The Development Director leads and supports NENSA’s fundraising and development activities, with a primary focus on corporate sponsorships, grant funding, fundraising campaigns, donor engagement, and development operations. This position is responsible for continuing to strengthen and expand NENSA’s sponsorship program, identifying and pursuing grant opportunities, supporting annual fundraising initiatives and events, and maintaining the systems and processes required for effective donor and sponsor stewardship.

Working closely with the Executive Director, staff, Board members, and other organizational partners, the Development Director will cultivate relationships with sponsors, grantors, foundations, donors, and other supporters who share an interest in advancing NENSA’s mission.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

Corporate Sponsorships and Partnerships

• Continue the development and implementation of a comprehensive corporate sponsorship program that recruits new sponsors and deepens engagement with existing supporters.
• Identify and cultivate prospective corporate partners whose interests align with NENSA’s mission, programs, events, and community.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with sponsors through regular communication, stewardship, recognition, and meaningful engagement opportunities.
• Manage sponsor invoicing, payment tracking, benefit fulfillment, recognition, and renewal processes.

Foundation Relations and Grant Management

• Research foundations, grant programs, and other institutional funding opportunities that align with NENSA’s mission and strategic priorities.
• Work closely with the Executive Director to prepare, write, review, and submit grant proposals.
• Prepare timely and accurate grant reports that communicate program accomplishments, outcomes, financial information, and impact.

Donor Cultivation, Stewardship, and Fundraising 

• Collaborate with the Executive Director, staff, Board of Directors, and NENSA’s Resource Development Committee to advance NENSA’s fundraising goals.
• Provide the information and resources needed to support the organization’s success in achieving those goals.
• Help identify opportunities to strengthen donor participation, retention, and engagement.
• Use development data to evaluate performance, identify opportunities, and inform fundraising strategy.
• Coordinate the planning, promotion, and execution of NENSA’s annual auction, including sponsor and donor outreach, item solicitation, acknowledgements, and fulfillment.
• Support fundraising events and other donor- or sponsor-focused activities as needed.

Other

• Represent NENSA professionally in meetings and communications with sponsors, grantors, foundations, donors, and community partners.
• Perform other development-related duties that support NENSA’s mission and organizational priorities.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or commensurate educational and professional experience.
• Experience in nonprofit development and fundraising, corporate sponsorships, foundation relations, grant research and writing, or other relevant and transferable work.
• Demonstrated initiative, excellent organizational, project-management, and time-management skills, strong attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines concurrently.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and research skills.
• Proficiency with standard office (Google, Microsoft suite) and database technology, with the ability to learn and administer CRM and fundraising systems.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a mission-driven organization.
• High degree of accuracy, professionalism, discretion, and attention to detail.
• Adaptability, flexibility, and a collaborative approach to managing changing priorities, contributing across projects, and taking on evolving responsibilities as the organization grows.
• Familiarity with NENSA, its mission, and the communities it serves.

Conditions: This is a remote position that requires the ability to work and communicate regularly and effectively from a home office. Some travel and occasional evening or weekend work may be required for meetings, events, and other organizational activities.

The Development Director is currently a part-time, salaried position at 50% FTE (0.50 FTE), with the potential to evolve into a full-time position as organizational needs, responsibilities, and resources grow. This position reports to the Executive Director.

Benefits include paid vacation, health care and home office stipends, a matching IRA contribution, professional development funding, and reimbursement for approved travel expenses.

To Apply: NENSA is committed to building an inclusive community that reflects a vibrant diversity of backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and ideas. Candidates across all dimensions of identity including age, race, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, ability, and communication style are encouraged to apply.

The start date is negotiable, though NENSA seeks to fill this role as soon as possible. Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest, resume, and three references no later than August 16, 2026 to Heidi Lange, Executive Director via email at heidi@nensa.net.