Fundraising & Event Coordinator

Job Description

Job Description

Position Overview

California Youth Services is seeking an outgoing, organized, and results-driven Fundraising & Events Coordinator to lead the fundraising and administrative activities associated with our annual gala and end-of-year giving campaign.

This is a fundraising and sales-oriented position, not solely an event administration role. The Fundraising & Events Coordinator will be responsible for actively soliciting and securing gala sponsors, underwriters, auction donations, table purchases, ticket sales, and year-end contributions.

The successful candidate must be comfortable identifying prospects, initiating contact, making direct financial asks, visiting local businesses, following up consistently, and developing relationships that result in financial support for CYS. The position also includes the detailed administrative work necessary to ensure that fundraising campaigns and events are organized, professionally executed, and properly documented.

Primary Responsibilities

Gala Fundraising, Sponsorships, and Sales

• Develop and implement a fundraising plan for the annual CYS gala in coordination with the Executive Director and CFO.
• Identify prospective sponsors, underwriters, auction donors, table hosts, and event guests.
• Actively solicit and secure gala sponsorships and underwriting commitments.
• Conduct outreach by phone, email, in-person visits, networking, and other appropriate methods.
• Follow up consistently with prospective sponsors and donors until a decision is received.
• Develop and maintain relationships with current and prospective sponsors to encourage continued support.
• Solicit businesses and individuals for silent and live auction items.
• Track auction item commitments, estimated values, restrictions, certificates, expiration dates, and delivery status.
• Recruit table hosts and encourage past attendees, donors, community partners, and supporters to purchase tickets and tables.
• Work with board members, staff, and volunteers to identify potential guests and fill available gala seats.
• Track progress toward sponsorship, underwriting, auction procurement, ticket, table, attendance, and revenue goals.
• Provide regular progress reports to the Executive Director and CFO.
• Use the CYS CRM to manage prospective sponsors, underwriters, auction donors, ticket purchasers, table hosts, and year-end donors.
• Document calls, emails, meetings, commitments, and follow-up activities in the CRM.
• Maintain an accurate fundraising pipeline and move prospects through the appropriate stages from initial outreach through commitment and follow-up.
• Use CRM tasks and reminders to ensure consistent and timely follow-up.

Gala Marketing and Promotion

• Develop a gala promotional calendar with deadlines for sponsorship outreach, ticket sales, table sales, auction promotion, and guest communications.
• Draft sponsorship messages, solicitation letters, emails, event descriptions, social media captions, and other fundraising content.
• Coordinate with CYS staff and the outside social media provider to promote the gala.
• Coordinate with the CFO on design materials, branding, and campaign messaging.
• Manage email outreach to prior attendees, donors, sponsors, community contacts, and prospective guests.
• Promote auction items and other event highlights to increase interest and attendance.
• Ensure sponsors and underwriters receive appropriate recognition before, during, and after the event.

Gala Planning and Administration

• Maintain a comprehensive gala timeline and ensure assigned deadlines are met.
• Maintain sponsor, underwriter, auction donor, ticket purchaser, and guest records.
• Enter sponsorships, donations, auction items, ticket sales, and guest information into the appropriate database and event software.
• Coordinate sponsorship agreements, invoices, logos, advertisements, guest lists, and recognition benefits.
• Assist with table assignments, seating arrangements, name tags, check-in materials, auction displays, bid sheets, and event signage.
• Coordinate with vendors, staff, board members, volunteers, and event partners as assigned.
• Help recruit, organize, and communicate with gala volunteers.
• Assist with event setup and oversee assigned administrative activities during the gala.
• Help ensure that auction purchases and donations are properly recorded and paid.
• Coordinate delivery or pickup of auction items following the event.
• Complete post-event administrative follow-up.

End-of-Year Fundraising Campaign

• Develop and implement an end-of-year fundraising plan in coordination with the Executive Director and CFO.
• Help establish campaign timelines, fundraising goals, donor audiences, and communication schedules.
• Review and organize donor lists for campaign outreach.
• Identify current, past, lapsed, and prospective donors for year-end solicitation.
• Draft fundraising letters, emails, donor messages, newsletter content, and campaign updates.
• Coordinate campaign materials with the CFO, who oversees CYS design and branding.
• Coordinate campaign-related social media content with the outside social media provider.
• Personally contact donors and prospective donors by phone, email, mail, or other appropriate methods.
• Make direct donation requests and conduct follow-up outreach throughout the campaign.
• Encourage board members, staff, volunteers, and supporters to participate in campaign outreach.
• Support Giving Tuesday and other year-end fundraising activities as assigned.
• Track donations, donor responses, campaign progress, and total funds raised.
• Provide regular campaign progress reports to the Executive Director and CFO.

