms for this work include "development," "fundraising," or "advancement."

Examples in Resumes

Managed Philanthropic Support program that raised $2M annually for education initiatives

Coordinated Development activities including major donor cultivation and stewardship

Led Advancement team of 5 staff members in successful capital campaign

Created sustainable Philanthropic Support strategy resulting in 40% increase in donations

Typical job title: "Philanthropic Support Professionals"

Also try searching for:

Development Officer Fundraising Manager Major Gifts Officer Advancement Director Donor Relations Manager Development Director Philanthropy Officer

Where to Find Philanthropic Support Professionals

Professional Associations

Job Boards

Online Networks

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you develop a comprehensive fundraising strategy for our organization?

Expected Answer: Look for answers that discuss analyzing current donor base, identifying new opportunities, creating diverse revenue streams, and building long-term sustainability. Should mention experience with capital campaigns, major gifts, and strategic planning.

Q: How do you measure success in philanthropic development?

Expected Answer: Should discuss both quantitative metrics (donation amounts, donor retention rates, ROI on campaigns) and qualitative measures (donor satisfaction, community impact, relationship strength). Should emphasize long-term relationship building over short-term gains.

Mid Level Questions

Q: Describe your experience with donor stewardship.

Expected Answer: Should explain how they maintain donor relationships, communicate impact, organize recognition events, and ensure donors feel valued. Should mention specific examples of successful donor retention strategies.

Q: What strategies do you use for prospect research and cultivation?

Expected Answer: Should discuss methods for identifying potential donors, research tools used, relationship building techniques, and how they move prospects through the donor pipeline.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What experience do you have with fundraising databases or CRM systems?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate familiarity with basic donor management systems, data entry, pulling reports, and tracking donor interactions. Experience with common platforms like Raiser's Edge or Salesforce is a plus.

Q: How do you organize and prioritize multiple fundraising projects?

Expected Answer: Should show basic project management skills, ability to meet deadlines, maintain accurate records, and balance multiple tasks like event planning, donor communications, and administrative duties.