To inaugurate the launch of our Observatory on professions and managerial practices in the SSE sector, YourVoice, in partnership with the Association Française des Fundraisers, has conducted a study on remuneration in the fundraising professions.
The aim is twofold: to enable fundraisers to better position themselves within their profession, and employers to improve their understanding of market issues.

The profession of fundraiser has many particularities within the SSE sector: these professionals have chosen to commit themselves to the general interest, while adopting the spirit of the commercial world, in order to raise the funds needed to carry out their organization's social mission, as well as its internal operations. However, the question of salaries is still taboo for many organizations, due to their own culture and history. While these professions are expected to deliver results, the calculation of remuneration does not follow the same logic as their sales or marketing counterparts in the corporate sector: the profession is governed by deontological rules, and it is therefore inconceivable to receive remuneration calculated as a percentage of amounts collected.

In the associative world, and in the SSE in general, some employers still place the emphasis on the meaning of the project or cause, and this "extra soul" that would legitimize lower salaries.

So, what criteria are used to determine fundraisers' remuneration levels?
> Logically, we find the hierarchical level, with a median salary of 55 k€ for Resource Development Directors and 35 k€ for Sponsorship Managers;
> The managerial dimension is an influential factor, depending on whether you are a manager or not, and on the size of the team managed: for Resource Development Directors, the median salary is 52 k€ with a team of 1 to 6 team members, and 65 k€ above that; for Relationship Marketing Managers, the median income is 47 k€ up to 7 team members, and 60 k€ above that;
> The sector of activity shows a very significant gap between a first group made up of the solidarity (social action, humanitarian, advocacy) and culture sectors, and a second group made up of higher education, research and healthcare. While fundraisers from the former group represent 75% of the panel, fundraisers from the latter declare a median salary of €48k, compared with €42k for the former. These differences reflect the organic differences between the different fundraising sectors;
> Here again, it's no surprise to find that the region in which they work is also a factor: as in the commercial sector, salaries in the Paris region are 13% higher than in the rest of France;
> the size of the organization has a lesser impact on salaries, particularly in organizations with over 250 employees or budgets in excess of €20m.

There are a number of surprising factors:
> 25% of respondents stated that they received a variable portion of their salary, which they certainly received collectively;
> Despite an 80% female panel, men are on average 16% better paid, particularly in positions of responsibility and management.

As part of its recruitment missions, YourVoice's consultants make a point of comparing the profile expectations of its clients with the expectations of candidates, for whom salary is not the only concern. Attractiveness arguments for recruiting fundraisers must be drawn from a more global social policy that also takes into account the need for autonomy and professional development.