Entry Level Donor Database Manager Jobs in Chicago, IL

Position Type:
Support Staff
Date Posted:
7/23/2026
Location:
Administration Center
Title: Donor Engagement Coordinator
Reports to: Executive Director, Naperville Education Foundation
Position Summary:
The Donor Engagement Coordinator supports the Naperville Education Foundation's fundraising and donor relations efforts by coordinating donor stewardship activities, maintaining donor records and reporting systems, assisting with fundraising initiatives and events, and supporting grant administration. This role ensures that donors and funders experience meaningful engagement through timely communication, accurate recordkeeping, thoughtful recognition, and effective follow-through. The Donor Engagement Coordinator works closely with the Executive Director, NEF Staff, Board members, volunteers, and community partners to implement fundraising activities that strengthen donor relationships and advance the Foundation's mission. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, relationship focused, organized, and committed to supporting philanthropy and educational opportunities within the Naperville 203 community.
Key Responsibilities:
Donor Engagement and Stewardship
• Develop and implement personalized donor engagement and stewardship strategies to cultivate, retain, and grow donor relationships.
• Coordinate donor acknowledgments, thank-you calls, handwritten notes, recognition efforts, and impact communications.
• Assist in implementing fundraising and donor engagement strategies designed to meet annual revenue goals.
• Coordinate donor cultivation opportunities, including meetings, events, tours, and stewardship activities.
• Assist in identifying prospective donors and reconnecting with lapsed supporters.
• Support the preparation of donor appeals and solicitation materials.
• Serve as a professional and welcoming representative of the Naperville Education Foundation in interactions with donors, sponsors, volunteers, and community partners.
Donor Database Management and Segmentation
• Maintain accurate, complete, and confidential donor records in the Foundation's database (e.g., Bloomerang)
• Process and record gifts, pledges, sponsorships, and donor interactions in a timely manner
• Develop and maintain donor segmentation lists to support targeted cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts
• Conduct regular database audits to ensure data integrity and consistency
• Manage donor profiles and ensure accuracy of all giving history and engagement dataReporting and Analysis
• Generate routine and ad hoc fundraising reports for the Executive Director, Board of Trustees, and committees.
• Track and report on donations, pledges, fundraising progress, and campaign performance.
• Prepare donor pipeline reports, dashboards, and data summaries to support decision-making.
• Monitor donor retention, campaign outcomes, and fundraising trends.
• Support reconciliation and reporting related to fundraising campaigns, events, and donor activities.
• Assist with grant and funder reporting requirements as needed.Fundraising and Event Support
• Support planning and execution of campaigns, appeals, and donor-focused events, including logistics, registration, donor tracking, communications, and follow-up engagement.
• Manage event registration platforms and other fundraising systems.
• Manage and maintain NEF's website event and fundraising pages, ensuring content is current, accurate, and optimized to support registrations, online giving, sponsorships, and donor engagement.
• Support volunteer and committee engagement in fundraising efforts.
• Conduct prospect research on potential donors, sponsors, and funding partners.
• Represent the Foundation at community and fundraising events as needed.Grants & Organizational Support
• Research and monitor grant opportunities aligned with NEF's mission and priorities.
• Assist in preparing grant applications, letters of inquiry, and supporting documentation.
• Maintain grant calendars, deadlines, and reporting requirements.
• Support preparation of grant reports and funder communications.
• Work collaboratively with the Executive Director, Board, staff, volunteers, committees, and District partners to advance NEF's mission.
• Support special projects and general organizational needs as assigned.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:
• Passion for the Naperville community, public education, and the mission of the Naperville Education Foundation
• 1 3 years of experience in fundraising, donor relations, nonprofit administration, customer relations or related field preferred
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to connect authentically with a wide range of stakeholders
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities
• Collaborative team player with a positive, proactive approach
• Willingness to work occasional evenings or weekends for events
• Self-starter with strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail
• Ability to generate, organize, and interpret fundraising reports and donor data
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• High level of integrity with the ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion with donor and financial information
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and willingness to learn new fundraising and technology platforms
• Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends for event
Hourly Rate: $24.00 up to 15 hours per week
Not eligible for health benefits
Attachment(s):

• NEF Donor Engagement Coordinator Position_2026.pdf