Development & Donor Relations Associate (Hybrid)

Cabrillo; Santa Cruz (CA); Hybrid; USD 45,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plan

Paid vacation

Paid holidays

SIMPLE IRA match

Job summary

Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in Santa Cruz, CA seeks a Development Associate to support fundraising through donor communications, direct mail campaigns, CRM management, and grants support. You will assist the Executive Director and Communications team in advancing giving strategies for the Festival’s mission and programs.

The role is hybrid, with on-site needs and festival-season intensification, requiring collaboration across fundraising, marketing, and operations to steward donors

Qualifications

• Two+ years non-profit development/fundraising experience.
• Familiarity with CRM systems; strong MS Office/Google Workspace skills.
• Experience with donor communications, acknowledgments, and gift processing.
• Interest in arts/culture and commitment to Cabrillo Festival’s mission.

Responsibilities

• Manage donor database maintenance, pledge tracking, and data integrity.
• Coordinate direct mail appeals from drafting to mailing, with cross‑team collaboration.
• Support donor stewardship: calls, cards, perks, and cultivation of mid/major donors.
• Assist with grant research, reporting deadlines, and drafting initial applications.
• Coordinate special events logistics, timelines, and donor outreach.
• Maintain process documentation and support departmental projects.

Skills

Donor communications

CRM management

Fundraising

Donor stewardship

Event coordination

Tools

CRM systems

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Job description

Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in Santa Cruz, CA seeks a Development Associate to support fundraising through donor communications, direct mail campaigns, CRM management, and grants support. You will assist the Executive Director and Communications team in advancing giving strategies for the Festival’s mission and programs.

The role is hybrid, with on-site needs and festival-season intensification, requiring collaboration across fundraising, marketing, and operations to steward donors