Donor Relations Coordinator

Church World Service, Inc.; Elkhart (IN); On-site; USD 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

403 (b) Retirement Plan

Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance

Generous Paid Time Off (18 Paid Days 0

Job summary

Church World Service, Inc. is seeking a Donor Relations Coordinator to grow the philanthropic pipeline by stewarding mid-level donors and coordinating engagement across calls, emails, and handwritten notes.

You will manage a caseload of 400-700 donors, document interactions in the CRM, and work with gift officers to ensure timely, personalized stewardship and impact reporting in a mission-driven, nonprofit environment in Indiana.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 3 years of fundraising, customer relations, or donor stewardship roles.
• Experience with CRM systems, data entry, and tracking donor moves.
• Previous employment and/or volunteer experience with a non-profit or faith-based organization is useful.
• Demonstrated success in managing donor relationships by phone and email.

Responsibilities

• Donor stewardship and thank-you outreach to mid-level donors and high-net-worth supporters.
• Donor cultivation and engagement through calls, emails, and updates.
• Pipeline development and qualification for major gift portfolios.
• Planned giving support and reporting to donors.
• Administration, data management, and moves management in the donor database.
• Participation in strategy meetings and performance reviews.

Skills

Communication skills

Donor relations

CRM experience

Time management

Independent work

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

CRM platforms

Job description

Overview

Church World Service (CWS) is a not-for-profit, faith-based organization transforming communities around the globe through just and sustainable solutions to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster. CWS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, gender identity, genetic information, age, disability, or veteran status in employment or in the provision of services.

The CWS local Offices work with refugees and immigrants to provide services to communities in need. We are a highly motivated, mission-driven team eager to create a welcoming place for all neighbors. CWS is a fun and supportive organization, with competitive salary and benefits.

About CWS

Imagine waking up every morning with the chance to change someone's life. Imagine knowing your efforts will benefit both your career and our neighbors around the world. At CWS, our team knows they are making a difference every day. Whether you're in our U.S.-based offices supporting refugees, asylees or unaccompanied children, implementing hygiene initiatives in Cambodia or rebuilding projects in Central America ... or even connecting remotely from your home on fundraising campaigns, grant reports, or critical communications - you have the opportunity to work towards a world where everyone has food, a voice and a safe place to call home.

Purpose

The Donor Relations Coordinator supports the growth of CWS's philanthropic pipeline by providing personalized stewardship, cultivation, and qualification for mid-level donors (generally $750-$2,999 annually and/or high net worth prospects). This role focuses on timely, meaningful, relationship-centered engagement to accelerate giving, strengthen loyalty, and identify donors ready for major or planned gift portfolios. Primary activities will include telephone, email, videos and written communication with donors daily.

This position serves as a concierge for mid-level donors, executing intentional touchpoints, documenting donor interactions, and collaborating with gift officers to ensure donors experience exceptional care and impact reporting. The role reflects the best practices of mid-level donor engagement, including curiosity about donors, strong communication skills, and an ability to track and manage a high-volume caseload.

The ability to be organized and work with a database will be necessary. This is an opportunity to work with a dynamic group of motivated professionals with a terrific mission and passion.

Responsibilities

Donor Stewardship & Thank You Outreach (approx 700 - 1000 donors)

• Current Donor Calls: Initiate a Getting to Know you/Discovery/Stewardship call with all current mid-level donors.
• Lapsed Donor Calls: Initiate a Getting to Know you/discovery/Stewardship call with all mid-level donors who have not donated in 11+ months.
• Deliver highly personalized calls, emails, and handwritten notes for gifts of $1,000+ and for High Net Worth donors.
• Impact reporting: Send follow up "thinking of you impact stories" 4-8 weeks after a gift, sharing how the donor’s support made a difference (by text or email or video message).
• Coordinate acknowledgement of bequest intention donors and thank families of realized bequests.
• Send holiday cards, birthday cards, seasonal greetings, and other thoughtful personal touches.

Donor Cultivation & Engagement

• Conduct regular outreach to donors for:
  • Giving Day, Giving Tuesday, and renewal campaigns, including upgrade or reactivation asks.
  • Emergency or disaster response opportunities, ensuring donors receive timely invitations to give again, when their interests align with urgent needs.
• Share stories of program impact, current needs, and meaningful updates curated from program staff and communications teams.
• Work with Sustaining Partners Lead on recurring donor prospecting, identifying donors who may be strong candidates to convert into recurring givers.

Pipeline Development & Qualification

• Monitor donor giving patterns to identify:
  • Individuals giving multiple gifts totaling $3,000+ annually for potential mid-level or major gift pipelines.
  • Donors demonstrating high loyalty or high net worth capacity for major gift qualification.
• Conduct qualification calls with high-net-worth donors to assess philanthropic interests, communication preferences, and long-term giving potential.
• Promptly move qualified donors to the appropriate Major Gift Officer

Planned Giving Support

• Follow up with individuals initiating non-cash giving activity in the FreeWill portal, offering stewardship and assistance.
• Execute outreach during Make-A-Will Month and other planned giving campaigns – sharing Smart Giving Guide etc.
• Provide stewardship for existing planned giving donors, including thank-you calls and impact updates.

Administration, Tracking & Data Management

• Maintain accurate, prompt notes and activity tracking in the donor database.
• Document donor preferences, philanthropic interests, personal details, and moves management steps along with documenting all donor interactions.
• Manage a structured caseload of 400-700 mid-level donors, segmented by engagement tier, ensuring each receives a personalized journey.
• Participate in regular strategy meetings, segment reviews, and performance check-ins.

Success Measures

• Timely and personalized stewardship for all assigned donors.
• Increased donor retention and growth in mid-level giving revenue.
• Number of donors qualified and referred to major or planned giving portfolios.
• Completion of all scheduled touchpoints and engagement flows.
• Positive donor feedback and improved donor satisfaction metrics.
• Contribution to strengthening the donor pipeline and advancing CWS's mission.

Qualifications

Qualified candidates will possess the following:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to communicate with a wide variety of individuals from varying backgrounds
• Ability to ask good questions that engage donors and reveal their passions and interests
• Ability to think on your feet in conversations
• Effective organization and time management skills
• Capable of analyzing complex and confidential data
• Aptitude to create and work with spreadsheets
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and shift priorities as necessary to meet deadlines
• Ability to take direction, follow procedures, and ask appropriate questions
• Can work independently as well as collaboratively with the Individual Giving Team
• Ability to handle stress while operating with a sense of urgency and using good judgment
• Ability to convey CWS's mission and stories of impact in an engaging way.
• Curiosity and skill in researching donor backgrounds to inform meaningful engagement.

Special Requirements

Education:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in lieu of degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 3 years of proven experience in fundraising, customer relations, sales, or donor stewardship roles.
• Experience with CRM systems, data entry, and tracking donor moves.
• Previous employment and/or volunteer experience with a non-profit and/or faith-based organization is useful.
• Familiarity with major gift or planned giving concepts.
• Experience with disaster response fundraising or donor engagement during urgent campaigns
• Demonstrated success in managing donor relationships by phone and email.

Benefits

CWS offers a competitive benefits package that includes:

• 403 (b) Retirement Plan
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Generous Paid Time Off (18 Paid Days Off; 24 Days Off after 2 Years)
• 14 Official Holidays
• 12 Sick Days Off (Accrued monthly)
• Life Insurance and AD&D
• Long Term and Short-Term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Health Savings Account
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Internet Reimbursement