Development Officer

Liberty Seeds; Santa Barbara (CA); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Young America's Foundation in Santa Barbara, CA is seeking a development officer who will train under Institute for Charitable Giving programs and the director of development to manage a portfolio of major gift donors and move them through the gift cycle.

The role requires traveling, donor-centered communication, and the ability to secure solicitations while ensuring stewardship and timely visit reports; it supports events like Rawhide Circle Retreats and President's Club.

Qualifications

• Commitment to donor-centered fundraising and mission alignment.
• Excellent written and oral communication with donors and volunteers.
• Experience coordinating major gifts and donor cultivation strategies.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of major gift prospects through the gift cycle.
• Develop cultivation strategies including visits, events, and correspondence.
• Move donors toward solicitation and provide timely, high-quality stewardship.
• Make solicitations when appropriate and report progress to the team.
• Ensure visit reports are filed promptly and donor data is documented.
• Support donor events and collaborate with the development team to maximize fundraising impact.

Skills

Donor relationship building

Communication skills

Fundraising experience

Travel willingness

Public speaking

Self-motivation

Team collaboration

Job description

Santa Barbara, California · Posted August 4, 2026

Young America's Foundation (YAF) is committed to ensuring that increasing numbers of young Americans understand and are inspired by the ideas of individual freedom, a strong national defense, free enterprise, and traditional values.

Reports To

Director of the Reagan Ranch Andrew Coffin

Job Summary

The development officer would receive training from the Institute for Charitable Giving programs and by the director of development to perform the duties below.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of primary prospects in all aspects of the gift cycle: -Initiate contact with current and potential major gift donors
• Develop appropriate cultivation strategies (home visits, Ranch visits, correspondence, event participation, etc.)
• Move donors in an appropriate and timely fashion toward solicitation
• Make solicitations when appropriate
• Provide high level of quality stewardship after the gift
• Report the status and progress of an assigned list of supporters
• Ensure that a comprehensive and informative visit report is timely filed for all donor contacts
• Work with the overall development team to ensure supporter events, including Rawhide Circle Retreats, President's Club events, and other supporter events, reach the maximum financial potential for Young America's Foundation
• Provide other members of the Foundation development team with support including research.
• Fulfill supporters' recognition wishes of naming opportunities throughout the organization.

Requirements

• Committed to and enthusiastic about Young America's Foundation's mission and programs
• Self-motivated, resourceful, and flexible
• Ability to create excitement and energy around the Young America's Foundation's programs and encourage others to support the organization
• Ability to understand the needs and interests of donors in order to develop donor centered relationships between the donor and the Foundation
• Persuasive, persistent, and determined in the pursuit of the organization's fundraising goals
• Committed to ongoing education and training in the development field
• Must be willing to travel
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including public speaking
• Preference given to candidates with previous development experience and with history of activity in our programs

Salary range: $60,000 - $75,000