True West Film Center is seeking a highly organized and relationship-oriented Development Associate to support and advance the organization’s fundraising, membership, sponsorship, and earned revenue initiatives. Working closely with the Executive Director, this position serves as the primary coordinator for donor stewardship, membership engagement, sponsorship fulfillment, on-screen advertising sales, fundraising campaigns, grants administration, and development events.
Reports To: Executive Director
Position Summary
True West Film Center is seeking a highly organized and relationship-oriented Development Associate to support and advance the organization’s fundraising, membership, sponsorship, and earned revenue initiatives. Working closely with the Executive Director, this position serves as the primary coordinator for donor stewardship, membership engagement, sponsorship fulfillment, on-screen advertising sales, fundraising campaigns, grants administration, and development events.
The Development Associate helps cultivate meaningful relationships with donors, members, sponsors, and community partners while ensuring an exceptional donor and member experience. This position combines strong administrative skills with relationship building and revenue generation, making it an ideal opportunity for an emerging fundraising professional looking to grow into a leadership role.
Essential Responsibilities
Donor & Member Stewardship
- Coordinate donor cultivation and stewardship activities.
- Process charitable gifts and ensure timely acknowledgements and tax receipts.
- Maintain accurate donor and member records in DonorPerfect.
- Coordinate membership fulfillment, renewals, benefit delivery, and stewardship communications.
- Track donor and membership renewals and prepare retention reports.
- Assist with donor meetings and follow-up communications.
Fundraising Campaigns
- Coordinate annual appeals, online giving campaigns, and fundraising mailings.
- Prepare donor reports, mailing lists, and campaign materials.
- Assist with prospect research and donor pipeline management.
- Track campaign performance and fundraising metrics.
Sponsorships & Screen Advertising
- Assist in securing corporate sponsors for events, education programs, and festivals.
- Manage sponsor fulfillment and recognition.
- Coordinate sales of pre-show screen advertisements and maintain advertiser relationships.
- Prepare advertising proposals, contracts, invoices, and renewal communications.
- Work with Marketing and Cinema Operations to ensure advertising assets are delivered on schedule.
Grants
- Maintain grant calendars and reporting deadlines.
- Coordinate proposal materials and supporting documentation.
- Track grant deliverables and reporting requirements.
- Assist with research on prospective funders.
Events
- Coordinate donor events, receptions, and fundraising activities.
- Manage guest lists, sponsorship benefits, invitations, and logistics.
- Support volunteer coordination related to fundraising activities.
- Assist with post-event stewardship and reporting.
Administrative Support
- Prepare development reports for leadership and the Board.
- Schedule donor meetings and maintain development files.
- Reconcile contributions with Finance.
- Maintain development procedures and documentation.
- Support implementation of the annual fundraising plan.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
- Three to five years of nonprofit development, fundraising, membership, sales, marketing, or related experience.
- Strong interpersonal and customer service skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication.
- Experience with CRM software (DonorPerfect preferred).
- Strong organizational and project management abilities.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities independently.
- Passion for arts, education, and community engagement.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with donor stewardship or membership programs.
- Experience coordinating fundraising events.
- Corporate sponsorship or advertising sales experience.
- Grant administration experience.
- Familiarity with nonprofit fundraising principles.
Success in the First Year
The successful Development Associate will:
- Build strong relationships with donors, members, sponsors, and advertisers.
- Increase membership renewals and improve the member experience.
- Grow on-screen advertising participation and sponsor retention.
- Ensure timely donor acknowledgments and grant reporting.
- Successfully coordinate fundraising campaigns and development events.
- Maintain accurate fundraising records and provide reliable reporting to leadership.
Benefits & Wages
Salary: $72,000–$85,000 annually, commensurate with experience. Includes eligibility for benefits and paid time off.
Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.
