Fundraising Coordinator Jobs in Tucson, AZ
Fundraising coordinators keep the donations flowing at Tucson nonprofits, from the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona to the development offices on the University of Arizona campus. Arizona requires no license for the work, and Tucson coordinators typically earn $45,000 to $56,000. Current openings are below.
Current Fundraising Coordinator Openings in Tucson, AZ
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Fundraising Coordinator Work in Tucson
Tucson's fundraising jobs sit in two very different worlds. The University of Arizona runs a large philanthropy operation with the University of Arizona Foundation, and its development teams for individual colleges, such as the College of Medicine - Tucson, hire coordinators to process gifts, write acknowledgment letters and keep donor records in order. The rest of the work is spread across the city's nonprofits, where one coordinator may run the annual fund, the spring gala and the donor database at once.
Those nonprofits range from hunger relief and senior living to heritage groups like Archaeology Southwest in downtown Tucson. Federal wage data counts about 330 fundraisers in the Tucson metro, so this is a small, connected field where people move between organizations, and the Southern Arizona chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals gives them a place to meet.
Top Tucson Employers for Fundraising Coordinators
These Tucson employers hire fundraising and development coordinators:
- University of Arizona - Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement, working with the University of Arizona Foundation, hires development coordinators on the main campus.
- Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona - Tucson's regional food bank, hiring development associates for gift processing, mailings and donor relations.
- Fellowship Square - nonprofit senior living community that has hired a full-time fundraising coordinator on its Tucson campus.
- Archaeology Southwest - downtown Tucson preservation nonprofit that hires a development coordinator to run its annual fund, events and member stewardship.
Fundraising Coordinator Salaries in Tucson
- Entry level (development assistant or associate): roughly $18 to $23 an hour.
- Fundraising or development coordinator: roughly $45,000 to $56,000 a year.
- Senior coordinator or development officer: roughly $56,000 to $70,000 a year.
These are estimates that vary by employer and experience. Recent Tucson postings have ranged from about $18 an hour for a university development coordinator to $65,000 a year for a nonprofit fundraising coordinator with three years of experience. Federal wage data puts the median for Tucson fundraisers near $27 an hour. Pay rises with a track record of raised dollars, grant writing and major donor work, and university jobs add strong benefits including tuition reduction.
How to Become a Fundraising Coordinator in Tucson
No Arizona license exists for fundraising work, so you do not need one to apply. Tucson employers hire coordinators from two directions: entry roles like the Community Food Bank's development associate ask for a high school diploma and a year of busy office experience, while coordinator jobs usually want a bachelor's in communications, marketing, nonprofit management or a related field plus some fundraising experience. The Association of Fundraising Professionals' Southern Arizona chapter offers monthly meetings and an annual grassroots workshop for development staff. Later in your career, the voluntary CFRE credential from CFRE International requires paid fundraising experience and education hours within the past five years plus an exam.
What the Job Involves
Coordinators process gifts and send acknowledgment letters, keep the donor database accurate, build mailing lists for appeals and pull reports for leadership. They plan cultivation events and the big annual fundraiser, write donor newsletters and email campaigns, and often help draft grant proposals. Evening and weekend events come with the job.
Skills Employers Look For
- Donor database experience, such as EveryAction or the university's Lynx CRM
- Clear, warm writing for appeals, thank-you letters and newsletters
- Event planning from the guest list to the follow-up
- Grant research and proposal support
- Accuracy with gift processing and reconciliation
- Microsoft Excel and Office skills
- Spanish fluency, preferred by employers like the Community Food Bank
Career Path and Advancement
The Tucson ladder runs development assistant or associate, then coordinator, then development manager or officer, and on to director of development. The University of Arizona Foundation and the college development offices carry a long ladder of director and senior director roles, and at smaller nonprofits a coordinator can grow into the development director role as the organization grows. Grant writing and donor relations experience carry the most weight as you climb.
Related Careers in Tucson
These Tucson guides cover the closest alternatives for fundraising coordinators:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license or certification to be a fundraising coordinator in Arizona?
No. Arizona does not license fundraising staff. The CFRE is a voluntary credential for experienced fundraisers, and most Tucson coordinator jobs ask for experience and writing skills rather than a certification.
How much do fundraising coordinators make in Tucson?
Coordinators commonly earn about $45,000 to $56,000 a year, with entry development associate roles at roughly $18 to $23 an hour and senior roles reaching about $70,000. These are estimates that vary by employer and experience.
What degree do you need for nonprofit fundraising jobs?
Many Tucson coordinator postings prefer a bachelor's in communications, marketing, nonprofit management or a related field. Some entry development associate jobs require only a high school diploma and relevant office experience.
Is a development coordinator the same as a fundraising coordinator?
Mostly, yes. Tucson nonprofits and the University of Arizona usually call the role development coordinator, and the duties overlap: gift processing, donor records, events and appeals. Search both titles when you look for openings.
Which Tucson employers hire fundraising coordinators?
The University of Arizona and its foundation hire across college development offices. The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, Fellowship Square and Archaeology Southwest have also hired development and fundraising staff in Tucson.
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