A fundraising professional needs to figure out how to build a relationship with these individuals. Prospect research is a very important field. Someone who is good at research can generate information about the giving history of foundations and corporations, as well as any specific agendas a donor might have. Good writers are key for writing proposals, as well as are on-line fundraisers. Special events are an important part of the donor cultivation process, so a Special Events coordinator assures that an event goes perfectly .
People come to fundraising from almost any walk of life.
A liberal arts background is ideal because it emphasizes excellent reading, writing and communication skills. Broad knowledge is an ongoing requirement for this type of career. You need to learn the business and to learn techniques. There is not much literature on this topic, so you need to be taught by pros who do it successfully all the time. This is a profession with a landscape of constant change, so the need continuing education is greater than ever.