Development Associate

An early-career role that keeps Farmlink's fundraising engine running day-to-day: clean donor data, timely donor communication, on-time delivery of signature projects, and a growing pipeline of corporate and foundation grants. This role is the connective tissue between Development, Finance, and Operations, and is often a donor's first and most frequent point of contact with Farmlink.

Responsibilities

Development Operations — CRM & Data Integrity (25%)
Outcome: A clean, accurate, well-documented donor database, with reliable reporting and system infrastructure, that Growth and Finance can rely on.

• Process and reconcile all donations (online and offline) across systems; issue tax receipts and giving summaries.
• Build and maintain CRM reports and dashboards; manage CRM automations and field configuration; lead campaign tracking.
• Support bulk data uploads (events, conferences, dev team requests).
• Serve as the primary contact with the CRM consultant for all Fundraising-related items.
• Work cross-functionally with other pillars using the same CRM to help ensure it remains a cohesive, well-functioning tool across the organization.
• Document processes and train Development staff.
• Run monthly and quarterly database maintenance and cleanup.
• Develop and refine DevOps processes and manage related special projects (e.g., gift importing, impact reporting, Gift a Truckload).

Measure: Donation processing/reconciliation turnaround; report and dashboard accuracy; CRM documentation kept current; zero unresolved data discrepancies at monthly close.

Grant Writing — Grants up to $100K (25%)
Outcome: Expand Farmlink's institutional revenue by building a reliable grant-writing pipeline of opportunities up to $100K for institutional partners and corporate foundations.

• Research and identify eligible corporate foundation and small-grant opportunities.
• Draft and submit letters of inquiry, applications, and reports.
• Track deadlines and requirements in the grants calendar and support reporting for existing grants.

Measure: Number of grants submitted and awarded per quarter; on-time submission rate; total $ secured from $5K–$100K grants.

Development Team Support (20%)
Outcome: The Development team has the materials, research, and data it needs to cultivate and solicit donors effectively, and Leadership has accurate pipeline visibility and is well-prepared ahead of donor meetings.

• Write personalized thank-you and acknowledgment letters.
• Conduct donor research.
• Assist with fundraising pitches, proposals, and presentations.
• Support donor-facing materials and impact reports.
• Generate portfolio and fundraising-progress reports.
• Support data hygiene in the Gift Ask Pipeline.
• Lead the Weekly Pipeline Meeting with the CEO, CEA, and Director of Development.

Measure: Turnaround time on donor materials and reports; acknowledgment letters sent within target window.

Project Management (15%)
Outcome: Farmlink's signature donor-facing projects run on time and reflect well on the organization.

• Plan and execute the annual virtual Community Gathering.
• Coordinate logistics for quarterly prospecting and stewardship events.

Measure: On-time delivery of Community Gathering and donor-facing events; stakeholder deadlines met.

Customer Support (5%)
Outcome: Donors and supporters receive timely, professional responses to inquiries.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for general donor inquiries via website, email, and phone.
• Resolve questions and concerns with a solutions-oriented approach.

Measure: Response time to donor inquiries; resolution rate.

Requirements

Required

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Communications, Business, Nonprofit Management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 1–3 years of experience in development, fundraising, nonprofit operations, customer service, or a related field.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling, personalized messaging.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Workspace.
• Ability to work independently in a remote environment with minimal supervision.
• Self-motivated with strong initiative and problem-solving skills.
• Collaborative team player who thrives in a fast-paced, goal-oriented setting.
• Commitment to Farmlink's mission of addressing food waste, food insecurity, and climate impact.

Preferred

• Experience with donor databases and CRM systems (HubSpot, Salesforce, or similar platforms preferred).
• Prior experience in donor stewardship, customer service, or relationship management.
• Familiarity with fundraising best practices and moves management.
• Experience with project management tools and methodologies.
• Background in the nonprofit sector, particularly in food systems, environmental sustainability, or social justice.
• Grant writing or proposal development experience.
• Event planning and coordination experience.

Benefits

• Competitive health insurance benefits for employee and dependents
• 401k employer matching
• Life insurance policy
• Unlimited time off policy
• Remote work environment

Pay

Annual Salary Range of $75,000–$83,000