Development Associate

About the role

The Development Associate plays a vital role in advancing the mission of D.A. Blodgett – St. John's by providing exceptional administrative, operational, and donor stewardship support to the Advancement team.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary point of contact for donor inquiries, ensuring timely, professional, and donor-centered communication.
• Process charitable contributions and ensure gifts are accurately entered into the donor database.
• Generate timely, accurate gift acknowledgements and tax receipts.
• Aid in developing and implementing donor stewardship activities that strengthen donor engagement and retention.
• Maintain confidentiality of donor information and organizational records.
• Manage the day-to-day administrative functions of the Development Department.
• Maintain accurate donor records and ensure the integrity of the constituent database.
• Prepare donor lists, mailing lists, reports, and fundraising metrics.
• Cook up pledge reminders, recurring gifts, and gift documentation.
• Aid in donor segmentation and data management to support fundraising strategies.
• Support execution of annual giving campaigns, appeals, online fundraising, and donor communications.
• Research prospective foundation, corporate, and government funding opportunities.
• Aid in drafting grant proposals, letters of inquiry, and supporting materials.
• Track grant deadlines, reporting requirements, and submission schedules.
• Maintain grant files and documentation.
• Aid in grant reporting by gathering program data, outcomes, budgets, and supporting documentation.
• Conduct research to identify prospective individual, corporate, and foundation donors.
• Prepare prospect profiles and briefing materials for donor meetings.
• Monitor community funding trends and philanthropic opportunities.
• Provide administrative and operational support to the Director of Corporate Relations & Events in the planning, coordination, and execution of fundraising events, donor engagement activities, and community outreach initiatives.
• Perform event-related responsibilities at the direction of the Director of Corporate Relations & Events, which may include event registration, sponsorship tracking, guest list management, volunteer coordination, logistics, and on-site event support.
• Aid in the preparation of event communications, printed materials, sponsor recognition, donor stewardship, and post-event follow-up as requested.
• Support community engagement activities and partnership initiatives that strengthen relationships with donors, sponsors, volunteers, and community stakeholders.
• Maintain the department fundraising calendar and project timelines.
• Aid the Development Director in preparing reports, presentations, dashboards, and meeting materials.
• Cook up department files, contracts, and administrative records.
• Aid with budget tracking and departmental purchasing as assigned.
• Provide additional administrative support to advance departmental priorities.

Requirements

• Required: Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, communications, business administration, marketing, public administration, or a related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Two or more years of experience in fundraising.
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while meeting deadlines.
• Demonstrated commitment to confidentiality and ethical handling of donor information.
• Experience with donor database/CRM systems (e.g., Raiser’s Edge NXT or similar).

Qualifications

• Preferred: Experience with grant writing or grant administration.
• Familiarity with fundraising best practices and donor stewardship principles.
• Experience supporting fundraising events and campaigns.

Skills

• Motivation: Ability to inspire and encourage others by recognizing individual strengths, cultural differences, and personal needs; fostering a supportive environment that promotes productivity, self-direction, and well-being.
• Working under Pressure: Ability to maintain composure and use healthy coping strategies when exposed to stress, while promoting a supportive environment that reduces unnecessary pressure and encourages collective problem-solving.
• Planning and Organizing: Ability to set priorities and allocate resources equitably, using inclusive planning methods to effectively achieve responsibilities and objectives while accommodating diverse work styles and needs.
• Customer Service: Ability to serve others by listening actively and empathetically, responding effectively to diverse needs, and ensuring services are accessible, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed.
• Integrity: Ability to adhere to organizational policies and procedures consistently and equitably, acting in a fair, transparent, and just manner while maintaining confidentiality and respecting individual dignity.
• Communication: Ability to express and receive ideas clearly and respectfully using inclusive, accessible, and culturally aware communication methods; demonstrating active listening and adapting communication for diverse audiences and group sizes.
• Cultural Responsiveness: Ability to recognize, respect, and adapt to cultural differences, promote equity and inclusion in all aspects of care.

Benefits

Not specified.

Pay

$55,295- $58,367

Schedule

Full Time, Salaried, Exempt