Position: Development Associate
Organization: The Giving Exchange (TGE) and Fountain of Life Africa (FOLA)
Location: Walnut Creek, CA (San Francisco Bay Area)
Reports to: Executive Director of TGE and President of FOLA
About TGE: The Giving Exchange (TGE) partners with under-resourced communities to implement self-sustaining projects for a lasting impact. We value honesty, transparency, and collaboration. Our strong board and dedicated staff work together to improve the lives of under-resourced communities in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe).
About FOLA: Fountain of Life Africa (FOLA) is a Christian non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of under-resourced communities through infrastructure projects in Zambia. We are committed to breaking the cycles of poverty, disease, and gender inequality, focusing on three key areas: 1) Clean Water, 2) Education, and 3) Health Care. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, thousands of children are attending school for the first time, hundreds of mothers and babies are surviving childbirth, and communities are thriving with access to clean water.
Position Summary: TGE and FOLA are collaborating to create a more efficient impact in the communities we serve by hiring a Development Associate. The Development Associate will divide time between TGE and FOLA, leading efforts in management, planning, campaigns, and communications. The Development Associate will manage various fundraising and marketing initiatives, coordinate projects, and support Board management.
Initially, we have allocated 20 hours per week for the first six months of this position. With room for growth, flexibility, and innovation, this role has the potential to evolve into something larger over time. The Development Associate will work closely with TGE’s Executive Director, FOLA’s President, board members, and African project coordinators to achieve our missions.
Primary Responsibilities - Short-term Goals (First 6 Months):
- Donations & Acknowledgements: Respond to each donation with a letter, email, or phone call within 48 hours. Manage the donations webpage, and provide year-end donation summaries in early January.
- Set specific fundraising targets: Set fundraising targets for campaigns such as a Fall Campaign, GivingTuesday, Holiday Campaign, etc. For example, aim to raise $10,000 through the GivingTuesday campaign in December.
- Rebuild/Expand Donor Base: aim to steward major donors (example: define donation amount for “major donor” status and double the number of “major donors” either by increasing annual donation amounts or cultivate new donors) and solicit recurring donors (example: increase number of recurring donors by 300%, from 3 to 9) through targeted campaigns and outreach efforts.
- Manage Social Media and Grow Engagement: Oversee and update social media platforms with at least two posts per week, with a priority on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Increase social media engagement metrics such as follows, likes, shares, and comments by 50% within the six months.
- Oversee and update website: Ensure the website is updated with status updates as necessary, at least quarterly. The websites are hosted on Squarespace and Webflow.
- Manage Marketing Campaigns: Send quarterly emails to the donor base with status updates.
- Project Coordination: Conduct six monthly check-ins with the team in Zambia, provide status updates, and report to the founder, board, and donors as appropriate.
- Enhance communication with donors: Utilize the CRM to send monthly e-mail newsletter blasts with status updates. Measure success by the percentage of donors who open or engage with these communications or provide feedback.
- Support Board Meetings: Manage logistics, including invites, scheduling, meeting links, and preparing financial and status reports.
- Support Live Fundraising Events: Assist in organizing and executing any live fundraising events. Aim to increase attendance and funds raised compared to previous years.
Skills and Qualifications:
- Passionate about international development and improving lives globally.
- Very proactive and self-motivated, able to manage time effectively.
- Experience in development associate roles and project management.
- Comfortable making donation requests/asks.
- Skilled communicator with strong writing abilities.
- A connection to Africa is a plus.
- Caring, compassionate, and culturally sensitive.
- Previous experience in nonprofit fundraising is preferred but not essential; we welcome passionate and eager learners.
Tools and Software:
- Network for Good (CRM) / Constant Contact (E-mail marketing)
- Squarespace / Webflow (Website)
- Social media platforms (especially Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn)
- Box.com & GoogleDrive (file sharing/archiving)
- Trello & Monday.com (project management)
Work Environment:
- Independent contractor remote position with occasional travel (1-4 times per year) to the SF Bay Area and/or Africa. Applicants must be living in Northern California.
Application Process:
- Submit a resume and cover letter detailing why you are interested in this opportunity.
- Email your application to info@thegivingexchange.net with the subject line “*JOB APP* – your name” (e.g., *JOB APP* – Curious George).
