Position Overview

The Development Coordinator plays a key role in supporting Educational First Steps (EFS) by managing the annual appeal strategy, donor stewardship, database oversight, online giving, and donor engagement efforts. This position ensures communication consistency across social media, e-blasts, and direct mail appeals, facilitates donor engagement, and oversees donor data management. Additionally, the Development Coordinator coordinates gala sponsorships and individual ticket sales, North Texas Giving Day, and board and staff giving campaigns. The position carries a fundraising goal of $500,000 across multiple giving channels.

Key Responsibilities

Annual Appeal Strategy

Execute three mailed campaigns (summer, winter, and lapsed donor spring appeal). Ensure consistent messaging across social media, e-blasts, and direct mail appeals to align with donor communications and fundraising strategies. Work with various departments to ensure communication alignment for online giving across social media, e-blasts, and digital donor appeals. Oversee donor segmentation, campaign tracking, and data analysis to enhance engagement and fundraising results. Monitor and assess appeal performance, adjusting strategies based on donor engagement and response rates.

Gala Strategy: Fundraising and Stewardship Efforts (Goal: $75,000)

Oversee low-to-mid tier gala sponsorships ($5,000–$10,000) and drive outreach efforts. Manage and direct all gala stewardship and engagement efforts, including timing, recognition, and post-event thank-you efforts.

North Texas Giving Day

Lead the North Texas Giving Day campaign, including planning, strategy development, outreach, and execution. Develop a timeline and donor engagement strategy that includes pre-event communications, day-of fundraising activities, and post-event follow-up. Coordinate with the communications and marketing team to ensure messaging alignment across social media, email campaigns, and the website. Identify and implement donor matching opportunities and peer-to-peer fundraising initiatives to maximize donor participation. Track donor participation and engagement metrics to evaluate campaign performance and inform future strategies.

Board & Staff Campaign

Coordinate and implement the annual board and staff giving campaign, ensuring participation and fundraising success. Develop compelling messaging and engagement efforts to encourage financial contributions from internal stakeholders.

Donor Engagement Strategies

Manage and coordinate partner center tours, ensuring communication with program staff on timing and ensuring at least one development team member is present at each tour. Direct all Pouring with a Purpose events (three per year: two in Dallas, one in Fort Worth), including planning, promotion, execution, and follow-up engagement. Ensure timely communication and follow-up with attendees, board members, and referral sources to determine next steps.

Donor Stewardship & Database Management

Oversee the donor stewardship process, ensuring timely acknowledgments, engagement efforts, and recognition. Manage the donor database and data entry, ensuring accuracy and strategic donor insights for fundraising initiatives. Generate reports and analyze donor trends to support development team strategies.

Qualifications & Experience

3+ years of experience in fundraising, donor relations, or nonprofit development; proven success in annual giving campaigns, direct mail appeals, and online giving; strong database management skills (preferably CRM systems like Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge, or Bloomerang); excellent written and verbal communication skills, particularly in donor engagement materials; experience managing low-to-mid tier sponsorships and individual ticket sales for fundraising events; strong project management skills with the ability to handle multiple campaigns and deadlines; a passion for early childhood education and a commitment to the mission of EFS.