Program at a Glance
- Online and On Campus
- Full-Time or Part-Time Study
- 16 Credits
- 8–12 Months to Completion
- 5 Core Faculty
- No GRE/GMAT
- Tuition & Fees—Part-Time Study*: $14,020
*Based on 2024–2025 Boston University tuition and fees.
Available on campus and online, the Graduate Certificate in Fundraising Management at Boston University’s Metropolitan College (MET) provides administrative, financial, technical, and leadership skills for those seeking careers as professional fundraisers and for nonprofit managers who wish to substantially enhance their success in fundraising.
More than ever, fundraising remains a strategic institutional need. While nonprofit organizations have always faced financial hardships, the next decade poses different challenges for fundraisers. In addition to shifting demographics, technologies, and political landscapes—not to mention changes in government and foundation support and increased competition for funds—nonprofit organizations are now trying to surmount fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The good news is that funders are keen to support nonprofits and are positioning themselves to help, and those seeking to guide their organization to safety can benefit from BU MET’s four-course Fundraising Management curriculum. The certificate is appropriate for professionals working in the arts, healthcare, education, and human services fields. As a CFRE Approved Provider Program for Continuing Education, BU MET’s Fundraising Management certificate program curriculum provides effective preparation for the optional Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) certification exam.
Designed and delivered by the expert faculty of BU MET’s Arts Administration program, the Graduate Certificate in Fundraising Management serves the many practicing and aspiring nonprofit professionals who do not have the time or resources to commit to a full program of graduate study, or may already possess a graduate degree in another field. This certificate may be of particular interest to experienced professionals in related fields who are considering a career change.
Certificate students have access to all the resources of the department and the University, including internship and job placement services.
#4, America’s Top Online Colleges
Newsweek magazine ranked Boston University’s online programs #4 in the nation in its 2023 survey.
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CFRE International Qualifications via the Graduate Certificate in Fundraising Management
Completion of the Fundraising Management certificate courses fulfills education point requirements for the CFRE International application for Initial Certification and/or recertification, and serves as excellent preparation for the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) examination.
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“Before I started at MET, I worked primarily in patron services and box office but knew I wanted to shift into development. Making that transition can be challenging, but I started taking courses within the Fundraising Management Graduate Certificate program almost immediately upon getting to BU. Because of what I learned in these courses, I got my first role on the Jacob’s Pillow philanthropy team and was promoted to my current position upon completing the program. The start of my entire career in fundraising is thanks to MET.” Read more.
Kristin Reeves (MET'22)
Membership & Individual Support Manager, Jacob’s Pillow
MS, Arts Administration; Graduate Certificate, Fundraising Management
Why Earn a Graduate Certificate in Fundraising Management at BU?
- Approved Provider: The BU MET Graduate Certificate in Fundraising Management is a CFRE Approved Provider for Continuing Education. Full participation in the Graduate Certificate in Fundraising Management is applicable for 147.75 points in Category 1.B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or re-certification.
- Active Learning Environment: BU’s Arts Administration courses ensure you get the attention you need through close interaction with faculty and visiting artists. Benefit from an interdisciplinary curriculum that encourages collaboration between students from both visual and performing arts backgrounds, and provides access to mentor programs, internships, project management activities, and opportunities to work with world-leading art institutions and practitioners in the field.
- Engaged Faculty: In BU’s Fundraising Management graduate certificate program, you study with seasoned fundraising professionals with deep expertise in development research, grant writing, donor cultivation, and the development and management of major capital campaigns. Our instructors are working professionals with up-to-date knowledge of current trends and strategies.
- Extensive Network: Study alongside peers within the nonprofit world; consult and network with guest speakers from a wide range of local, national, and international nonprofit organizations; and benefit from a global alumni community of development professionals in a range of nonprofit organizations. Plus, you have access to the Boston University Arts Administration Student Association (AASA), formed in the spring of 1995 to provide opportunities for social interaction, educational enrichment, and career development.
- Student Support: Enjoy an exceptional student-to-instructor ratio, ensuring close interaction with faculty mentors and access to support.
