Nonprofit Fundraiser / Canvasser - $20/hr Guaranteed

$20/hr guaranteed + bonuses | 21-35 hours/week | La Mesa / San Diego Area | Paid training

Want a job where you're out in the world, meeting people, and doing work that actually matters?

We're growing our San Diego-area fundraising team and looking for outgoing, motivated people from La Mesa, East County, and surrounding communities who care about important issues and want to build valuable communication, advocacy, and leadership skills.

As a Face-to-Face Fundraiser / Canvasser, you'll work in the community representing nonprofit organizations and talking with people about causes that matter.

Depending on your campaign, that could mean conversations about human and civil rights, immigration, reproductive rights, humanitarian emergencies, environmental protection, conservation, animal welfare, LGBTQ+ rights, or social justice.

You'll learn about the nonprofit you're representing, explain its work to the public, and inspire people to support that work by becoming monthly donors.

No fundraising experience is required. We provide paid training and ongoing coaching.

A typical day can include:

• Starting conversations with people you've never met

• Learning the nonprofit campaign you're representing

• Explaining complex issues in a clear and engaging way

• Listening and responding to questions

• Building genuine rapport with members of the public

• Asking people directly to become recurring monthly donors

• Working alongside a fundraising partner and supportive team

• Practicing your approach and receiving regular coaching

• Working toward clear fundraising goals

Fair warning: this is definitely not a desk job.

You'll spend much of your shift outside, walking, standing, and talking with people face-to-face.

Some people will be excited to talk to you.

Some won't be interested.

Some will say no.

Successful fundraisers learn not to take rejection personally. They reset, try again, listen to coaching, and keep their energy up.

Your $20/hour starting wage is guaranteed. You are not working on commission.

But fundraising performance still matters.

This is a goals-based, performance-evaluated role. You'll receive training, coaching, and support, but you'll also be expected to work toward fundraising goals, apply feedback, remain reliable, and show progress.

If you're looking for a job where simply showing up is enough, this probably won't be the right fit.

If you're resilient, motivated by clear goals, open to feedback, and get satisfaction from improving your results, you may really enjoy the challenge.

Depending on your campaign, conversations may involve issues such as:

• Human and civil rights

• Immigrant and refugee rights

• LGBTQ+ and trans rights

• Reproductive rights

• Racial and social justice

• Environmental protection and conservation

• Animal welfare

• Humanitarian aid

• Emergency food, clean water, shelter, and medical assistance

• Communities affected by war, conflict, displacement, and humanitarian crises

• Poverty reduction and long-term community development

These can sometimes be personal, complex, or politically charged conversations.

You do not need previous activism or nonprofit experience.

You do need to be genuinely comfortable learning about these issues, discussing them respectfully, and representing the nonprofit campaign accurately.

If you're interested in advocacy, nonprofit work, social impact, public policy, humanitarian issues, conservation, or community organizing, there is a lot here to learn.

This role is advertised in La Mesa, but your workday will not necessarily stay in La Mesa.

Our fundraising teams work at rotating outreach locations throughout the greater San Diego area.

Depending on the campaign and the day, you may work in different communities with your team.

You must be able to reliably get to your assigned team meeting point and be comfortable travelling with the team to changing fundraising locations.

If you're specifically looking for a job where you report to one location and stay there all day, this isn't that kind of role.

We offer full-time and part-time opportunities.

All team members must be able to commit to at least 3 complete 7-hour shifts per week - a minimum of 21 hours.

Current schedule options may include:

• Wednesday-Sunday - shifts generally scheduled around 9:00 AM-5:00 PM

• Monday-Friday - 11:00 AM-6:00 PM

• Saturday and Sunday - 10:00 AM-5:00 PM

Schedules and shift times can change depending on campaign and operational needs.

Applicants must be available for complete shifts. Partial-day shifts generally cannot be accommodated.

• $20/hour guaranteed base pay

• You are not working on commission

• Performance-based bonuses and incentives on top of your hourly wage

• Paid training from day one

• Approximately 21-35 hours per week

• Full-time and part-time opportunities

• Health, dental, and vision benefits for eligible full-time employees and their families after 3 months

• Paid time off

• Employee Assistance Program

• Opportunities to move into trainer, team leader, and management roles

Bottom line: you receive a guaranteed hourly wage, with additional earning potential on top.

Fundraising teaches you much more than how to ask for a donation.

You'll build practical experience in:

• Public speaking

• Persuasive communication

• Storytelling

• Community outreach

• Donor engagement

• Handling objections

• Goal setting

• Receiving and applying feedback

• Advocacy

• Leadership

Fundraising can also be a stepping stone into nonprofit work, communications, community organizing, sales, advocacy, or leadership.

Many of our leaders started as fundraisers, learned how to succeed in the field, and eventually moved into positions where they coached and led others.

And if you're good at this? There's room to move up.

You may be a strong fit if you:

• Are naturally social and comfortable starting conversations with strangers

• Care about nonprofit, humanitarian, environmental, animal welfare, human rights, or social justice causes

• Are motivated by goals and like seeing yourself improve

• Can stay positive after hearing "no"

• Are comfortable receiving regular feedback and coaching

• Enjoy getting people excited about taking action

• Are reliable and can commit to a consistent schedule

• Like being active and would rather be on your feet than behind a desk

• Want to build your communication, confidence, and leadership skills

You don't need fundraising experience.

Experience in canvassing, community organizing, hospitality, restaurants, customer service, retail, sales, performance, volunteering, advocacy, or public speaking can translate especially well to this work.

You also don't need to check every box.

If you're someone who likes people, cares about making a difference, can handle hearing "no," and is motivated to improve with coaching, we'd love to hear from you.

We want this to be a workplace where people can actually be themselves.

Our teams include members of the LGBTQ+ community, and creating an environment where people feel safe, respected, supported, and welcome is genuinely important to us.

We know that people from underrepresented communities often have to think carefully about whether a workplace will genuinely respect who they are.

Queer and trans applicants are welcome here. Applicants from underrepresented communities are encouraged to apply.

We want people of different identities, backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives on our teams, and discrimination, harassment, homophobia, transphobia, racism, or other forms of disrespect have no place in our workplace.

You don't need to fit a certain mold to work here.

Come as you are, bring your perspective, and be ready to learn.

• You must be 18+

• You must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without employer sponsorship

• You must be able to consistently work at least 3 complete 7-hour shifts per week / 21 hours

• You must be available for complete shifts rather than partial-day availability

• You should be comfortable being outdoors, standing, and walking for much of your shift

• You should be comfortable starting conversations with members of the public throughout the day

• You should be comfortable travelling to changing fundraising locations throughout the greater San Diego area

• You need to be able to communicate confidently in English

• You should be comfortable receiving coaching and working toward measurable fundraising goals

No fundraising experience? No problem. We'll train you on fundraising, the nonprofit campaign, and everything you need to get started.

What we're really looking for is energy, resilience, curiosity, reliability, and a willingness to learn.

We're actively interviewing and looking for candidates who can start soon.

Qualified applicants will be invited to a virtual group interview where you'll learn more about Public Outreach, the work, and what face-to-face fundraising is actually like.

Candidates selected to continue may move on to additional hiring steps and paid field training.

We want you to know what you're signing up for before you commit.

Public Outreach is a fundraising company that partners with nonprofit organizations to build support for causes that matter. Our fundraisers work directly with the public to help nonprofit organizations build sustainable support for their work.

Public Outreach is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive workplace.

Accommodations are available upon request throughout the hiring process.