POSITION DESCRIPTION
Development Associate
Reports To Director of Philanthropy
Type Full-Time
Department Development
Systems Bloomerang, Google
Salary $40,000
POSITION SUMMARY
The Development Associate is a mission-critical, hybrid role that sits at the intersection of donor data management, fundraising operations, and organizational communications. This person ensures that Cornerstone's development infrastructure is accurate, consistent, and donor-centered --- and that our communications reflect the impact of our work with clarity and purpose.
This role is ideal for someone who is both detail-oriented and creative: someone who finds meaning in clean data and compelling storytelling, and who understands that both are essential to building lasting donor relationships.
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Gift Processing & Acknowledgment (Est. 30% of time)
- Enter all donations into Bloomerang weekly (checks, EFTs, stock gifts, in-kind, pledges)
- Run Transaction Monitoring report to verify: soft credits, campaign assignment, receipting, new donor onboarding, relationship manager assignment, and pipeline status
- Generate and send thank-you letters and email acknowledgments in batches; mail paper receipts to donors without email on file
- Track tribute gifts and pledge schedules; monitor recurring gift plans for lapses
- Merge duplicate constituent records; maintain data hygiene standards
- Prepare and distribute annual tax letters each January to all donors giving $250+ in the prior calendar year
2. Database Management & Reporting (Est. 25% of time)
- Maintain accurate and complete donor records in Bloomerang: contact information, relationship attributes, church partner assignments, volunteer history
- Generate standard reports including LYBUNT, retention, volunteer interactions, and church partner engagement
- Produce segmented lists for appeals, events, mailings, and major gift officer outreach
- Ensure Bloomerang and Google Donor Pipeline/Interaction spreadsheets remain in sync
- Audit gift records at end of calendar and fiscal year; provide Finance with weekly Stripe, and Givebutter reports
- Update applications for Benevity, CFC, and other matching gift platforms as needed
- Troubleshoot Bloomerang issues, including automated email failures, with vendor support
3. Campaign & Appeal Support (Est. 10% of time)
- Prepare segmentation lists and track responses for annual appeals, mini-campaigns, and targeted outreach
- Flag donors needing follow-up by the major gift officer or Director of Philanthropy
- Update campaign tracker for team meetings; assist with partner program tracking and attribute management
- At fiscal year start: Lion's Roar email list, partner attributes, and report date filters
4. Communications Content & Execution (Est. 20% of time)
- Write, design, and schedule newsletters, prayer team emails, social media posts, and website content
- Maintain a consistent, mission-driven voice and visual identity across all platforms
- Collect copy and distribute the monthly prayer team email; review communications drafts for consistency
- Build and maintain an annual communications calendar aligned with fundraising campaigns
- Create mailing lists as needed to support outreach and stewardship
5. Campaign Collateral & Storytelling (Est. 10% of time)
- Partner with the Director of Philanthropy and MGO to develop donor-centered collateral for annual appeals and campaigns
- Interview students, parents, church partners, and volunteers to document impact stories, quotes, and visuals
- Develop a content bank of testimonials and impact materials for grants, donor stewardship, and digital platforms
- Create graphics, video snippets, and other assets to support fundraising and communications goals
6. Event Support (Est. 5% of time)
- Manage event guest list data entry and attendance tracking in Bloomerang
- Lead event communications: invitations, programs, digital promotion, and post-event follow-up
- Coordinate with the development team to ensure event lists and communications are aligned
QUALIFICATIONS
Required
- Experience in nonprofit development, communications, or database administration
- Proficiency with a donor CRM (Bloomerang preferred) or demonstrated ability to learn new systems quickly
- Strong written communication skills with the ability to write in an organizational voice
- High attention to detail, especially in data entry, record-keeping, and financial reconciliation
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a part-time or fast-paced environment
- Proficiency with Google Suite (Docs, Sheets, Drive)
Preferred
- Experience with email marketing platforms (Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or similar)
- Graphic design skills (Canva, Adobe Express, or similar)
- Social media scheduling tools
- Experience with video capture or editing for short-form storytelling content
- Understanding of nonprofit fundraising cycles, annual appeals, and donor stewardship practices
ATTRIBUTES FOR SUCCESS
The ideal candidate is someone who:
- Sees data accuracy and donor storytelling as two sides of the same coin
- Takes ownership of systems and proactively identifies gaps or inefficiencies
- Communicates clearly and asks good questions when priorities are unclear
- Genuinely cares about the mission and wants the work to reflect it
- Thrives in a collaborative, small-team environment where roles overlap and flexibility matters
A NOTE ON THIS ROLE
This position was designed to bridge a common gap in small development teams: the space between operational infrastructure and donor-facing communication. At Cornerstone, we believe that well-maintained data and compelling storytelling are not separate functions --- they are both expressions of how seriously we take our relationships with donors, partners, and the communities we serve.
The person in this role will play a significant part in shaping how Cornerstone is experienced by its donors and community --- and in ensuring that our development team has the information and tools it needs to build those relationships well.
--- Cornerstone Development Team ---