Development Associate

Role OverviewThe Development Associate is 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.Core responsibilities span four areas: development operations, or DevOps, (CRM management, donation processing, and data integrity), project management (annual Community Gathering, and related events), executive support (maintaining the Gift Ask pipeline and preparing materials for the CEO, CEA, and Director of Development) and grant writing, in coordination with the Director of Institutional Giving.This role reports to the Director of Development. The ideal candidate has strong customer-service and written-communication instincts, is comfortable owning operational detail (CRM hygiene, reconciliation, documentation), and is looking to build a career in fundraising.Responsibilities, Time Allocation & Expected OutcomesDevelopment 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.Activity: 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.Activity: 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.Activity: 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.Activity: 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.Activity: 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.QualificationsRequiredBachelor's degree or equivalent experience in Communications, Business, Nonprofit Management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.13 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.PreferredExperience 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 dependents401k employer matchingLife insurance policyUnlimited time off policyRemote work environment
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