Development Associate

The Healing Place; Wilmington (NC); On-site; USD 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

The Healing Place of New Hanover County is seeking a Development Associate to support fundraising, donor relations, communications, and event support. The role helps build meaningful donor relationships, maintain giving records, and drive development initiatives.

The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, organized, and committed to supporting individuals on their recovery journey. This position offers growth in a mission-focused nonprofit environment with opportunities to contribute across

Qualifications

• Experience in fundraising, grant writing, nonprofit development, communications, or administrative support.
• Strong writing, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• High attention to detail and strong organizational abilities.
• Confidentiality and professionalism with sensitive information.
• Familiarity with donor databases such as DonorPerfect is a plus.
• Ability to multitask and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and basic marketing tools preferred.
• Passion for the mission and values of The Healing Place of New Hanover County.

Responsibilities

• Support donor stewardship and relations, including thank-you letters and updates.
• Maintain donor data, gift entries, and reporting in the donor database.
• Assist with data cleanup, segmentation, and analysis for fundraising campaigns.
• Help execute annual fundraising campaigns and special appeals.
• Assist with grant preparation and research and maintain grants calendar.
• Coordinate event logistics and create event communications.
• Produce content for newsletters, social media, and donor communications.
• Collaborate with program staff to gather impact data and stories for development use.

Skills

Fundraising

Grant writing

Nonprofit development

Communications

Administrative support

Donor databases

Microsoft Office

Attention to detail

Tools

DonorPerfect

Job description

The Development Associate supports the mission of The Healing Place of New Hanover County by assisting with fundraising, donor relations, communications, and event support. This role is essential in helping the organization build meaningful relationships with donors, maintain accurate giving records, and execute development initiatives that strengthen financial sustainability. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, organized, and passionate about supporting individuals on their recovery journey.

Key Responsibilities

Donor Stewardship & Relations

• Support stewardship efforts by preparing thank-you letters, donor updates, and engagement materials.
• Assist with donor recognition, acknowledgments, and maintaining regular communication with supporters.
• Help identify donor interests and track donor interactions to support cultivation efforts.

Database & Administrative Management

• Maintain accurate donor data, gift entries, and reporting within the donor database.
• Ensure timely gift processing and generate monthly development reports.
• Assist with data cleanup, segmentation, and analysis for fundraising campaigns.

Fundraising Support

• Help execute annual fundraising campaigns, including year-end giving, Giving Tuesday, and special appeals.
• Assist with grant preparation and research by gathering program data, success stories, and organizational information.
• Maintaining a grants calendar and organizing/updating grant reports as needed per grant requirements.
• Conduct basic donor or prospect research to support major gift strategy.

Event & Campaign Assistance

• Provide support for fundraising events and community engagement activities.
• Coordinate event logistics such as guest lists, materials, volunteer coordination, and day-of setup and breakdown.
• Assist in creating event-related communications and promotional materials.

Marketing & Communications Support

• Help create content for newsletters, social media, and donor communications.
• Gather client success stories, program highlights, and photos (with appropriate permissions).
• Ensure brand consistency in all messaging and materials.

Collaboration & Mission Support

• Work closely with program staff to gather impact data, stories, and updates for development use.
• Represent The Healing Place of New Hanover County at community events as needed.
• Support other administrative or mission-driven tasks as assigned by the Director of Development.

Qualifications

• Experience in fundraising, grant writing, nonprofit development, communications, or administrative support.
• Strong writing, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• High attention to detail and strong organizational abilities.
• Comfortable handling sensitive information with confidentiality and professionalism.
• Familiarity with donor databases such as DonorPerfect is a plus.
• Ability to multitask and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and basic marketing tools preferred.
• Passion for the mission and values of The Healing Place of New Hanover County.

Work Environment

• Occasional evening or weekend hours required for events and campaign activities.
• Ability to lift up to 20-25 pounds for event setup is helpful.
• Local travel may be required for meetings or community events.

Salary: $45000 - $55000 per year