Development Coordinator

About South Whidbey Good Cheer & The Opportunity

South Whidbey Good Cheer is evolving to meet growing community needs. With food bank visits consistently increasing over the past four years, we're expanding our capacity by investing in dedicated fundraising expertise. This newly created Development Coordinator position will establish the robust systems needed to support our mission sustainably into the future. This role will partner with our Co-Executive Directors to design and implement effective fundraising approaches that align with community-centric principles—work that is essential to our ability to continue fighting food insecurity and providing affordable goods through our food bank and thrift stores.

The right candidate will help build our resource development program from the ground up, creating the internal systems and strategies needed to support our services as we respond to growing community needs. While the Co-Executive Director will handle most external donor relationships, this position will focus on building the behind-the-scenes infrastructure that makes effective fundraising possible.

This role will work closely with our Outreach Coordinator to ensure that fundraising efforts are well-integrated with our community engagement and communications strategies. By partnering on storytelling, event promotion, and consistent messaging, these two positions will strengthen both our community engagement and financial sustainability.

We're seeking someone who brings grant writing experience and fundraising expertise, thrives in creating structure where it may not yet exist, and approaches development work with an equity lens. This is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact by establishing sustainable funding systems while supporting our mission to serve an expanding community need.

What We Offer

• Compensation: $25-28 per hour, based on experience
• Hybrid work arrangement: 2 days per week (approximately 16 hours) in our office with remaining hours worked remotely
• Flexible work arrangements that support work-life balance
• A collaborative culture that values diverse perspectives
• Meaningful work that directly improves community wellbeing
• Supportive team environment
• Dental and Vision
• 11 paid holidays per year, plus 10 days of PTO annually
• Sick leave: Accrues at 1 hour per 40 hours worked (in accordance with Washington State law), with up to 40 hours carrying over annually

Hours

Part-time, 25 hours per week

Note to Applicants

We recognize that no single candidate will possess all the listed qualifications. We strongly encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds with non-traditional experience to apply if you believe your skills and passion align with this role. We value lived experience and transferable skills as much as formal credentials. If you're excited about building sustainable fundraising systems that align with community-centric principles in a collaborative environment that supports our community mission, we want to hear from you.

Role Responsibilities:

Key Responsibilities

Development Support (50%)

• Assess current fundraising practices and develop sustainable, community-centric fundraising systems
• Create and implement annual fundraising strategy that balances organizational needs with community-centric principles
• Manage donor database, including data entry and maintaining accurate records
• Draft donor communications that reflect our values and respect our community's dignity
• Support the planning and execution of fundraising events
• Create content for fundraising materials and campaigns
• Actively seek out, research, and identify new grant opportunities aligned with our mission and programs
• Collaborate with program staff and department leaders to develop compelling grant proposals and reports that accurately reflect our work and needs
• Write and submit grant proposals, maintaining a consistent application calendar
• Track reporting requirements and deadlines
• Maintain organized digital files of all grant-related documentation

Administrative Support (20%)

• Coordinate with Co-Executive Director on development priorities and timelines
• Maintain development calendar and tracking systems
• Generate regular reports on fundraising progress and grant status
• Participate in collaborative planning with Outreach Coordinator to align fundraising and community engagement calendars
• Share relevant fundraising data and metrics for incorporation into community communications
• Assist in measuring the effectiveness of joint fundraising and outreach initiatives
• Document fundraising processes and systems for organizational continuity

Candidate Qualifications:

Qualifications Required

• 2+ years of nonprofit fundraising and grant writing experience
• Proven track record of successful grant applications
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Superior organizational abilities with meticulous attention to detail
• Experience with donor management systems, Salesforce/Little Green Light a plus
• Proficiency with Google Workspace

Preferred

• Experience with or knowledge of community-centric fundraising principles
• Demonstrated ability to bring structure to varied or disjointed processes
• Background in project management or process improvement
• Understanding of rural community dynamics and needs
• Experience in building fundraising systems from the ground up
• Comfort with collaborative decision-making processes

Ideal Candidate Qualities

• Self-motivated with ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Creative problem-solver who thrives in dynamic environments
• Passion for community-focused nonprofit work
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining quality and meeting deadlines
• Commitment to equity and inclusion in fundraising practices

Priority application deadline: Friday, May 2, 2025

Application Instructions:

How to Apply
Please submit your resume and cover letter to “directors@goodcheer.org” with the subject line "Development Coordinator - [Your Name]". In your cover letter, please highlight your relevant experience in grant writing and fundraising, and why you’d like to work with Good Cheer.

Note on Accessibility: Strong writing skills are essential for this position. If you require reasonable accommodations during the application process, please contact us at directors@goodcheer.org, 360-221-0130, and we'll do our best to address your needs on a case-by-case basis.

Good Cheer is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive workplace. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, particularly those from historically underrepresented communities.