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Join to apply for the Director of Fundraising role at VoteAmerica

Location: Remote with occasional travel (for donor meetings, conferences; etc).

Reporting: This role is housed within VoteAmerica and reports directly to the CEO.

Why This Role Is Critical

Consistently low voter turnout is a chronic problem. This is the moment to honestly assess what is and isn't working and to commit to long-term solutions.

This is not just another fundraising role. The Director of Fundraising will play a mission-critical part in strengthening American democracy for the long term. We are excited to hire someone who understands the systemic power of well-funded civic infrastructure, and who is ready to step into a leadership role with bold goals and real national implications.

You'll be expected to roll up your sleeves and take ownership from day one, but we recognize that no one can do everything at once. A crucial aspect of the role is exercising thoughtful judgment to identify what needs to happen first, what can wait, and how to sequence your work based on capacity and impact.

About VoteAmerica

VoteAmerica simplifies political engagement, increases voter turnout, and strengthens American democracy.

We run large-scale voter registration, mobilization, and research campaigns across the country. We've built a best-in-class suite of voter engagement tools. And we're proud to say that our litigation has won key concessions for voters in both Georgia and Kansas.

We have pioneered everything from using P2P text messaging to college media marketing to pre-registration technology in service of voter turnout – because at its core, VoteAmerica is doggedly goal-oriented and tactic-agnostic in its work. We evaluate voter mobilization strategies based on whether or not they produce real results. In turn, our programming is tied to what really works, not necessarily to what funders *think* will work.

You might call us the research and development wing of democracy work; the strategies we pioneer today are the ones that other initiatives and organizations will be adopting in the years to come. See our most recent biannual report here.

Right now is a critical time to invest in the most effective and efficient voter mobilization strategies to preserve and protect American democracy. That's where you come in.

Overview

About the Director of Fundraising Role

Reporting to the CEO, the Director of Fundraising will lead all fundraising initiatives to support VoteAmerica's innovative programs and mission to strengthen American democracy. You'll inherit a strong foundation (deep donor relationships and a national community with untapped major giving potential) and take it to the next level.

This role involves taking over leadership of an existing development program that spans individual giving, major gifts, and some institutional support. You will develop your own major gifts portfolio as well as build the systems, structure, and strategy for cultivating and stewarding mid- to major-tier donors. The CEO will retain a small set of long-standing donor relationships, while you'll lead on building and managing the broader portfolio of major and mid-level donors. You'll collaborate closely on strategy, but own execution across most new high-capacity prospects.

This role will focus primarily on VoteAmerica's 501(c)(3), but also includes fundraising for the work of VoteAmerica Action Fund, a 501(c)(4), in compliance with all pertinent tax and reporting regulations.

Primarily, your work will be focused on funding the following key initiatives:

• Permanent absentee voting (PAV): Nothing increases voter turnout as effectively as receiving a ballot in the mail. PAV boosts participation by over 10 percentage points—and the effect is consistent across age, race, gender, and voting history. Although PAV is available to 46 million voters across 9 states, awareness remains low. VoteAmerica's 501(c)(4) program recruits registered Democrats to enroll in permanent vote-by-mail, while our 501(c)(3) efforts focus on educating and enrolling high-density communities, regardless of party.
• FutureVoter: VoteAmerica embeds pre-registration tools into milestone moments like edtech logins and high school graduations to reach the next generation of voters. With 16.4 million high school students becoming eligible to vote in 2028—and data showing that early voting predicts lifelong participation—our 501(c)(3) initiative focuses on pre-registering 13–17-year-olds at scale.
• Civic technology fund: VoteAmerica's civic tech platform is the most trusted and scalable voter engagement toolset in the country. It powers hundreds of partner organizations and reaches millions of Americans, helping them register to vote, request mail ballots, find polling places, and vote on Election Day. Investing in this platform means advancing the most effective digital infrastructure for civic participation in the U.S.
  
  

We are looking for a leader who thrives in fast-paced, entrepreneurial settings, exercises thoughtful prioritization, and brings bold ideas grounded in strategy. But this role requires more than vision; it demands disciplined execution. We're looking for someone who can structure and run a best-in-class fundraising program with a strong operational backbone.

