Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA), an internationally-recognized environmental advocacy nonprofit based in Boston, MA, is seeking a Development Associate to join our growing team. This is a unique opportunity to be part of a mission-based organization working on the front lines of climate change and clean water protection. Reporting to the Development Director, the Development Associate provides critical support for CRWA’s fundraising and donor engagement efforts.

This position is a hybrid remote/in-office position located in CRWA’s Boston office. Fully remote candidates will not be considered.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Grant Management (25%)

• Manage the grant application, recognition, and reporting process for programmatic and general operating grants

• To reach annual revenue goals, identify and research unrestricted and programmatic grants, update the common grant application annually, and write general operating grant applications

• Assist leadership in maintaining relationships with foundations

Donor Relations, Management, and Support (50%)

• Assist in maintaining relationships with existing donors through regular communication and personalized engagement

• Assist with correspondence and arranging donor meetings/calendars for Executive Director and Development Director

• Work with the Development Manager to plan and prepare meetings for both internal and external constituents

• Conduct prospect research to increase donor pipeline; identify and suggest new ways and tools to connect with fresh audiences of potential supporters

• Manage daily and weekly thanking and acknowledgement process; create innovative ways to acknowledge and show donors the impact of their gift; exceed donor expectations with creative ways to show our appreciation

• Assist Development Coordinator with database entry and running reports

• Remain informed about emerging and best practices in the Development field

• Support other Development activities or additional projects as needed

• Conduct work in accordance with CRWA’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives

Communications (15%)

• Proofread and prepare funding proposals and donor solicitation letters/packets

• Draft two hard copy appeals per year, one in the fall and one in the spring, acting as the point of contact for our mail house

• Manage the Annual Report process and mailing

• Assist in the development of fundraising materials, including brochures, one pagers, grassroots email campaigns, and impact reports

• Collaborate with the Communications team to create engaging content on social media to promote fundraising efforts and recognize funders

Events Management (10%)

• Support the planning and execution of fundraising events, including logistics, attendee/volunteer coordination, and event follow-up

• Assist in promoting events through various channels, including social media, email, and paid advertisements

• Ensure event revenue goals are met

QUALIFICATIONS

• Meticulous attention to detail

• Excellent organizational skills

• Excellent writer and proofreader

• 3-5 years of fundraising experience and knowledge of development strategy; Bachelor’s degree or work experience equivalent preferred

• Proven ability to achieve annual revenue targets in nonprofit sector or comparable sales role

• Ability to thrive in a donor-driven environment; motivated by creating new relationships and meeting strategic financial goals

• Experience writing and obtaining grants is a plus

• Effective at time management and task prioritization in a fast-paced environment

• Technical competency and capacity to learn new software systems; knowledge of GSuite, Google Docs and Google Sheets, and fundraising database systems (Donor Perfect) preferred

• Proven success increasing individual giving through a variety of methods, including digital marketing and campaigns

• Capable of working independently and taking initiative

• Team player, able to work collaboratively

• Multilingual and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience preferred

• Commitment to CRWA’s mission

At CRWA, we recognize that excellent candidates may not have every qualification listed but may still be a great fit for the job. If this is you, we encourage you to apply!

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

This is a full-time position based in Boston with competitive salary and benefits, including generous paid time off, employer contributions to health insurance premiums and retirement plan, and a public transit stipend. CRWA’s office operates on a hybrid remote/in-person schedule. Starting salary is $70,000.