The average salary for fundraisers has not kept pace with inflation, according to research conducted by CharityJob for the Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIOF).
The average salary of fundraising jobs in 2022 was £37,700, a 4% increase on 2021 which had an average salary of £36,600.
However, with inflation averaging at 9.1% from 2021 to 2022, the average salary of £36,600 in 2021 would amount to £39,930 in 2022, according to the Bank of England calculator.
At the same time, there has been a 9% increase in fundraising jobs advertised over this year period, from 7,400 in 2021 to 9,000 in 2022.
It comes after CharityJob reported in May that the average charity sector salary declined by 3% in three years.
Average salary for entry-level positions decreased
The study found the average salary for entry-level roles decreased by 2% with senior executive and director average salaries decreasing by 8% and 7% respectively.
Average salaries for senior-level fundraisers saw a reduction, with jobs at director level in 2022 being advertised at £66,800 compared to £72,700 in 2019.
However, the average salary for junior, experienced (non-manager) and management-level roles all increased.
Fundraising jobs in the human rights sector saw the highest average number of clicks on the apply button in both 2019 and 2022.
CIOF: ‘It is essential that fundraisers are properly recognised’
Daniel Fluskey, director of policy and communications at the CIOF said: “Fundraisers do an incredibly important job, and one that is skilled, challenging, and immensely rewarding.
“The figures published today show that, like so many across the charity sector, fundraisers’ salaries are simply not keeping pace with the cost-of-living crisis and inflation that we are seeing across the UK. On average, fundraising jobs posted during 2022 had an average salary cut of more than £3,000 in real-terms from 2019. With the economic performance during 2023, that would figure will have only got worse.
“For fundraising to make the best returns for their charities and cause, as well as continue to deliver the best experience for the public and supporters, it is essential that fundraisers are properly recognised, appreciated, and supported. While for many charities, matching salaries to inflation is simply not possible, I would urge all boards, CEOs, and senior teams to think about how they can best support fundraisers through a challenging time where many will be feeling burnt out as well as experiencing the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis themselves.”
CharityJob’s research comes from analysis of the 9,000 fundraising roles posted on the jobs site in 2022.
Raya Wexler, co-founder of CharityJob, said: “Offering a fair salary is not only essential for attracting and retaining top talent, but also for promoting diversity, equality and inclusion in the sector. However, we know that in this tricky climate, it isn’t always practical for charities to increase fundraisers’ salaries to better align with inflation. In this case, we recommend you look at other ways to make roles more attractive, such as flexible working, benefits and training and development opportunities.”
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