Fund Development Associate

Overview

The Development Associate will lead and manage the day-to-day execution of Boston Islamic Seminary’s fundraising and donor engagement efforts. This role will oversee donor relations, community engagement, fundraising events and initiatives, private dinners, khutbah fundraisers, Taraweeh appeals, and digital fundraising campaigns.

The Development Associate will serve as the primary point person for development activities, working closely with BIS leadership, staff, board members, volunteers, Marketing, and external consultants to implement fundraising strategies and achieve revenue goals. While the role will receive support and collaboration from across the organization, the Associate will be responsible for planning, coordinating, managing, tracking, and following through on the majority of BIS fundraising activities.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising & Campaign Management

• Lead the planning, coordination, and execution of BIS’s annual and ongoing fundraising initiatives, including khutbah appeals, Taraweeh/Ramadan campaigns, community appeals, digital campaigns, and other fundraising opportunities.
• Develop campaign workplans, timelines, outreach strategies, materials, and follow-up plans; monitor goals and identify opportunities to increase revenue.
• Partner with Marketing, leadership, board members, faculty, alumni, volunteers, and community members to leverage networks and maximize fundraising opportunities.

Donor Relations & Community Engagement

• Serve as a primary point of contact for current and prospective donors, managing cultivation, solicitation, acknowledgment, stewardship, and ongoing follow-up.
• Build and maintain relationships with donors, masjids, Islamic centers, community organizations, businesses, alumni, faculty, and other partners to strengthen BIS’s fundraising pipeline and community presence.
• Identify and develop new donor, partnership, sponsorship, and community-based fundraising opportunities.

Events & Relationship-Based Fundraising

• Lead the planning and execution of private donor dinners, fundraising events, presentations, donor meetings, and other in-person fundraising activities.
• Manage invitations, guest lists, RSVPs, logistics, donor research, solicitation opportunities, and pre- and post-event cultivation and follow-up.
• Track attendance, donor engagement, commitments, and revenue to strengthen future fundraising efforts.

Development Operations, CRM & Digital Fundraising

• Manage the day-to-day donor CRM and maintain accurate records of donors, prospects, gifts, pledges, interactions, events, campaigns, and stewardship activities.
• Maintain donor lists, segmentation, calendars, reports, workflows, templates, and development procedures; coordinate with Finance on gift tracking and reconciliation.
• Lead digital fundraising efforts in partnership with Marketing, providing fundraising goals, messaging, audiences, timelines, and content requirements while monitoring campaign performance.

Grants, Reporting & Performance

• Research and track foundation, corporate, grant, sponsorship, and other funding opportunities; support applications, reporting, and funder stewardship.
• Track fundraising revenue, donor acquisition and retention, campaign and event performance, prospect pipeline, and other key metrics.
• Prepare regular reports and forecasts for leadership and the Board and use results to recommend improvements to fundraising strategies and activities.

Qualifications

• 2–3 years of experience in fundraising, development, nonprofit administration, community engagement, or a related field.
• Experience managing fundraising campaigns, donor relationships, events, or community-based initiatives.
• Experience using donor databases/CRMs and maintaining accurate constituent records.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organization, project management, follow-through, and attention to detail.
• Strong relationship-building skills and comfort communicating with donors and community leaders.
• Ability to independently manage multiple projects, deadlines, and priorities.
• Comfortable making calls, conducting outreach, coordinating meetings, and directly engaging prospective donors.
• Familiarity with digital fundraising, email marketing, and social media.
• Experience working within a Muslim community or faith-based nonprofit environment strongly preferred.

How to Apply

Review the responsibilities and qualifications before applying. For questions about this role, contact BIS.

About Boston Islamic Seminary

Boston Islamic Seminary provides rigorous, holistic Islamic higher education that prepares exemplary, spiritually grounded, and professional Muslim leaders for compassionate service to communities and society.

BIS is authorized by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education to award the Master in Islamic Religious Leadership.

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