350VT Lead Fundraiser

Commitment: Ideally full-time (35 hrs/week); we can discuss part-time if desired 

Location: Based in Vermont required; specific location is flexible  

Pay: $56,547/year salaried for FTE (35 hours/week), or $31.07/hour part-time—this position is at our Program Director level 

Benefits: 7 weeks’ paid time off per year, plus health time; professional development budget; telecommunications stipend; options for vision & dental insurance; health insurance (or health funds) if full-time 

Apply here by Wed. 3/19, 9 a.m.

Timeline: Anticipated start in May 

Questions: Contact Lily: lily@350vt.org 

Role Description

The Lead Fundraiser will lead the work to maintain and grow funding for 350VT’s statewide grassroots climate justice work, collaborating with 350VT’s staff, board, volunteer base, and partners. 

Fundraising will make up the majority of this role. Some key aspects of the role are: 

  • Leading fundraising strategy and planning, in collaboration with staff and board 

  • Managing 350VT’s grassroots fundraising, grant applications, and relationships with donors, foundations, and sponsors, in collaboration with other staff, board, and volunteers to help as appropriate 

  • Collaborating on 350VT’s organizing in ways that support fundraising, especially through relationship-building, such as attending some meetings of our local organizing groups or helping to plan mobilizations 

Depending on skills and interest, helping with communications or managing comms strategy could also be part of the role. 

As a 350VT staff member, the Lead Fundraiser will participate in discussions, meetings, and retreats to contribute to 350VT’s overall health and vision:  

  • Strategy, planning, organizational development retreats, and other activities

  • Regular meetings and collaboration with the whole staff and with board/volunteer teams  

  • Joining and helping with occasional key events throughout the year 

  • Working with the rest of the small staff team to make sure that all organizational needs are met as they emerge 

  • Depending on skills and interest, contributing to facilitating 350VT’s organizational development work could also be part of the role, especially after 6+ months of employment.

We want to acknowledge that fundraising-focused positions are often paid at a higher level. We have chosen to pay all staff at similar rates, to honor that we are all working together on different aspects of one whole, every part of which is essential.

Key Skills & Qualities

Core competencies & orientation to collaboration/shared leadership

  • Shows strength or promise in all the core competencies agreed on for 350VT staff members: collaboration, communication, initiative, accountability, facilitating productive conversations, time management, shared decision-making, organization, justice analysis/practice/commitment, vision for the work 

  • Commitment to deeply collaborative, non-hierarchical work, and to the ongoing, intentional process of continuing to develop systems for shared leadership and accountability 

  • Willing to balance a strong focus on the fundraising role with a strong focus on being a supportive, integrated part of a small, very collaborative team 

Skills & experience 

  • Views fundraising as a form of grassroots organizing 

  • At least 2 - 5 years’ experience and demonstrated success in non-profit fundraising 

  • Likes people; able to connect with a wide range of different people, meet them where they are, and bring many of them along 

  • Able to take leadership on fundraising, bring creativity and/or an entrepreneurial spirit, and appropriately involve coworkers, board members, and volunteers in the work

  • Strong writer and verbal communicator 

  • Understands the power of grassroots organizing; some experience organizing is a plus

  • Comfort using communication/fundraising databases 

Justice

  • Strong intersectional justice analysis; able to apply that in fundraising and organizing 

Alignment with the organization & subject knowledge

  • Embraces 350VT’s mission and values 

  • Has a vision of a just transition and a just, resilient future in Vermont

  • Understanding of basic climate science, root causes of the climate crisis, and what does and doesn’t motivate people to take action on this issue

Other organizational skills/experience

  • Comfort with tech & learning new tech (especially Google suite, Slack, Zoom, communication databases)

  • Able to balance orienting to whole systems with managing many important details

  • A plus but not required:

    • Connections/familiarity with other social justice and environmental organizations in Vermont & the region 

    • Funding connections 

    • Strength with social media, website management, communications strategy

    • Skilled in public speaking, talking with the press

Other qualities

  • Heart-centered 

  • Willing and able to travel around Vermont 

  • Willing and able to work some evenings and weekends

  • Committed to following safe covid protocols 

We encourage BIPOC, LGBTQ+, women, disabled people, and people from other underrepresented communities to apply. Unfortunately, our Burlington-based office is not ADA accessible but we are happy to discuss other accommodations in the interview process.