Development Associate

Regional Plan Association; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 62,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement plan

Health insurance

Vision insurance

Dental insurance

Job summary

Regional Plan Association, based in New York, seeks a Development Operations professional to support Salesforce CRM, DonorBox administration, donor acknowledgments, and fundraising reporting. The role offers exposure to prospect research, donor stewardship, board engagement, and corporate/institutional fundraising in a collaborative nonprofit setting.

The position is full-time and hybrid, with 1–2 days per week in the NYC office in Lower Manhattan.

Qualifications

• At least 1 year of experience in nonprofit development, administration, operations, or related work.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage recurring deadlines.
• Comfort working with data, databases, spreadsheets, and online platforms.
• Experience with Salesforce or another CRM preferred, but not required.
• Strong research skills and ability to summarize information clearly and accurately.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and comfort communicating with donors, board members, partners, and other external stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently, ask questions, manage multiple tasks, and follow through.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office.
• Familiarity with DonorBox, iWave, Asana, Slack, or similar tools a plus.
• Interest in nonprofit fundraising, civic engagement, urban planning, or public policy a plus.

Responsibilities

• Maintain RPA’s CRM database (Salesforce), including updating contact records, entering gifts, producing reports, and supporting data integrity.
• Support day-to-day administration of RPA’s online donation platform (DonorBox), including creating and updating donation pages.
• Process contributions and prepare acknowledgments and tax receipts in a timely manner.
• Create and track invoices, pledge reminders, and payment records.
• Prepare donor lists, appeal lists, mailing lists, giving histories, and other reports to support fundraising, stewardship, and development planning.
• Work with the Finance team to support coding, reconciliation, and revenue tracking.
• Conduct basic research on individual, corporate, foundation, and institutional prospects.
• Prepare prospect profiles, giving histories, and relationship notes for funder meetings and outreach.
• Support regular prospect and pipeline review, with a focus on the Board of Directors, State Committees, corporate supporters, and institutional funders.
• Support administrative tasks for the Nominating & Governance Committee of the Board, including meeting preparation and candidate communications.
• Respond to or route routine donor questions related to contributions, contact updates, and stewardship events.
• Provide on-site or virtual support for major RPA events and select cultivation and stewardship events as needed.
• Handle donor, board, financial, and prospect information with discretion and confidentiality.

Skills

Nonprofit development

Data management

Communication

Organizational skills

Donor relations

Google Workspace

Microsoft Office

Research

Tools

Salesforce

DonorBox

iWave

Asana

Slack

Job description

This position reports to the Director of Development and works closely with RPA’s Events, Communications, Finance, and Executive teams.

This role is grounded in development operations, including regular work with a CRM, gift records and reports, and donor information. It also offers exposure to many areas of nonprofit fundraising, including prospecting, donor stewardship, board of directors engagement, corporate sponsorships, and institutional fundraising.

This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys data, research, organizational, and relationship support, and who wants to build broad experience in fundraising.

Responsibilities

Development Operations

• Maintain RPA’s CRM database (Salesforce), including updating contact records, entering gifts, producing reports, and supporting data integrity
• Support day-to-day administration of RPA’s online donation platform (DonorBox), including creating and updating donation pages
• Process contributions and prepare acknowledgments and tax receipts in a timely manner
• Create and track invoices, pledge reminders, and payment records
• Prepare donor lists, appeal lists, mailing lists, giving histories, and other reports to support fundraising, stewardship, and development planning
• Work with the Finance team to support coding, reconciliation, and revenue tracking

Prospect Research

• Conduct basic research on individual, corporate, foundation, and institutional prospects
• Prepare prospect profiles, giving histories, and relationship notes for funder meetings and outreach
• Support regular prospect and pipeline review, with a focus on the Board of Directors, State Committees, corporate supporters, and institutional funders

Donor, Board & Event Support

• Support administrative tasks for the Nominating & Governance Committee of the Board, including meeting preparation and candidate communications
• Respond to or route routine donor questions related to contributions, contact updates, and stewardship events
• Provide on-site or virtual support for major RPA events and select cultivation and stewardship events as needed
• Handle donor, board, financial, and prospect information with discretion and confidentiality

Qualifications

• At least 1 year of experience in nonprofit development, administration, operations, or related work
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage recurring deadlines
• Comfort working with data, databases, spreadsheets, and online platforms
• Experience with Salesforce or another CRM preferred, but not required
• Strong research skills and ability to summarize information clearly and accurately
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills and comfort communicating with donors, board members, partners, and other external stakeholders
• Ability to work independently, ask questions, manage multiple tasks, and follow through
• Proficiency with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office
• Familiarity with DonorBox, iWave, Asana, Slack, or similar tools a plus
• Interest in nonprofit fundraising, civic engagement, urban planning, or public policy a plus

Compensation

This is a full-time position with retirement, health, vision, and dental benefits. Salary and title are commensurate with skills and experience in a range from $62,000 to $65,000.

This position is hybrid, consisting of a combination of remote work, in-person meetings and events, as well as 1-2 days per week in RPA’s NYC office in Lower Manhattan. Work may occasionally include evening or weekend meetings.

About RPA

RPA is an urban planning nonprofit, non-partisan organization that conducts planning, research, and advocacy to prepare the NY-NJ-CT metro region for the challenges of the next generation. These include major infrastructure, urban planning, housing, environment, and climate policies and investments.

RPA is a workplace that values diversity. Employment and promotional opportunities are equal opportunity without regard to race, color, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability or any other protected characteristic as established by law.