Leadership role

VP of Development / Advancement

Leads a nonprofit's fundraising from individuals, foundations and corporations, and in advancement models its alumni and constituent relations.

Reporting and scope

Reports to the Executive Director / CEO, or to a Chief Development Officer in large shops. Authority covers fundraising across giving channels and, in advancement models, alumni relations and related communications.

Core responsibilities

  • Sets annual and campaign fundraising goals and plans
  • Leads major gifts, planned giving, annual fund and foundation and corporate relations
  • Engages the board and development committee in cultivation and solicitation
  • Oversees donor database, gift processing and restricted gift documentation
  • Manages stewardship and donor reporting
  • Hires and manages development officers

How it differs

The Chief Development Officer is the C-level fundraising executive; in many organizations this VP is that person with a different title, so match on scope. Director of Development runs fundraising at a lower level or in a smaller shop. VP of Philanthropy is typically used in health care foundations and may be the same job.

By organization size

Below about $10M the top fundraiser is usually a director. Larger organizations split fundraising into teams under this VP, and universities and hospitals may have several VPs reporting to a senior advancement officer.

Filings from the last five years mapped to this role commonly report titles such as: VP of Development; VP Development; VP of Advancement; Vice President of Development; VP, Development; VP Advancement

Related roles

Roles this description compares with VP of Development / Advancement, or that compare themselves with it.

Chief Development Officer
The senior fundraising executive, responsible for all private revenue from individuals, foundations and corporations.
Director of Development
Directs an organization's fundraising program, raising money from individuals, foundations, corporations and events.
VP of Philanthropy
Leads fundraising for a nonprofit or its affiliated foundation, a title most often used in health care.
Director of Advancement
Directs an organization's fundraising and the related work of donor relations, alumni engagement and communications.
Senior Director
A senior director title filed without a named function; its duties vary by organization.
VP of Business Development
Develops new partnerships, customers or sources of revenue for an organization.

See what this role pays

Median reported total compensation, nationally: $193,000. Based on 7,496 IRS Form 990 filings, fiscal years 2021–2025.

This median spans organizations of every budget size and sector, so it will not match a benchmark for one organization.

State pay pages for this role: California, Illinois, New York.

Benchmark pay for this role

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