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Donor Development Manager Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

GRO Community

Grant Development Manager

Chicago, IL · Hybrid

This role will focus on donor cultivation, grant acquisition, strategic fundraising campaigns, and stewardship of supporters. Reporting to the CEO, the Grant Development Manager will collaborate ...

NorthShore

Donor Services Specialist

Evanston, IL · On-site

$22.14 - $33.21/hr

Experience: * 3+ years' experience with Salesforce or other CRM is preferred. * 5+ years' experience working with data in a development shop or consumer or donor centric setting is required, with an ...

Endeavor Health

Donor Services Specialist

Evanston, IL

$22.14 - $33.21/hr

Experience: * 3+ years' experience with Salesforce or other CRM is preferred. * 5+ years' experience working with data in a development shop or consumer or donor centric setting is required, with an ...

GRO Community

Grant Development Manager

Chicago, IL · On-site

This role will focus on donor cultivation, grant acquisition, strategic fundraising campaigns, and stewardship of supporters. Reporting to the CEO, the Grant Development Manager will collaborate ...

GRO Community

Grant Development Manager

Chicago, IL · On-site

This role will focus on donor cultivation, grant acquisition, strategic fundraising campaigns, and stewardship of supporters. Reporting to the CEO, the Grant Development Manager will collaborate ...

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Donor Development Manager information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$34K

$79.8K

$137K

How much do donor development manager jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 28, 2026, the average yearly pay for donor development manager in Chicago, IL is $79,773.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $60,300.00 and $93,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a Donor Development Manager?

A Donor Development Manager is a fundraising professional responsible for building and maintaining relationships with donors to support an organization's mission. They identify potential donors, develop strategies to engage and steward current supporters, and coordinate fundraising campaigns and events. Their work often involves communicating the impact of donations, managing donor databases, and ensuring a positive donor experience. Donor Development Managers play a key role in securing financial resources for nonprofits, charities, or educational institutions.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Donor Development Manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Donor Development Manager, you need a solid background in fundraising, relationship management, and strategic planning, often supported by a degree in nonprofit management, communications, or a related field. Familiarity with donor management software (such as Raiser’s Edge or Salesforce) and experience with CRM systems and fundraising analytics are typically essential. Exceptional interpersonal skills, persuasive communication, and emotional intelligence help in building lasting donor relationships and securing major gifts. These skills are crucial for cultivating donor loyalty, achieving fundraising targets, and advancing organizational missions.

What is the difference between Donor Development Manager vs Fundraising Coordinator?

AspectDonor Development ManagerFundraising Coordinator
CredentialsBachelor's degree, experience in donor relations or fundraisingBachelor's degree, entry-level fundraising experience
Work EnvironmentNonprofit organizations, charities, educational institutionsNonprofits, community organizations, event planning teams
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in organizations focusing on donor relations and major giftsUsed in organizations managing fundraising events and campaigns

The Donor Development Manager typically has more experience and focuses on building relationships with major donors and securing large gifts. The Fundraising Coordinator often handles event planning and campaign support. Both roles are essential in nonprofit fundraising but differ in scope and responsibilities.

What are some common challenges faced by Donor Development Managers in building and maintaining long-term donor relationships?

Donor Development Managers often face the challenge of balancing personalized engagement with a large portfolio of donors, ensuring each donor feels valued while meeting fundraising targets. Another common challenge is adapting communication strategies to suit diverse donor preferences and motivations. Additionally, maintaining accurate records and tracking donor interactions can be demanding, particularly in organizations with limited resources. Overcoming these challenges typically involves effective use of CRM systems, strong collaboration with fundraising and communications teams, and ongoing professional development.
What are popular job titles related to Donor Development Manager jobs in Chicago, IL? For Donor Development Manager jobs in Chicago, IL, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Donor Development Manager jobs in Chicago, IL look for? The top searched job categories for Donor Development Manager jobs in Chicago, IL are:
Donor Development Manager jobs near you

Development Manager

Abercrombie and Kent

Downers Grove, IL • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement

Posted 4 days ago

Job description

Job Description:
Position Summary
Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy is seeking a Development Manager to lead fundraising and donor engagement efforts, including developing donor strategies, cultivating relationships, identifying funding opportunities, and managing the donor CRM system (eTapestry). As AKP's first dedicated fundraising professional, this role will build development processes, establish best practices, and create a sustainable philanthropic program supporting AKP's global conservation, education, health, and community initiatives.
Responsibilities and Accountabilities
Donor Cultivation & Stewardship
  • Develop and manage AKTG's guest engagement and communication strategy that cultivates potential donors to increase guest-to-donor conversion.
  • Ensure timely and meaningful donor communications that strengthen long-term relationships and donor retention.
  • Maintain a list of identified prospects based on giving potential and philanthropic interest.
  • Convert project-visit inquiries into tailored proposals for individual gifts, multi-year commitments, DAF grants, and named project sponsorships.
  • Coordinate personalized stewardship plans recognizing significant donor investments.
  • Partner with AKTG's guest services and travel advisor network to introduce philanthropic giving opportunities earlier in the journey-planning process.

Institutional & Foundation Fundraising
  • Diversify philanthropic revenue across individual, institutional, corporate, and planned giving opportunities.
  • Develop strategic philanthropic partnerships with private foundations and organizations aligned with AKP's mission.
  • Develop and maintain a strategic pipeline of grant opportunities by conducting ongoing prospect research, monitoring funding announcements, and assessing alignment between funder priorities and AKP's programs and strategic objectives.
  • Identify and develop engagement pathways for guests and contacts with corporate or foundation connections, including CSR and incentive-travel partnerships.

Donor Systems & Operations
  • Serve as the organization's administrator of eTapestry, AKP's donor management system tracking cultivation activity, giving history, and lifetime value.
  • Prepare donor proposals and reports, stewardship materials, and quarterly donor newsletters.
  • Support leadership in fundraising engagement and donor cultivation activities.
  • Coordinate with the Global Program Manager and Impact Managers to translate field-level project data into donor-ready cases for support.

Donor Systems & Operations
  • Historically, AKP has not been active in event organization, yet there is strong potential to build on positive guest experiences and craft unique, small gathering events within the scope of this position.

Skills and Abilities
  • Proficiency with donor CRM systems such as eTapestry, Raiser's Edge, Salesforce, or similar platforms.
  • Strong relationship-building, communication, and donor stewardship skills.
  • Ability to create compelling donor proposals, reports, and fundraising materials.
  • Strong organizational skills with the ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities.

Education and Experience
  • Bachelor's degree required, advanced degree in a related field preferred.
  • 5+ years of nonprofit fundraising experience, including major gifts, grants, and/or donor cultivation.
  • Experience developing donor engagement strategies and building fundraising pipelines.

Special Requirements
  • Experience with international development, conservation, or travel philanthropy preferred.
  • Ability to work effectively with global teams across multiple time zones.
  • Comfortable building fundraising infrastructure and processes in a growing organization.
  • Willingness to travel occasionally for project visits, donor meetings, and events.
  • Hybrid position based in A&K USA's Downer Grove, IL office, with an expectation of working onsite at least four days per week.

Salary Range
  • $80,000 - $95,000; position is bonus eligible.

Benefits
A&K offers a large portfolio of competitive benefits to all eligible, full-time employees. Some benefits are provided at no cost to the employee, such as group life insurance, short-term and long-term disability, and travel discounts. Other elective benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance, supplemental life insurance, pre-tax healthcare and dependent FSAs, and a 401(k) plan with a generous company match.
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required by the employee.
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EEO Statement
Abercrombie & Kent is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

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