WHAT DOES A DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT DO?

Published: Oct 17, 2024 - The Development Assistant processes daily donations by entering both online and offline contributions into IRAP’s fundraising database and maintains a daily revenue tracker aligned with donor relations strategies. This position ensures robust data entry using Raiser’s Edge and Luminate Online to support donor outreach, generate reports, and manage data quality control. This role assists with administrative tasks, donor research, event coordination, and department reporting, while also generating tax receipts and responding to donor inquiries.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Development Assistant

1. Development Assistant Duties

  • Database Management: Manage and update the organization’s databases and files.
  • Financial Reporting: Prepare, reconcile, and submit expense reports for the department.
  • Grant Research: Research and identify grant opportunities that align with the organization’s mission.
  • Donor Prospecting: Utilize a variety of different websites and resources to search for targeted donor prospects.
  • Mail Coordination: Coordinate mailings and perform mail merges.
  • Meeting Organization: Organize meetings, develop and distribute meeting agendas, record minutes, and create meeting summaries.
  • Calendar Management: Maintain accurate and efficient calendars and schedules.
  • Travel Coordination: Assist with making travel arrangements.
  • CRM Management: Manage data in the CRM database, create reports, and manage logistics for communication projects.
  • Digital Management: Assist with managing the websites, social media accounts, and newsletter.

2. Development Assistant Details

  • Evaluation Support: Support the evaluation process for all departments with tasks that include administration of the online review system, tracking and monitoring evaluation report submissions, creation and generation of evaluation status reports, and preparation and distribution of confidential review materials.
  • Logistics Coordination: Coordinate logistics of in-person and hybrid CLE, DEI, and Professional Development training initiatives, conferences, and workshops.
  • Program Scheduling: Schedule programs, circulate invitations and other communications, track attendance, and help prepare materials.
  • Internal Collaboration: Coordinate and collaborate with internal resources such as conference services, marketing, and technology.
  • Calendar Management: Maintain firm training and DEI calendars.
  • Administrative Support: Provide administrative support for processes such as mid-year, annual, and upward reviews.
  • Compliance Support: Support the PD Coordinator in ensuring attorney compliance with CLE rules and updating the database.
  • Internal Communications: Assist with internal communications.
  • Training Preparation: Help prepare for orientation and other training programs.
  • Project Assistance: Assist with and help plan other tasks, projects, and initiatives.

3. Development Assistant Responsibilities

  • Data Compilation: Compile and organize data from the evaluation process.
  • Exit Interview Tracking: Assist with tracking departures and exit interviews, gathering required demographic data, and analyzing exit and associate experience interview themes.
  • Donor Communication: Communicate with donors to thank them for their support.
  • Customer Service: Provide an excellent level of customer service when responding to written and verbal communication.
  • Donor Research: Research prospective and current individual and foundation donors.
  • CRM Data Entry: Enter donor data into the CRM related to donor interactions.
  • Event Support: Support event planning.
  • Calendar Management: Manage the calendar and scheduling for the Senior Director of Development.
  • Stewardship Management: Manage stewardship for foundation-planned giving donors, assist in stewardship for small and mid-level donors, and experiment with giving clubs.
  • Team Collaboration: Collaborate with the development team, including executives, to ensure effectiveness and provide donors with a superior giving experience.
  • Direct Mail Assistance: Assist with the direct mail program, including sharing lists and coordinating with vendors.

4. Development Assistant Job Summary

  • Donation Processing: Process all donations daily, including entering all donations received online and offline in IRAP’s fundraising database and maintaining a daily revenue tracker according to the Development Department’s personalized donor relations strategy.
  • Data Management: Maintain robust data entry practices using Raiser’s Edge and Luminate Online fundraising and communications databases to support donor cultivation, stewardship, and moves management.
  • Tax Receipt Generation: Generate tax receipts following acknowledgment procedures according to IRS guidelines.
  • Report Generation: Set up and generate advanced queries and reports using Raiser’s Edge for donor outreach, financial reconciliations, and other purposes.
  • Data Quality Control: Manage and implement data entry and data quality control for the Development Department, including ongoing data cleaning.
  • Administrative Support: Provide day-to-day administrative support to the department, including ordering supplies and managing printing and postal mailing.
  • Meeting Coordination: Maintain department-wide meeting processes.
  • Note-Taking: Take notes during webinars and meetings and respond to inquiries from individuals seeking legal assistance from IRAP using template responses.
  • Donor Communication: Respond to inquiries/requests from donors and prospective donors regarding transactional, technical, and other matters, as appropriate.
  • Prospect Research: Conduct prospect research and prepare donor research profiles.
  • Reporting Assistance: Assist with the preparation of department reporting by retrieving data and preparing reports, spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations.
  • Event Coordination: Assist with the coordination and production of fundraising and donor cultivation events.

5. Development Assistant Accountabilities

  • Donor Record Management: Maintain detailed and accurate donor records and gift details in the donor database.
  • Acknowledgment Process: Execute and manage the donor acknowledgment letter process.
  • Report Generation: Pull basic reports out of the donor database for the development team.
  • Event Support: Provide administrative support in event planning and execution.
  • Guest Management: Maintain guest lists and details, managing the guest check-in process.
  • Sponsor Fulfillment: Support in ensuring that sponsor benefits are fulfilled, including but not limited to logo placement where agreed upon, and tickets/tables at WHW events.
  • Auction Item Procurement: Support in securing auction and raffle items.
  • Logistics Coordination: Assist with day-of logistics such as setup/cleanup, monitoring the auction and raffle, and supporting staff and vendors to stay on schedule.
  • Event Tracking: Ensure proper tracking of all event-related records in the donor database.
  • Post-Event Reporting: Complete logistical post-event reports outlining the success of the events and submit them to the Sr. Development Manager.