Grassroots Fundraising Manager 

Reporting Relationship: Executive Director 

 
Chinook Fund supports grassroots organizations working on issues of social and economic justice; by pooling our collective resources, we seed groups making a positive, systemic impact to improve the quality of life for all Coloradans. Since our founding in 1987, Chinook Fund has awarded over $3.2 million in grants to more than 350 grassroots groups in Colorado. The annual operating budget is approximately $500,000 with an endowment of $1.9M. The organization is poised for growth -- financially and programmatically, with aims to support more social justice initiatives across Colorado. www.chinookfund.org  

Chinook Fund is both a fundraising and grantmaking organization.  We award small grants to grassroots organizations that build power for social change. Funds for these grants are primarily raised through the organization's Giving Project, which unites a diverse group of people from all class backgrounds to strengthen their fundraising, grantmaking, and community building skills. The Giving Project is an innovative model for funding social change and fostering leadership. It gives participants the opportunity to have intentional and transformational conversations about race and class, to experience the impact of collective giving, and to grapple with the tensions and joys of grantmaking.  

Position Summary 

The Grassroots Fundraising Manager is a full-time, exempt employee and reports to the Executive Director. The position is responsible for implementing individual donor fundraising and donor organizing strategies. The position’s primary goal is to expand the base of individual donors and increase revenue from individual contributions through a variety of grassroots fundraising strategies.  

Strategies include but are not limited to direct mail, email appeals, 1 to 1 fundraising asks, major gifts, Colorado Gives Day, events, and phone banking. The ideal candidate will be passionate about engaging and building authentic relationships with donors, volunteers and supporters, have experience with grassroots fundraising and community organizing, be goal oriented with a strong sense of initiative, and enjoy working in a collaborative environment.  

This position’s efforts will have a direct impact in growing Chinook Fund’s budget as we implement our strategic plan, including sustaining and growing our Giving Project. We use a "donor organizing" approach to fundraising, rooted in the belief that everyone has the ability to give and the ability to ask for money. Donor organizing is a key strategy of the Giving Project and includes organizing people around their giving through values-based conversations, political education, and supporting donors to see their giving as a vehicle for systemic change. By developing the fundraising leadership of Giving Project members, Chinook Fund reaches many donors new to social justice. Cultivating Giving Project donors to make annual contributions to the general fund is a priority initiative for this position.  

To learn about our Giving Project model, please read the following:  

• https://chinookfund.org/givingproject  
• https://socialjusticefund.org/giving-projects/  

Compensation: $47,000 to 53,000 depending on experience, plus benefits. Benefits include health, dental, vision, SEP IRA tax-deferred individual retirement account, and paid time off. Employer pays 100% of employee premiums and contributes 5% of salary to SEP IRA (SEP IRA begins after 3 months of employment).  

Development & Individual Giving Responsibilities 

• Support Executive Director with annual grassroots fundraising planning and implementation to meet annual revenue generation goals; 
• Coordinate fundraising campaigns, activities, and events, including Colorado Gives Day, biannual appeals (Spring/Fall), donor meetings, and an annual special event to meet an annual revenue goal of $250,000+ from individual donors; 

• Produce donor solicitations and materials to retain or upgrade gifts and to convert Giving Project donors to general fund donors;  
• Cultivate and steward donors​ ​by producing specialized correspondence, preparing letters of acknowledgment, scheduling and attending in-person visits;  
• Participate in Development Committee meetings with board and Giving Project alumni; 
• Maintain updated records in the donor contact database, including donation uploads and weekly donation reports for the Giving Project during peak fundraising cycles;  
• Maintain a working knowledge of trends, best practices, demographics, and issues related to grassroots fundraising, donor organizing, social justice, and philanthropy; and 

• Work collectively with staff and community members to ensure the health and sustainability of the organization. 

Fundraising Communications & Events Responsibilities 

• Develop and maintain dynamic fundraising materials such as donor welcome packet, event sponsorship packets, fundraising appeals, phone banking scripts and materials, donor updates, and social media campaign graphics and content; 
• Participate on committee for annual Cultivating Change event to support ticket sales, promotion, sponsorships, and volunteer engagement; 

• Coordinate and create content for monthly e-newsletter; 
• Participate in development of social media and website content; and 
• Support staff in highlighting impact and success stories of Giving Project alumni and grantee organizations.  

Job Duties may include other tasks as identified by the Executive Director. 

Required Qualifications 

• Goal oriented and fearless about asking for money, time, etc; 
• Proven success in implementing individual fundraising strategies raising $50,000+; 
• Experience conducting one-on-one fundraising asks, soliciting major gifts or donor organizing experience; 

• 2 years project or program management experience—demonstrated ability to create and execute a plan that meets goals & objectives, devise and implement systems, evaluate and improve based on feedback, and communicate with other staff; 
• One-year community organizing experience (formal or informal). Chinook Fund defines community organizing as the process of bringing affected people together to use their collective power to win improvements in their community and change the power structure to advance social justice.  
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to evoke emotion and action through crafting stories and narratives that highlight impact; 
• Strong social justice analysis, including personal awareness about race and class privilege and demonstrated commitment to issues impacting Chinook Fund grantees; 
• Passion for cultivating and building strong relationships with our constituency, including donors, Giving Project members and alumni, and grantees; 

• Strong interpersonal communication skills, including active listening, receiving and giving feedback, and communicating across teams; 
• Ability to connect with people from a wide array of backgrounds and identities; 
• Ability to learn quickly, take initiative, and work well under pressure to meet deadlines; 
• Willingness to work as a team on a variety of tasks; and 
• Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends and travel occasionally. 

Preferred Qualities & Qualifications 

• 2+ years of experience in development and/or grassroots fundraising; 
• Experience managing a successful individual giving program; 
• Experience in fundraising from major donors ($1,000+) ; 

• Grounded, authentic, non-judgmental, generous of spirit, and with a sense of humor; 
• Computer skills with proficiency in Canva, Civicore CRM, Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Outlook, Excel, SharePoint), HootSuite, Wordpress; 
• Experience with Chinook Fund constituency and/or grantees; 
• Detail-oriented and ability to balance multiple priorities; and 
• Self-motivated, effective problem-solver. 

To Apply  

Please submit your cover letter and resume in PDF format to hiring@chinookfund.org. In your cover letter, please share why you are passionate about fundraising for social justice and what qualities you’d bring to this position. Priority will be given to applications received by February 17, 2020. The ideal start date is April 1. Flexibility will be given for the candidate with the best fit. References and writing samples will be requested from finalists.   

Chinook Fund is committed to equity and diversity and to the recruitment and retention of people from backgrounds traditionally excluded from philanthropy, including Black, Indigenous and people of color, LGBTQ individuals, and people with disabilities.