Donor Stewardship and Database Administration

• Prepare and distribute timely donor thank-you letters and tax acknowledgment letters.
• Enter gifts, pledges, sponsorships, and donor information accurately into the donor database.
• Maintain complete records of donor communications, commitments, and follow-up activities.
• Ensure sponsor and donor recognition commitments are fulfilled.
• Help identify opportunities to retain and re-engage previous donors, sponsors, and gala attendees.
• Coordinate with the CFO to ensure fundraising records are accurate and complete.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding donor and organizational information.
• Maintain accurate contact, opportunity, donation, and communication records in the CYS CRM and donor database.
• Regularly review and update CRM records to ensure that prospect status, next steps, commitments, and follow-up dates are current.
• Generate or assist with CRM reports that show outreach activity, pipeline progress, commitments secured, and outstanding follow-up.

Performance Expectations

The Fundraising & Events Coordinator will be expected to:

• Meet or make measurable progress toward annual gala and end-of-year fundraising goals established by CYS leadership.
• Maintain an active and organized list of sponsorship, underwriting, auction, ticket, table, and donor prospects.
• Conduct consistent outbound solicitation and follow-up each week.
• Secure new and returning sponsors and underwriters.
• Procure quality silent and live auction items.
• Help meet gala attendance, ticket, and table-sales goals.
• Increase donor participation in the end-of-year campaign.
• Complete donor acknowledgments, database entries, and required follow-up promptly.
• Maintain accurate fundraising records and provide regular progress reports.
• Meet established campaign and event deadlines.

Performance will be evaluated based on both administrative execution and fundraising results, including:

• Sponsorship and underwriting revenue secured.
• Number and value of auction items procured.
• Tickets and tables sold.
• Gala attendance.
• End-of-year contributions generated.
• New and returning donor participation.
• Timeliness and accuracy of campaign administration.
• Quality and consistency of donor and prospect follow-up.
• Keep the fundraising CRM pipeline accurate and current, including prospect status, outreach history, next steps, follow-up dates, and commitments.
• Consistently use the CRM as the primary system for tracking sponsorship, underwriting, auction procurement, ticket and table sales, and end-of-year donor outreach.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in fundraising, sales, sponsorship development, business development, donor relations, or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to solicit financial support, close commitments, or meet sales or fundraising goals.
• Comfortable making direct asks by phone, email, and in person.
• Willingness to visit local businesses and meet with prospective sponsors and donors.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational and project-management abilities.
• Persistent and professional follow-up skills.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and meet deadlines.
• Experience coordinating fundraising events or nonprofit campaigns preferred.
• Experience with donor databases, email marketing platforms, and auction software such as MaxGiving preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Microsoft 365.
• Previous experience using a CRM to manage sales, fundraising, donor, or sponsorship pipelines is required.
• Experience with HighLevel or a similar CRM platform is preferred.
• Ability and willingness to consistently document outreach, maintain prospect records, schedule follow-up activities, and track results through the CYS CRM.
• Ability to work collaboratively with staff, board members, volunteers, vendors, sponsors, and donors.
• Passion for the mission and programs of California Youth Services.
• Reliable transportation for local outreach, meetings, donation pickups, and event-related activities.

Working Conditions and Schedule

• This is a part-time position averaging approximately 15–20 hours per week.
• Hours will fluctuate based on fundraising deadlines and event needs.
• Additional hours may be required, with prior approval, during the weeks leading up to the annual gala and during the end-of-year campaign.
• Some evening and weekend availability is required, including attendance at the annual gala.
• The position requires a combination of office work, telephone and email outreach, local business visits, donor meetings, and event-related responsibilities.

California Youth Services (CYS) is a multi-service non-profit that provides solutions for struggling teens, parents, and families, dealing with a variety of issues related to substance abuse, delinquent behavior, academic struggles, or mental health problems.

Company Description

California Youth Services (CYS) is a multi-service non-profit that provides solutions for struggling teens, parents, and families, dealing with a variety of issues related to substance abuse, delinquent behavior, academic struggles, or mental health problems.