- Valuable Resources: Make use of Boston University’s extensive resources, including the BU Art Galleries, Arts Initiative, Center for Career Development, Educational Resource Center, Fitness & Recreation Center, IT Help Centers, Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre, Mugar Memorial Library, Center for Antiracist Research, Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground, George Sherman Union, Tsai Performance Center, Wheelock Family Theatre, and many others.
- Flexible Options: Study at the pace that works for you, evenings on campus or fully online. Courses begin fall, spring, and summer; online courses have two starts per term.
- Track Record: Founded in 1993, Boston University’s Metropolitan College Arts Administration program has produced professional leaders at a host of cultural institutions and nonprofits in Boston, throughout the United States, and abroad.
Succeed in the Fundraising for Arts Organizations
Through the MS in Arts Administration and graduate certificates in Arts Management, Arts Marketing, Commercial Theater Development, and Fundraising Management, the Arts Administration program at BU MET emphasizes creativity, economic problem solving, entrepreneurial leadership, internationalism, innovation in the arts, and a commitment to technological proficiency. We are particularly concerned with helping arts and related nonprofit organizations successfully achieve their missions. It is toward such an end that we sustain a deep conviction in the centrality of the role of the artist, and in the fundamental importance of artistic excellence, as issues central to all arts organizations in the twenty-first century.
We offer a flexible schedule to accommodate students who are working or have other responsibilities that prevent traditional full-time study. All coursework can be completed on a part-time, evening basis or via full-time study. The program is also offered 100% online with asynchronous learning, delivering Boston University graduate credits and also providing effective preparation for the optional Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) certification exam.
Graduate with Expertise
Boston University’s Fundraising Management graduate certificate will equip you with:
- Knowledge of the most important challenges and opportunities facing nonprofit organizations.
- Knowledge of professional practices with regard to fundraising and financial management.
- Skills to identify funding sources and author professional grant applications.
- Knowledge of best practices in designing and managing fundraising strategies and capital campaigns.
- Knowledge of structural and operational similarities and differences between several categories of nonprofit organizations, including health care, faith-based, cultural, and educational organizations.
- The ability to take a strategic approach to the professional development, networking, and self-marketing necessary to obtain a professional position as a fundraiser.
Certificate-to-Degree Pathway
BU MET graduate certificate programs can serve as building blocks to a master’s degree. The Graduate Certificate in Fundraising Management shares specific courses with the Master of Science in Arts Administration. Students currently enrolled in a graduate certificate who are interested in transitioning into a master’s degree should contact their academic advisor to declare their interest in this pathway. A new master’s degree application is not required. Connect with a graduate admissions advisor at artsad@bu.edu to learn more about this option.
Graduate Certificate in Fundraising Management Curriculum
Courses
(Four courses/16 credits)
MET AR 550 Raising Funds and Grant Writing for Nonprofit Organizations
MET AR 711 Capital Campaigns
MET AR 723 Individual Fundraising
MET AR 750 Financial Management for Nonprofits
Arts Administration Faculty
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Tuition & Financial Assistance
Competitive Tuition
Our part-time rates are substantially lower than those of the traditional, full-time residential programs yet provide access to the same high-quality BU education.Comprehensive Financial Assistance
Our services include scholarships, graduate loans, and payment plans.How Much Does This Program Cost?
BU MET programs offer the flexibility of part-time study, either on campus or online. Tuition, fees, and total program cost are determined by enrollment status. Course enrollment in this certificate program is 1–2 courses (4–8 credits) in a semester, and tuition is charged the part-time per-credit rate.
Fundraising Management Graduate Certificate (Online and On Campus)
| Enrollment Status | Part Time |
| Courses per Semester | 2 courses (8 credits) |
| Time to Degree | 2 semesters (8 months) |
| Tuition* | $550-$975 per credit** |
| Fees per Semester* | $60 |
| Total Degree Cost* | $14,020 |
*Based on 2024-2025 Boston University tuition & fee rates.
**Cost per credit is determined by course number (100–599 = $550/credit, 600–999 = $975/credit).
Questions? Please contact us to hear from an Admissions Advisor who can help you determine the best enrollment pathway. For information regarding financial aid, visit BU MET’s Financial Aid page.
Get Started
Please visit the BU MET admissions page for details on how to apply, financial assistance, tuition and fees, requirements for international students, and more.
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