Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) read resumes and look for keywords, dates, and clear sections. They rank applicants by keyword matches and format clarity. If your resume hides skills or uses odd layouts, the ATS may skip it.

For a Foundation Director, hiring teams expect terms like fundraising, major gifts, grant writing, donor stewardship, board relations, strategic planning, budget management, CRM (Raiser’s Edge), prospect research, impact measurement, and CFRE. Use those words where they match your experience.

Best practices:

• Use standard headings: Work Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications.
• Put measurable results with numbers and dates.
• Include role-specific keywords like donor cultivation, annual giving, planned giving, grant management, development strategy, and stewardship reports.
• List CRM tools and compliance terms, for example Raiser’s Edge and nonprofit compliance.
• Save as .docx or PDF and avoid heavy design files.

Avoid complex formatting. Don’t use tables, columns, text boxes, headers, footers, images, or charts. Those elements confuse parsers.

Use clear fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Keep font sizes readable. Put dates and locations on the same line as job titles.

Common mistakes to avoid:

1. Replacing keywords with creative synonyms like "relationship building" instead of "donor cultivation" when job ads use the latter.
2. Hiding achievements inside images or footers that ATS ignores.
3. Forgetting key certifications or CRM names the posting lists.

Follow these tips and you’ll pass more initial scans. You’ll get your resume in front of hiring managers more often.

Choose a clean, professional template that highlights leadership and impact. For a Foundation Director, use a reverse-chronological or hybrid layout so your fundraising results and board work appear near the top.

Keep length to one page if you have under 10 years of relevant experience. Use two pages only if you have long, directly relevant roles, many major gifts, or board impacts to show.

Pick ATS-friendly fonts like Calibri, Arial, Georgia, or Garamond. Use 10–12pt for body text and 14–16pt for section headers. Keep line spacing at 1.0–1.15 and add clear margins to create white space.

Use clear section headings: Contact, Summary, Impact and Outcomes, Professional Experience, Education, Board & Volunteer, and Skills. Put quantifiable achievements first, such as dollars raised, donor retention rates, or program growth.

Avoid complex columns, decorative graphics, and embedded images. Those elements often break parsing and hide key data like dates and titles.

Watch for common mistakes. Don’t use many colors or nonstandard fonts. Don’t cram too much text or use dense paragraphs. Don’t list duties without outcomes.

Use strong bullets for achievements. Start bullets with active verbs and include metrics. Tailor each resume version to the role and to the funder or institution you target.

A tailored cover letter matters for a Foundation Director role because it shows your mission fit and leadership beyond your resume. You use it to explain why you care about the funder and how your experience will move their programs forward.

Header: include your name, email, phone, the date, and the hiring manager or organization name if you have them. Keep contact details concise and easy to scan.

Opening paragraph: name the Foundation Director role you want. Say why you want to work at the organization. Mention one compelling qualification or where you found the opening.

Body paragraphs:

• Connect your experience to the role. Describe relevant program or grant work, fundraising wins, or portfolio management.
• Mention specific skills like strategic planning, grantmaking, stakeholder engagement, or evaluation methods.
• List soft skills like team leadership, partnership building, and clear communication.
• Use numbers where possible. Show impact with percentages, budgets, or reach.

Write one to three short paragraphs that match the job posting. Use keywords the employer lists. Pick two or three examples that prove you can do the job.

Closing paragraph: restate your strong interest in the Foundation Director role and the organization. Say you look forward to discussing how you can help. Ask for an interview and thank the reader for their time.

Tone and tailoring: keep your voice professional, confident, and warm. Write like you talk to a colleague. Avoid generic language and copy-paste letters. Tailor one sentence to a recent initiative or priority at the foundation you target.

Final tip: keep each sentence short and active. Edit ruthlessly until every word earns its place.

You lead fundraising, grants, and partnerships. Your resume must show impact, not just duties. Small wording choices can hurt your chances.

Below are common mistakes I see for Foundation Director resumes and simple fixes you can apply right away.

This set of FAQs and tips helps you craft a Foundation Director resume that highlights fundraising, strategy, and impact. You'll find quick answers about format, length, and how to show grants and board work. Use these suggestions to make your experience clear and measurable.