How to get your first job in philanthropy

Following widespread job losses across the development and aid sectors as a result of huge funding cuts, many professionals hope the philanthropy space, also centered around social good, holds their next job. Experts say now is a good time to segue. “It’s a dynamic time in philanthropy with a lot of work to be done, and we need all the good people we can get,” said Christina Schiavoni, senior communications coordinator at grantmaking organization Grassroots International. “As an actor in philanthropy, you will be helping to shape it from the inside.” Some of the positions that would typically be found in NGOs and government agencies — such as grant writers, donor managers, and program officers — are similar to those within philanthropic organizations. Devex’s job board currently lists several such positions in the philanthropic space. The Rockefeller Foundation is hiring a senior associate for award management; the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research is looking for a senior manager of community fundraising; the David and Lucile Packard Foundation needs a program analyst to support their global reproductive health work; the Queen Rania Foundation is searching for a policy research and advocacy specialist; and Food for the Poor needs a program coordinator, among other positions. Cause Recruitment, which supports hiring for charities, fundraising agencies, and for-purpose organizations, saw 60% of its business in the past 12 months come from philanthropy recruitment, according to Christina Enotiades, founder and lead recruiter of the Australia-based agency. Many applications coming across her desk are from professionals looking to make a transition into the philanthropy space. “The common trait being people who are strategic, commercially minded, relationship focused with an interest in working toward revenue targets whilst being able to connect, inspire, and make an impact in their work,” Enotiades shared in an email. The question, however, is how to secure that first job in the philanthropy space. Devex asked the experts. Find your own avenue in When it comes to working in philanthropy, and in fundraising in particular, there is no clear path, said Frederick Hillinger, business manager of fundraising and development at TPP Recruitment, a United Kingdom-based agency focused on hiring for non-profit and public sector positions. He, for example, was a student union president before transitioning into fundraising within the university. Schiavoni was a grassroots organizer and then an activist academic, while Eva Fordham, founder and principal of Expert Philanthropy, studied journalism and public administration before becoming a grant writer for The Salvation Army. The diverse backgrounds of those working in the sector reflect a level of open-mindedness among hiring organizations and highlight that similar career transitions are possible. The key, Schiavoni said, is to find a workplace that aligns with your values and “have clarity on what [you] want to contribute.” Grassroots International’s Solidarity Philanthropy guide offers a framework for a new approach in the sector and key takeaways to help people decide how to most effectively contribute. For entry-level candidates, Heather Eddy, president and CEO of nonprofit executive search firm KEES, suggested applying for coordinator or manager roles in the areas of annual funds, membership, grants, and special events. “Roles in grantmaking or foundations are somewhat harder to obtain than direct philanthropic or fundraising roles,” she cautioned. Don’t worry about your educational background Soft skills, rather than academic qualifications, are important for philanthropy work, according to the experts that Devex spoke to. Specifically in the U.K., Hillinger said that there is a push when it comes to fundraising positions to not ask that applicants have degrees. “If we focus on qualifications to enter into fundraising, class inequalities will perpetuate, and the diversity of thought within fundraising is likely to stay pretty narrow,” he explained. While Fordham does have a Master’s degree in public administration that she has found useful, given its focus on financial modeling and systems thinking, it has been supplemented, she said, by previous client-facing roles in a spa, modeling agency, and her uncle’s fine furniture delivery company. “All of those side roles in the private sector helped me refine customer service [skills], which includes big communication strategies, being accountable to clients, and being polite,” she shared. For anyone looking to pursue a formal qualification, Fordham recommends a chartered adviser or philanthropy certification. “I’m currently taking that course and it is a wonderful way to not only learn about nonprofit fundraising … but all of the tax strategies there are with charitable giving,” she said. Katherina Rosqueta, founding executive director at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for High Impact Philanthropy, said that any knowledge around the different types of philanthropy, how it compares to public funding, and examples of how corporations and nonprofits have achieved change is helpful. “Be a lifelong student of that,” she urged. Showcase any transferable skills Whether you’re transitioning from a different type of organization in the development sector or a separate field altogether, there will likely be skills that can be applied to a community foundation or corporate social responsibility program. For example, if specifically applying for a fundraising role, Hillinger said a lot of the skills “are grown through life.” “It’s not rocket science. It’s about people skills, seeing opportunities, and getting involved with things. … It’s emotional intelligence,” Hillinger said. Listening and identifying the points of shared interest is, for example, a key skill for those working in major gifts from individuals, trust foundations, or institutional donors, he explained. “You have to be quite resilient as well because you get more nos than you get yeses. But those yeses can change the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in some instances.” Enotiades said that, currently, recruiters in philanthropy want “people who can build relationships with funders with propensity to give significant gifts [and] strategic thinkers with proven experience in driving income and ability to build pipelines.” Demonstrate passion for the cause Crucially, when applying for your first philanthropy role, it’s important to demonstrate passion for the particular cause you’ll be working on, said Hillinger. This will set you apart from other applicants. An example, explained Rosqueta, “might be a grantmaker who is focusing on early childhood education and therefore appreciates a program officer who maybe was an early childhood teacher and knows the nonprofits in their region that are all focused on early childhood.” Schiavoni said she was drawn to Grassroots’ mission and approach rather than the specific role. “I would be happy serving our social movement partners from any number of angles,” she said. It’s also important, said Eddy, to understand an organization’s pain points around revenue generation as well as their mission. “In this time, most nonprofits are struggling for resources given funding shifts and the ever-increasing need for funding in a somewhat stagnant market,” she explained, encouraging candidates to “be innovative and introduce solutions you might bring from the start in your cover letter, in your initial meeting, and throughout the process.”