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Donor Relations Associate Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

Development Associate

Washington, DC · On-site

$22 - $25/hr

Nonprofit / Fundraising / Donor Relations Location: Washington, DC (Hybrid) Assignment Type ... Associate to help strengthen team operations and donor relationships. This role supports the ...

Provide direct support to the Director of Development for donor relations, donor touchpoint ... Associate's degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience ...

Provide direct support to the Director of Development for donor relations, donor touchpoint ... Associate's degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience ...

Provide direct support to the Director of Development for donor relations, donor touchpoint ... Associate's degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience ...

Provide direct support to the Director of Development for donor relations, donor touchpoint ... Associates degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience ...

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Donor Relations Associate information

See Reston, VA salary details

$35.9K

$53.4K

$68.1K

How much do donor relations associate jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 13, 2026, the average yearly pay for donor relations associate in Reston, VA is $53,426.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $46,800.00 and $59,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Donor Relations Associate vs Fundraising Coordinator?

AspectDonor Relations AssociateFundraising Coordinator
Primary FocusBuilding and maintaining donor relationshipsPlanning and executing fundraising campaigns
ResponsibilitiesDonor communication, acknowledgment, stewardshipEvent planning, donor outreach, campaign management
Required SkillsCommunication, relationship management, CRM proficiencyOrganizational skills, event planning, communication
Work EnvironmentNonprofit organizations, development departmentsNonprofits, fundraising firms, development teams

While both roles support nonprofit fundraising efforts, the Donor Relations Associate primarily focuses on maintaining strong relationships with existing donors through communication and stewardship. In contrast, the Fundraising Coordinator is more involved in planning and executing fundraising campaigns and events. Both roles require excellent communication skills and familiarity with nonprofit environments, but their core responsibilities differ in scope and focus.

How to get a job in donor relations?

To get a job as a Donor Relations Associate, candidates typically need a bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, communications, or a related field. Relevant skills include strong communication, relationship-building, and organizational abilities, often complemented by experience in fundraising or customer service. Familiarity with donor databases and CRM tools can also improve job prospects.

What does a donor relations associate do?

A donor relations associate helps build relationships between the philanthropy community and worthy causes. In this role, your responsibilities include fundraising and developing strategies to meet financial goals. Duties involve organizing and planning events and identifying potential donors and other opportunities. You may solicit a prospect for a gift or handle administrative tasks such as applying for grants or overseeing promotions and advertising. You assist other team members with press releases, media contacts, and other public relations activities. This job may also involve frequent travel.

What does a donor relations associate do?

A Donor Relations Associate is responsible for maintaining and strengthening relationships with donors to ensure their continued support of an organization. This role typically involves acknowledging donations, organizing donor events, managing donor databases, and communicating updates and impact stories to donors. They work closely with fundraising teams to personalize outreach and ensure donors feel valued. The position is crucial for building long-term donor loyalty and supporting the organization’s financial sustainability.

How does a donor relations associate typically collaborate with other departments within a nonprofit organization?

A Donor Relations Associate works closely with teams such as fundraising, communications, and program staff to ensure effective donor stewardship and engagement. They often coordinate with the fundraising team to track gift acknowledgments and donor recognition efforts, and collaborate with communications to craft personalized messages for donors. Additionally, they may partner with program staff to gather impact stories and updates to share with supporters. This cross-departmental teamwork helps maintain strong relationships with donors and supports the organization's overall mission.

What job categories do people searching Donor Relations Associate jobs in Reston, VA look for?

The top searched job categories for Donor Relations Associate jobs in Reston, VA are:

What cities near Reston, VA are hiring for Donor Relations Associate jobs?

Cities near Reston, VA with the most Donor Relations Associate job openings:

Infographic showing various Donor Relations Associate job openings in Reston, VA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 69% Full Time, 27% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $53,426 per year, or $25.7 per hour.

Prospect Research Associate, Donor Relations

The Heritage Foundation

Washington, DC • On-site

$60K - $70K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 3 days ago


Job description

Title: Prospect Research Associate, Donor Relations
Reports to: Director, Development Strategy
Job Summary:The Prospect Research Associate coordinates prospect research efforts across the Development team and helps manage the constituent data used to determine prospect feasibility. The Associate is responsible for conducting research used to identify and qualify fundraising prospects with the capacity to make major gifts, including individuals, corporations, and foundations. This position also ensures ongoing donor pipeline maintenance and management to and from all levels of giving and monitors prospect pools for opportunities that merit attention from key stakeholders.
As a key member of the Development team, the Associate coordinates with the Development team to ensure constituent data is properly shared and accessed. This position is also responsible for producing and, where appropriate, analyzing and improving reports which monitor both departmental and individual progress toward goals. The ideal candidate must be thorough, detail-oriented, efficient, and committed to delivering a high-quality work product.
Job Duties:
  • Research high net worth donor prospects and gather information regarding philanthropic interests, giving capacity, background, digital behavior and other key components.
  • Prepare biographical profiles and research reports for use by gift officers, Development leadership, and other key leaders and staff involved in major gift fundraising.
  • Maintain a process for the allocation of research responsibilities to ensure accurate profiles.
  • Source prospects by scanning new sources and journals and utilizing software for organizations and individuals who align with strategic priorities.
  • Support the review of gift officer caseloads in coordination with the Assistant Director.
  • Work closely with the Data Services Manager to complete and review all Donor Relations reporting, answer requests from top leadership, and service gift officers and events with research needs.
  • Regularly review and improve the major and principal gift pipeline; participate in pipeline management meetings to review progress toward overall fundraising goals.
  • Undertake pipeline building activities, identifying sources of individual, corporate, and foundation support to match fundraising initiatives.
  • Ensure information on donors and prospects is up-to-date, accurate, and properly documented.
  • Remain current and fully informed on prospect research trends and available resources.
  • Support the Data Services Manager with applicable reports and analysis.

Qualifications:
Education: Bachelor's degree required
Experience: 2+ years of experience in fundraising, prospect research, major gift fundraising, or related field; experience within a development or other fundraising team preferred
Communication: Excellent communication skills and collaborative mindset
Technology: Skilled in Microsoft Office applications, as well as CRM usage or a
willingness to learn; comfortable with computer and query logic preferred; advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel highly preferred
Other Requirements:
  • Understand and support the Heritage mission and vision for America, and the department's goals and objectives.
  • Ability to thoroughly investigate, analyze, and articulate the needs and interests of major gift prospects.
  • Demonstrated record of efficiency and ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
  • Strong organizational and analytical skills.
  • Collaborative mindset and team focused.
  • Comfortable with AI usage, but willing to adhere to strict guidelines for accuracy, data security, organizational safety, and data integrity.
  • Trustworthy with sensitive information.
  • Efficient and able to meet deadlines with short turn-around times.
  • Strong organizational and analytical skills.

Benefits and Salary:
The Heritage Foundation offers a highly competitive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to, best-in-class health care, vision, and dental insurance, employer-sponsored retirement funding, "take what you need" PTO and sick leave, 14 weeks of paid leave for new moms and 6 weeks of paid leave for new dads, among other programs.
The salary range for this role is $60,000 - $70,000 annually. This range is a good-faith estimate, and the final salary offered to a selected candidate depends on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate's experience, education, and other qualifications; internal and external market pay for comparable jobs; and level of hire based on aforementioned qualifications.