Development Associate

POSITION DESCRIPTIONDevelopment AssociateReports ToDirector of PhilanthropyTypeFull-TimeDepartmentDevelopmentSystemsBloomerang, Google Salary$40,000POSITION SUMMARYThe 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 RESPONSIBILITIES1. 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 statusGenerate and send thank-you letters and email acknowledgments in batches; mail paper receipts to donors without email on fileTrack tribute gifts and pledge schedules; monitor recurring gift plans for lapsesMerge duplicate constituent records; maintain data hygiene standardsPrepare and distribute annual tax letters each January to all donors giving $250+ in the prior calendar year2. Database Management & Reporting  (Est. 25% of time)Maintain accurate and complete donor records in Bloomerang: contact information, relationship attributes, church partner assignments, volunteer historyGenerate standard reports including LYBUNT, retention, volunteer interactions, and church partner engagementProduce segmented lists for appeals, events, mailings, and major gift officer outreachEnsure Bloomerang and Google Donor Pipeline/Interaction spreadsheets remain in syncAudit gift records at end of calendar and fiscal year; provide Finance with weekly Stripe, and Givebutter reportsUpdate applications for Benevity, CFC, and other matching gift platforms as neededTroubleshoot Bloomerang issues, including automated email failures, with vendor support3. Campaign & Appeal Support  (Est. 10% of time)Prepare segmentation lists and track responses for annual appeals, mini-campaigns, and targeted outreachFlag donors needing follow-up by the major gift officer or Director of PhilanthropyUpdate campaign tracker for team meetings; assist with partner program tracking and attribute managementAt fiscal year start: Lion's Roar email list, partner attributes, and report date filters4. Communications Content & Execution  (Est. 20% of time)Write, design, and schedule newsletters, prayer team emails, social media posts, and website contentMaintain a consistent, mission-driven voice and visual identity across all platformsCollect copy and distribute the monthly prayer team email; review communications drafts for consistencyBuild and maintain an annual communications calendar aligned with fundraising campaignsCreate mailing lists as needed to support outreach and stewardship5. Campaign Collateral & Storytelling  (Est. 10% of time)Partner with the Director of Philanthropy and MGO to develop donor-centered collateral for annual appeals and campaignsInterview students, parents, church partners, and volunteers to document impact stories, quotes, and visualsDevelop a content bank of testimonials and impact materials for grants, donor stewardship, and digital platformsCreate graphics, video snippets, and other assets to support fundraising and communications goals6. Event Support  (Est. 5% of time)Manage event guest list data entry and attendance tracking in BloomerangLead event communications: invitations, programs, digital promotion, and post-event follow-upCoordinate with the development team to ensure event lists and communications are alignedQUALIFICATIONSRequiredExperience in nonprofit development, communications, or database administrationProficiency with a donor CRM (Bloomerang preferred) or demonstrated ability to learn new systems quicklyStrong written communication skills with the ability to write in an organizational voiceHigh attention to detail, especially in data entry, record-keeping, and financial reconciliationAbility to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a part-time or fast-paced environmentProficiency with Google Suite (Docs, Sheets, Drive)PreferredExperience with email marketing platforms (Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or similar)Graphic design skills (Canva, Adobe Express, or similar)Social media scheduling toolsExperience with video capture or editing for short-form storytelling contentUnderstanding of nonprofit fundraising cycles, annual appeals, and donor stewardship practicesATTRIBUTES FOR SUCCESSThe ideal candidate is someone who:Sees data accuracy and donor storytelling as two sides of the same coinTakes ownership of systems and proactively identifies gaps or inefficienciesCommunicates clearly and asks good questions when priorities are unclearGenuinely cares about the mission and wants the work to reflect itThrives in a collaborative, small-team environment where roles overlap and flexibility mattersA NOTE ON THIS ROLEThis 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 —