• You will personally manage a targeted portfolio of high-capacity donors, with strategic collaboration from the CEO and operational support from the Fundraising Associate.
• You will also build a strong operational backbone for the fundraising team: designing systems, goals, and automations (like HubSpot workflows, donor segmentation, and webinar cadences) that enable consistent and scalable donor engagement.
• You will manage the Fundraising Associate and partner closely with the CEO, while collaborating across Partnerships, Communications, and Mobilization to align fundraising with organizational priorities.
  
  

The ideal candidate has at least 6 years of experience leading successful fundraising programs, exceptional communication skills, and thrives in fast-paced, entrepreneurial environments.

Success Metrics

In the first 6 months, success will look like:

• Becoming fluent in VoteAmerica's brand voice, technology stack, and programmatic priorities
• Building strong relationships with the CEO and Fundraising Associate, and integrating smoothly with internal teams and consultants
• Auditing and strengthening the systems that power donor outreach (from HubSpot workflows to segmentation logic and webinar cadences) so we can move faster, personalize better, and scale what works
• Becoming fluent in HubSpot and Windfall to analyze donor data and inform targeted engagement strategies
• Producing early fundraising forecasts and data-informed goals for near- and mid-term growth
• Crafting and beginning to execute segmented stewardship, solicitation, and moves management plans
• Standing up a full-cycle engagement system, onboarding, razor-sharp segmentation, and consistent, meaningful touches, for a key donor segment like first-time or lapsed donors, with support from the team
• Designing a sustainable cadence for donor communications, such as automating “quick bite” emails and launching quarterly webinars or briefings that can scale across segments
• Leading in-person meetings with top prospects and donors, including a personal portfolio of high-capacity donors (with limited travel required)
• Securing early five- and six-figure gifts — you're on the board!
  
  

Current Organization-wide Metrics For Success In 2026 Include

• $11M in total fundraising across entities
• 60-70% donor renewal rate from 2024 and 2025 to 2026
  
  

While this role carries significant ownership, you will not be expected to build everything at once. You'll work with the CEO and Fundraising Associate to prioritize high-impact systems first, and we'll invest in support and tooling to help you succeed.

Compensation: This is a full-time, salaried position ranging from $125,000 to $150,000 annually, based on experience.

Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy and Revenue Growth

• Lead the execution of VoteAmerica's fundraising strategy to fuel the mission, scale what works, and defend American democracy with staying power.
• Design and lead fundraising efforts to grow contributed revenue, with a focus on individual giving.
• Partner closely with VoteAmerica's CEO, Director of Partnerships, Fundraising Associate, and key consultants to cultivate relationships and close gifts.
• Spot what's working (and what's not) across the sector, and recommend smart, testable strategies for growth and experimentation.
• Stay curious, share what you learn, and raise the bar, internally and externally, for what modern, values-aligned fundraising can look like.
  
  

Cultivation and Stewardship

• We've got a promising base of mid-level and major (7 figure) donors. They're ready for sharper segmentation, deeper engagement, and bolder asks.
• Design and deploy thoughtful cultivation and stewardship strategies, powered by smart tools and segmentation, to deepen relationships and grow giving.
• Work closely with the CEO to curate and manage a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects, with the goal of cultivating, soliciting, and closing mid-level and major gifts.
• After analyzing prospect and donor data, chart clear pathways for donor progression from first gift to champion.
• Manage the Fundraising Associate leading our emerging institutional giving program, with your oversight on proposals, relationships, and reporting and your guidance to help grow this stream into a reliable revenue line.
  
  

Operations, Systems, and Internal Communications

• Own the backend: with support from the Fundraising Associate, identify and implement tools and automations that save time, sharpen strategy, and strengthen every donor touchpoint.
• Create fundraising forecasts and projections, and routinely conduct data-driven analyses and reporting on overall performance against goals and objectives.
• Lead, mentor, and inspire direct reports and others on your team. Cultivate a collaborative, transparent, and results-driven culture.
• Serve as a key member of the executive leadership team, directly contributing to organizational strategy, cross-departmental planning, and overall mission advancement.
• Foster strong, collaborative relationships across departments to ensure development work is tightly aligned with organizational priorities.
  
