Development Associate

About Rising Ground

Founded as an orphanage in 1831, Rising Ground has been at the forefront of evolving community needs. Driven by the belief that each of us can thrive when life has hope and opportunity, Rising Ground provides caring support and proven paths to positive change, helping children, adults, and families rise above adversity, and each year, Rising Ground is a positive force in the lives of more than 72,000 individuals annually. We do this through 101 programs across 138 sites, throughout New York City and Westchester. Our strong belief and commitment to diversity is shown not just through our work with supported persons but is integral to the building of a strong staff that reflects the communities we serve. Rising Ground is headquartered in New York City.

About the Role

The Development Associate leads operations for the Institutional Advancement department and all fundraising drives for the organization. They will be responsible for department operations, cultivation mailings, all in-kind giving and administration, peer-to-peer giving administration, and corporate volunteering. They should have a strong familiarity with fundraising best practices and development operations. This position reports to the Vice President of Development and is expected to be in the office a minimum of three days a week.

What You’ll Do

Department Operations

• Maintain donor database, ensuring that gift records are accurate, current, and entered in a timely fashion.
• Process donations for deposit; reconcile revenue with Finance Department; lead the creation of departmental operations manual.
• Prepare all department financial reporting for leadership, including weekly gift reports.
• Create all individual gift acknowledgment letters.
• Oversee team office supply requests and ordering, including business cards.
• Assist Vice President in department budget management.

Cultivation Mailings

• Generate mailing lists for all departmental cultivation mailings.
• Oversee printing and mailing house relationships for all departmental cultivation mailings.
• Lead logistics for all departmental cultivation mailings.

In-Kind Giving

• In collaboration with Senior Leadership, create an organization-wide In-Kind Giving strategy, including processes for program requests, mechanisms for tracking, and opportunities for corporate giving and volunteering.
• Actively manage an in-kind donor portfolio, with an emphasis on corporate; steward in-kind donor relationships.
• In collaboration with Operations and Programs, lead four annual in-kind donation drives:

• Create all donation reports and acknowledgement letters, making sure all donors are added to the Department CRM.

Corporate Volunteering

• Develop a pipeline for corporate volunteer engagements, using the In-Kind Giving Drives.
• Work with the Institutional Giving Manager to create and execute volunteer engagements for corporate funders.

Individual Giving

• Assist Vice President of Development with Individual Giving Portfolio.
• Research potential major donors and existing donor database.
• Prepare customized stewardship communications.

Additional Duties

• Present information on Employee Giving to staff, as needed.
• Assist with Special Events, as needed.

Your Qualifications

• B.A. and 2-3 years of direct experience in fundraising.
• Experience in CRM fundraising management software required; Salesforce preferred.
• Strong ability to adhere to deadlines and manage multiple projects.
• Exceptional attention to detail, with strong organizational skills.
• Collaborative team player, with an interest in participating in and fostering a supportive work environment.
• Self-directed about their individual scope of work, and proactive in solving problems.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Fluent in Microsoft Office Suite, including the ability to manage mail merges.
• Commitment to, and passion for, the mission and values of Rising Ground.

Supervisory Responsibility: No

Work Environment: Corporate Office

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday in our Headquarters at 1333 Broadway office in Midtown Manhattan. Work hours options are 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, events.

Additional Requirements:

• Authorized to work in the U.S.
• Ability to work in-person in New York City (NY) for at least 3 days or more per week.
• Ability to travel to other Rising Ground sites (if required)