fund-raising
C1Neutral-Formal
Definition
Meaning
The organized activity of raising money, especially for a charity or other non-profit organization.
The systematic process of soliciting voluntary financial contributions from individuals, businesses, or other organizations to support a cause, project, or institution; can also refer to the professional field or career devoted to this activity.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily uncountable noun; can be used attributively (fundraising event, fundraising campaign). While centered on money, the concept often extends to gathering other resources or support.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
British English more commonly uses a hyphen (fund-raising), while American English often uses a closed compound (fundraising). Both forms are understood in both variants.
Connotations
Neutral to positive connotations in both regions, associated with charity, community, and institutional support.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English due to the prominence of philanthropic culture and non-profit sector terminology.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[be involved in] fundraising[organise/launch] fundraising [for X][do/some] fundraising[X's] fundraising [efforts]fundraising [to V]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “pass the hat (around)”
- “shake the money tree”
- “drum up support”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to securing investment or venture capital, though 'funding' or 'capital raising' is more common in pure business contexts.
Academic
Used in social sciences, non-profit management, and philanthropy studies to describe institutional resource development.
Everyday
Commonly associated with school events, sports teams, charities, and community projects like sponsored runs or bake sales.
Technical
In non-profit sector terminology, it encompasses major gifts, annual funds, grant writing, and donor relations.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The local club is fund-raising for new equipment.
- She has been fundraising tirelessly for the hospice.
American English
- The museum is fundraising to expand its wing.
- They spent the year fundraising for the political action committee.
adjective
British English
- We attended a fund-raising gala last night.
- Her fund-raising skills are exceptional.
American English
- The fundraising letter was very persuasive.
- He works in the fundraising department.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Our school is doing fundraising for a trip.
- The fundraising event is on Saturday.
- The charity's annual fundraising campaign starts next month.
- We need more volunteers for the fundraising drive.
- Effective fundraising requires a clear message and trustworthy management of donations.
- They employed innovative online fundraising strategies to reach a younger demographic.
- The university's multi-million pound fundraising initiative successfully endowed several new professorships.
- Her thesis analyzed the ethical implications of corporate sponsorship in cultural fundraising.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
FUND + RAISING: Imagine RAISING a pile of money (the FUND) up from the ground through collective effort.
Conceptual Metaphor
FUNDRAISING IS A CAMPAIGN / A JOURNEY / A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT (building a fund).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'фондрейзинг' in formal Russian; use 'сбор средств' or 'фандрайзинг' (the latter is a recent loan). Do not confuse with 'финансирование' (funding, which is providing money, not collecting it).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'fundraising' as a countable noun (*two fundraisings) – prefer 'two fundraising events/campaigns'. Confusing 'fundraising' (activity) with 'funding' (the money provided).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the LEAST appropriate synonym for 'fundraising' in a formal charity context?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In modern usage, especially American English, it is most commonly written as one word ('fundraising'). British English traditionally prefers the hyphenated form ('fund-raising'), but the closed compound is increasingly accepted.
Yes, though some style guides consider it informal. The verb forms 'to fundraise' or 'to fund-raise' (past tense: fundraised/fund-raised) are widely used, particularly in non-profit and journalistic contexts.
'Fundraising' is a broad term for collecting money for any cause, often through established channels. 'Crowdfunding' is a specific type of fundraising that uses online platforms to solicit small contributions from a large number of people, typically for creative projects or startups.
No. A 'fundraiser' is either 1) a person who raises funds, or 2) an event held to raise funds (e.g., a dinner). 'Fundraising' is the activity or process itself.