About Youth on Root (YoR)

Based in California, YoR’s mission is to center low-income youth and youth of color as change agents in their communities by providing tools for learning from each other and opportunities to use their unique power to promote environmental justice. We envision a self-sustaining grassroots movement led by youth who have meaningful opportunities to enact their visions of environmental justice for their communities. YoR believes that youth on the frontlines of environmental harms have the most lived experience and hold the highest impact solutions, therefore making them the ideal leaders of the Environmental Justice Movement. We believe that youth are not the leaders of tomorrow, they are the leaders of today. To learn more, visit YoR’s website.

About the Opportunity

YoR seeks a motivated Development Associate to strengthen and expand its fundraising, community engagement, and donor relationship efforts. This role is essential in building connections with funders, corporate sponsors, and community allies to support our mission of empowering low-income youth of color as leaders in environmental justice. Central to this role is leveraging our grassroots fundraising strategy, Roots to Resources, to drive donor expansion and deepen community partnerships. With a focus on grassroots donor growth and strategic partnership building, this position combines digital outreach with hands-on engagement with local schools, businesses, and individual donors. This is a hybrid role designed to be flexibly remote and field based. Building in-person connections is a crucial element of scaling our fundraising campaigns and is essential to this role.

Candidate Profile:

The ideal candidate will:

Uphold the Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing, the Principles of Environmental Justice, the Principles of the Youth Environmental Justice Movement, and the Youth-to-Youth and Youth-to-Adult Principles of Collaboration in all of YoR’s work
Bring experience working with fundraising in a professional capacity, such as grant/proposal writing, community outreach, database management, communications, event planning, and/or partnerships management.
Lead by example in centering diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in all facets of the work.

We recognize that the job description may not exactly match your qualifications. If you think you may be a good fit for YoR’s mission, we encourage you to apply.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Community Engagement & Strategic Partnerships:

Initiate and manage outreach with funders, community allies, and potential sponsors, fostering meaningful partnerships that align with YoR’s mission.
Organize and attend community events and donor gatherings to showcase our work and build personal connections.
Implement strategies to convert community allies and event attendees into long-term supporters and recurring donors.
Follow existing YoR tracking systems to monitor engagement and communication, enabling the team to maintain productive follow-ups with donors and partners.
Develop tailored communication plans for high-value donors, focusing on individual needs and long-term engagement.
Research and cultivate corporate sponsorships and matching gift opportunities, building relationships with local businesses for potential financial and in-kind support, while ensuring alignment with YoR’s gift acceptance policy.

Grassroots Fundraising Initiatives & Basebuilding:

Scale the “Roots to Resources” campaign, encouraging small and recurring donations through targeted in-person and digital giving campaigns.
Lead basebuilding efforts by coordinating with YoR’s team to streamline outreach and donor communication, ensuring consistent engagement.

In-Person Event-Based Donor Cultivation:

Emphasize personal engagement with key funders and community partners, attending in-person meetings and events across the Bay Area to build trust and lasting relationships.
Plan and participate in donor appreciation events, including roundtables, program site visits, and panel discussions, to foster direct interaction with donors and invite their feedback.
Track donor engagement post-event, utilizing follow-ups and check-ins to maintain relationships and ensure retention.

Preferred Experience:

Passion for YoR’s mission and vision.
1-3 years of experience in development, fundraising, or community outreach roles.
Ability to implement, manage and scale an ongoing individual giving program
Outstanding interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, with a talent for conveying compelling stories.
Comfort with in-person engagement and willingness to travel locally and across California.
Experience with donor management, event coordination, and corporate partnerships preferred.
Familiarity with social media & digital engagement strategies is a plus.
Ability to manage multiple projects with various internal and external stakeholders.
Ability to build and sustain strong relationships with team members, partner organizations, individual donors, and general public audiences.

Youth on Root

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