Development Associate — CalMatters — California

CalMatters is looking for a team-oriented professional to join our dynamic development team.

CalMatters is an award-winning nonprofit, nonpartisan news venture dedicated to explaining the policy and politics of America’s biggest state and the world’s fifth largest economy. We produce vivid, original journalism and data-driven news analyses and watchdog reporting, and distribute our work to more than 250 media partners, on calmatters.org, and via Apple News, SmartNews and other platforms.

Since we launched six and a half years ago, CalMatters has carved out a leadership role at the center of the media ecosystem in California, establishing ourselves as a trusted brand and “go-to” hub for in-depth news and information on statewide issues. Our work has led to changes in policy, new legislation, investigations and discussions at the Capitol, in political groups and beyond — and created an awareness of important issues that aren’t getting covered anywhere else. 

As a development associate you will assist the development team and provide general administrative and program support. We also look to every member of our team to recommend new approaches, procedures and processes to continually improve our efficiency. You will work closely with team members to support donor communications and to identify potential sources of donations and track the progress of fundraising campaigns. You will report to the publisher and chief development officer. Here are the key responsibilities:

Donor Communications, Research and Event Support

• Assist with donor communications, including coordinating, formatting and executing thank yous, holiday cards, briefing event invitations and reminders and follow up; preparing guest lists and bios; tracking event attendance 
• Help with preliminary research to build and replenish pipeline of major donors, institutions and foundation prospects
• Coordinate stewardship touch points, internal and external meetings, arrange meetings, send invites 
• Pull basic data for grant reports
• Coordinate with the membership team on fundraising communications and list management
• Update donation pages on our website

Fundraising, Financial Tracking, Database Management 

Perform basic administrative duties in Salesforce including updates to donor database, creating and updating accounts for major donors, institutional and foundation supporters, as well as reports and dashboards, and maintaining Salesforce documentation

• Meet weekly with revenue team about needed database updates and execute the updates
• Handle and track pledges, invoices, donation deposits in QuickBooks
• Update MailChimp fundraising distribution lists
• Review, track and report on funds and gifts, generate and distribute reports
• Track placements and upload sponsor messages to newsletter, website and other products 

Desired qualifications include two years of experience working on a development and fundraising team handling a variety of development duties and:

• Passion for media, philanthropy, civic engagement and democracy
• Keen interest in California and state government policies and politics     
• Excellent verbal, research and writing skills
• A positive, team-oriented approach
• Sound time-management practices
• A high degree of professionalism with internal and external audiences
• Ability to organize materials, pay attention to details and accuracy, and meet deadlines
• Ability to manage multiple tasks while working independently
• Basic knowledge of Salesforce, iWave, Donor Search, QuickBooks a plus

This position is based in our Sacramento headquarters. It may be a hybrid position that allows working from home on some days and requires a presence in the office on other days. 

Compensation and Benefits:

The base salary for this position is $60,000 per year; higher compensation may be available for someone with advanced skills and/or experience. 

CalMatters offers a complete benefits package with medical, dental and vision insurance (we cover 90% of the cost for employees and 70% for dependents) from a range of HMO and PPO providers. We’ll match contributions of up to 4% of your salary to our 401(k) program, provide life insurance at no cost, and give you an allowance for personal use of your cell phone and a budget for professional development opportunities like classes and conferences.

We are an expanding and collaborative news organization, successfully forging a new model for sustainable, intelligent, nonprofit journalism. We’re committed to reflecting the people of the state we serve and especially encourage members of underrepresented communities to apply. If you’re interested, please provide a resume and a cover letter that explains why you’re a great fit for this role.