Equality Virginia: Development Director

LOCATION

VA

SALARY

50,000 - 60,000 / Yearly

COMPANY

Equality Virginia

DEPARTMENT

Other

EMPLOYMENT TYPE

Non-Profit

CONTACT

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Email [email protected] with a resume and cover letter that answers the questions below in PDF format. Please be sure to put “Development Manager” in the subject line of your email. Describe a time you implemented a fundraising strategy and what lessons you learned from that experience. How do you balance maintaining and growing donor relationships while tracking the contributions and overseeing online campaigns? What’s your approach to creating meaningful fundraising events focused on small dollar/grassroot donors? Here’s what you can expect from our interview process: Application Review Panel Interview ~60 minutes Interview with Executive Director ~30 minutes Applications must be submitted by 6pm on April 5th, 2024. We are looking to fill this position by April 26th, 2024.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position: Development Manager

 

Salary: $50,000-$60,000

Reports to: Executive Director

Organizational Overview:

Our Vision | Virginia is a state in which LGBTQ+ people – every demographic, race, ethnicity, zip code, and experience – are valued and thriving.

Our Mission | Equality Virginia confronts systemic inequities to liberate the full spectrum of the LGBTQ+ community from discrimination and oppression.

Position Summary: The Development Manager will work closely with our Executive Director and communications team to prospect, steward and engage new and existing donors at all levels. They will work with the Executive Director on executing annual fundraising campaigns including our annual gala- the Commonwealth Dinner.

They should enjoy interacting with donors and building relationships. They will have strong writing skills and an understanding of solicitation emails. They will work with different departments to execute the individual giving campaigns. They will actively prospect utilizing donor tools and maintain prospect databases and calendars.

About the team and you: At Equality Virginia, we are committed to using an intersectional approach in our work. Equality Virginia’s work focuses on macro-level systems change and our success is inherently tied to the collective liberation of all oppressed peoples.

You are organized and a strong communicator, both written and verbal, with a passion for promoting LGBTQ+ work in Virginia. You have an understanding of how LGBTQ+ issues intersect with racial justice, disability justice, and economic justice priorities. You understand how to work collaboratively with team members to develop realistic and achievable goal-oriented plans. 

 

Frequently cited statistics show that femme, trans, and nonbinary people, as well as Black, Indigenous, and people of color of all backgrounds apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. Equality Virginia encourages you to break that statistic and apply. No one ever meets 100% of the qualifications. Equality Virginia’s team engages in hard work and heart work and the team values authenticity, empathy, compassion, and kindness–we’re a close-knit team that works together regularly.

Key Objectives and Responsibilities: 

Ensure Equality Virginia meets or exceeds its annual income goals from grassroots and mid-level donors by maintaining current donors, building relationships, managing direct mail and e-appeal campaigns, and actively prospecting while supporting the Executive Director. Craft and implement customized development strategies and campaigns for various organizational segments, including 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and PAC.

Primary responsibilities:

Grassroots Donor Program

  • Using the developed annual calendar, write e-appeals throughout the year and collaborate on fundraising strategy for Give OUT Day, Giving Tuesday, and seasonal fundraising campaigns

  • Acknowledge donations between $1 and $500

 

Stewardship 

  • Manage a portfolio of prospects and donors by creating and executing engagement plans and strategies to secure ongoing and new contributions. 

  • Ensure that donor and gift records and reports are maintained accurately and updated in a timely fashion in EveryAction

  • Create and send tax receipts for all donations annually

  • Review information tracking processes regarding acknowledgment, recognition, ongoing communications, and continued cultivation of past and current donors to enhance their relationship with the organization and increase the likelihood of continued contributions

  • Devise consistent, accurate, and appropriate information-sharing mechanisms for stewarding prospects and donors across the organization.

Prospecting 

  • Build a consistent mid-level and major donor prospect pipeline

  • Document donor interactions in the database, EveryAction, and conduct appropriate research on donors and prospects

  • Create a system to track prospects and move them through the donor cycle

  • Maintain and monitor planned giving program including research on bequests

Solicitation 

  • Be the primary solicitor for portfolio 

  • Make asks for donations and donation increases via a variety of communications   

 

Commonwealth Dinner and Other Events

  • Sponsorships

  • Create sponsorship tiers and attain gala fundraising goals by securing individual, small business, and corporate sponsorships

  • Assist with setting meetings for executive director and corporate sponsors

  • Build database of prospective sponsors

  • Collect and track logos and sponsor ads for Commonwealth Dinner 

  • Marketing & 

  • Attain gala fundraising goals by meeting annual ticket sale goals

  • In collaboration with Digital Manager and Executive director, assist in the development of gala materials, including print and email invitations, social media promotion, and press releases

  • Logistics & Volunteers

  • Assist in the development of all gala logistics, including guest registration, stage program, onsite volunteer management, and all follow-up activities as necessary

  • Develop, support, and manage volunteer steering and host committees

  • Manage vendors and contracts

Qualifications

Experience & Education

 

  • At least 3 years of experience in donor relations and fundraising ideally in a nonprofit or advocacy setting

  • At least 2 years experience using EveryAction

  • Have experience directly asking for donations

  • Have experience in writing compelling fundraising emails and other materials

  • Have experience creating and maintaining a stewardship calendar 

  • Have experience managing small and large-scale in-person fundraising events.

Skills

 

  • Must be able to multi-task and demonstrate good judgment and decision-making when working with donors.

  • Have excellent organizational, interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills

  • Exhibit excellent social skills, with large groups as well as with individuals

  • Be detail-oriented, well-organized, focused, and goal-oriented, with a high level of initiative and energy

  • Exhibit problem-solving skills and use judgment in situations requiring independent initiative and tact

We especially encourage applications from people who have any of these additional qualifications:

  • Have experience managing contractors and vendors.

  • Have experience managing direct mail campaigns.

  • Have experience engaging corporate donors.

  • Have experience with grant applications and working with foundations.

COMMITMENT: 

  • Demonstrates a strong commitment to equality for all LGBTQ+ persons, and embraces an anti-racist and anti-transphobic approach based in an intersectional understanding of the experiences of our diverse constituency.

 

Physical Requirements

  • Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time

  • This position will require occasional travel

  • The person in this position may be required to sit or stand for extended periods, move objects up to 25 pounds, operate office equipment, open and close filing cabinets and boxes, observe visitors, and communicate messages by telephone.

Location Requirements

  • Hybrid; must reside in the state of Virginia with ability to travel to Richmond once per month

 

Benefits

Equality Virginia is dedicated to providing all employees a competitive salary, 100% medical, dental, and vision coverage, generous paid time off and holidays, 401k plan with employer contribution, employee cell phone, paid parking, and a professional development stipend. The salary for this position is $50,000-$60,000. This is a full-time position.

Next Steps

Email [email protected] with a resume and cover letter that answers the questions below in PDF format. Please be sure to put “Development Manager” in the subject line of your email.

  • Describe a time you implemented a fundraising strategy and what lessons you learned from that experience.

  • How do you balance maintaining and growing donor relationships while tracking the contributions and overseeing online campaigns?

  • What’s your approach to creating meaningful fundraising events focused on small dollar/grassroot donors?

Here’s what you can expect from our interview process:

  • Application Review

  • Panel Interview ~60 minutes

  • Interview with Executive Director ~30 minutes

Applications must be submitted by 6pm on April 5th, 2024. We are looking to fill this position by April 26th, 2024.