Development Associate, Oregon

About Pacific Forest Trust

Wood, water, wildlife, and wonder.  Pacific Forest Trust (PFT) delivers landscape-scale private forest conservation in the West and develops innovative incentives for forest conservation, natural forest management, and natural climate solutions at the state and national levels. We do so in ways that reward private landowners for managing for public benefits such as clean water, a healthy climate, and abundant native wildlife. Our work reinvigorates and sustains rural economies and restores resilient forest landscapes across ownership boundaries. PFT is recognized nationally as a leader in developing new payment systems for ecosystems services, from climate to carbon, working forest conservation easements, watershed and habitat services, and sustainable, renewable biomass energy. PFT has led the conservation of over 360,000 acres of forestland in California and Oregon, stewards conservation easements on 130,000 acres, manages and own forestland. Our projects are outstanding not only for their scale, but for their landscape impacts and high standards for delivering multiple public benefits. PFT is accredited by the National Land Trust Accreditation Commission. 

About this Opportunity

As a pivotal member of PFT’s Development and Communications team, the Development Associate plays a key fundraising support role with a focus on both individual Donors and Institutional Funders, including Foundations and Businesses.

This position, based in PFT’s Oregon office, focusses primarily on Oregon support, and has significant room for learning and growth.

This position reports to the Director of Development, working with another Development Associate and Gifts Officer.

Roles and Responsibilities

Individual Donors

• This role helps with cultivation and stewardship of existing individual donors and the identification, cultivation and retention of new donors, as follows:
• Assist with all aspects of individual donor cultivation and giving, including donor and donor prospect research; capacity and giving potential profiling; qualification, cultivation, and stewardship of donors.
• Help analyze demographic and other data, identifying the most appropriate prospects within the donor base and community for major and planned gifts.
• Schedule Oregon-based donor and prospect meetings in coordination with the Executive Coordinator. Attend as requested on donor visits in Oregon, primarily Portland area based.
• Track and help maintain donor/prospect contact records, ensuring appropriate follow up and cultivation, including correspondence, appeals, donor acknowledgment, calls and other communication.
• Support, and eventually lead, the planning, execution, and follow-up of Oregon PFT events, especially the annual Portland-based Wild for the Woods, house parties, and other donor cultivation and outreach events and field trips. Assist in other events outside Oregon as requested.
• Help maintain the donor database, ensuring that donor and donation information is updated, accurate and coordinated with Finance and Administration.
• Assist in preparation of monthly, and quarterly fundraising reports and donor reports as requested.
• Provide administrative support, including maintaining paper and electronic files. 

Institutional Funders: Foundations and Businesses

• This role includes helping with the cultivation and stewardship of existing institutional Funders, both Foundations and Business donors, with a focus on Oregon companies and enterprises. Help conduct research and identify potential new Foundation and Business donors.
• Maintain foundation/corporate calendar for letters of intent, proposals, and reports.
• Assist in researching new foundations and corporate prospects.
• Assist in preparing and submitting foundation and corporate sponsorship proposals and reports to funders.
• Identify and cultivate local/state-based business support and sponsors for events. 

Skills and Experience Required

• At least two years of experience in a non-profit Development fundraising role, and a bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Well organized, personable, and flexible to taking on tasks as assigned.
• Excellent research, writing and editing and verbal communication skills.
• Experience with basic database record maintenance, administration, running queries and producing reports, preferably including experience with donor databases or CRMs. Experience with Blackbaud RENXT or similar preferred.
• Experience with a wealth screening and/or online donor research preferred. Experience with iWave a plus.
• Experience with foundation and corporate giving research preferred.
• High level of comfort with basic MS Office 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud applications in Mac OS environment.
• Experience with eCRM, such as MailChimp, a plus.
• High level of professionalism, integrity, and confidentiality in handling sensitive donor information.
• Comfortable and effective working in a small, busy organization, and being a team player supporting others within the team.
• Committed to PFT’s mission.

Schedule and Location

PFT’s office in Portland, OR.

PFT’s office is co-located with the Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts office.

This position is full-time.

Salary and Benefits

Annual salary range is $70-$80, 000, depending on experience. Salary is determined by a number of factors including education, experience, skills, training, and location. There are generous benefits including comprehensive health care, vacation plus 14 paid holidays, and a retirement plan.

To Apply

Submit resume and cover letter to to View email address on click.appcast.io. Put “Development Associate – OR” and your name in the Subject line. We are looking for applicants who will take the time to read the job description, learn a little about us by looking at our website, and consider whether this is a job and an organization that they would like to learn more about. This position will remain open until filled.