  

Skills And Experience Needed

• 6+ years of direct leadership experience driving meaningful fundraising success at mission-driven nonprofit organizations, or demonstrated success in a comparable role
• Exceptional writing, storytelling, and communication skills. You've crafted presentations and copy that influence donors and build lasting relationships
• A track record of building and evolving high-performing development programs, both internally (systems, workflows, segmentation) and externally (donor growth and engagement)
• Strong operational instincts and experience standing up fundraising infrastructure, including pipelines, automation, and scalable donor journeys
• A test-and-learn mindset. You use data to guide decisions, aren't precious about pet strategies, and know how to double down on what works
• Working knowledge of platforms and tools like HubSpot, Windfall, etc. (or you can learn fast and make them sing)
• Familiarity with fundraising across both 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations or the curiosity and discipline to get up to speed quickly
• Confident decision-making and strong judgment . You know how to prioritize, sequence, and move high-leverage work forward with limited oversight
• Proven success collaborating across departments to align donor strategy with real-world impact
• Managerial experience and a strong sense of responsibility to support and grow fundraising talent
• Genuine passion for democratic ideals and increasing voter participation. You believe this work matters, and it shows
  
  

To be successful in this role, the following will resonate with you:

• Fundraising tends to be cyclical, often synched with electoral calendars, but the work in between the “big moments” is equally (or even more) critical for long-term sustainability and success.
• Building strong donor connections is about building a relationship grounded in shared values and an aspirational vision of what is possible.
• A significant gift can emerge from any part of a supporter list or community, and therefore no prospect or donor should ever feel disconnected, or experience a period of non-communication.
• You are a builder 一 someone who creates thoughtful systems and processes along with the ability and mindset to adapt and rebuild them as the work evolves.
• You are well-organized, proactive, persistent, collaborative, and excited to tackle a broad range of projects. You get joy out of optimizing your time.
  
  

You will be most successful as part of VoteAmerica's team if the following is true:

• You value being part of a team of people who ask themselves every single day: What can we do, today, to ensure that US Democracy not only survives, but thrives, over the decades to come?
• Most of VoteAmerica's Principles and Values resonate with you.
• You have a track record of successfully working and building trust across lines of personal difference in service to shared goals.
• You are humble enough to both give and receive clear, specific feedback as a gift, and you are curious about other points of view.
• As a member of a small team, you not only look for solutions to problems, you look for the simplest solution. You prefer to avoid creating unnecessary complexity.
• You are comfortable taking responsibility for moving your work product forward. You like to develop your own work plan and personal deliverables. However, you also have good instincts for when to lean on your own initiative and when to ask for guidance, input, help, or validation from your team.
• You aren't afraid to question “how the work has always been done.” You believe we can't deliver a better future if we simply repeat strategies that worked in the past.
• You recognize that mistakes are an integral part of constantly improving (both personally, and as an organization).
  
  

We know there are awesome candidates who may not check every single box listed above, or who are competent in ways we haven't thought of that could be key to the success of this position. If that's you, please don't hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.

Some Of The Benefits Of Working At VoteAmerica

• Family friendly policies: We have flexible work hours, so if you need to take 3-5pm off every day for after school snacks and homework time, that's fine. We'll also cover childcare and pet care expenses that you incur if we require you to travel.
• Delightful colleagues: We are a smart, fun, passionate and dedicated group of activists just wanting to make a meaningful positive impact.
• Short commute: We all work from home and it is just the best.
• Excellent medical coverage: Full health, dental, and vision for employees and generous employer subsidies for your dependent children.
• Generous time off: 30 days of flexible paid time off per year. We don't close for standard holidays — instead, full-time employees accrue 6 weeks (240 hours) of paid time off annually, which you can use however and whenever you choose.
• Retirement plans: We offer a regular 401k and a Roth 401k because we want you to retire one day, preferably after decades of working at VoteAmerica.
  
  

How To Apply

• Submit your resume that demonstrates your interest and skills.
  
  

Applications are processed on a rolling basis, and we will accept them until the role is filled. We are, however, looking to fill this role ASAP, so you should apply as soon as you can.

VoteAmerica is an equal opportunity employer. This means that we don't discriminate against people because of their race, ethnicity, sex, age, religion, national origin, marital status, pregnancy, personal appearance, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, matriculation, genetic information, or political affiliation.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Director

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  Full-time

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