Go Run Missoula
Fund Development Strategist
Reports to: Executive Director
Location: Missoula, MT (Hybrid)
Status: Full-Time, Exempt
Salary Range: $60,000 - $65,000
About Go Run Missoula
Go Run Missoula is a nonprofit organization that builds confidence, leadership, belonging, and resilience in 3rd–8th grade girls and nonbinary youth through running, fitness, outdoor adventure, and social-emotional learning programs. GRM currently serves more than 300 youth annually across Missoula County through after-school programs, trail running, strength training, leadership development, and inclusive programming for neurodivergent youth.
Position Summary
The Fund Development Strategist leads Go Run Missoula's fundraising and contributed-revenue strategy, including individual giving, donor stewardship, sponsorship development, grants, fundraising campaigns, events, community relationships, and the systems that support this work.
This is both a strategic and hands-on position. We are looking for a highly organized, personable relationship builder who can manage the details of a strong development program while also thinking creatively about what is possible. The Fund Development Strategist will work closely with the Executive Director to translate GRM's big-picture vision into sustainable funding strategies, new projects, partnerships, and measurable results.
We welcome candidates from nonprofit development as well as business development, sales, marketing, entrepreneurship, project management, account management, community engagement, communications, and other fields where they have built relationships, developed new opportunities, met ambitious goals, and moved ideas from concept to execution.
The right person will be a visionary thinker who approaches new ideas with curiosity and an open mind, sees possibilities others may not immediately see, and pairs creativity with strong organization, follow-through, and a commitment to advancing equity and opportunity for girls and women.
Core Areas of Responsibility
1. Fund Development Strategy & Revenue Growth
- Lead implementation of GRM's annual fundraising plan and contributed-revenue goals in partnership with the Executive Director.
- Develop and execute strategies for individual giving, recurring giving, major gifts, sponsorships, fundraising campaigns, grant funding, and fundraising events.
- Identify and pursue new funding opportunities aligned with GRM's strategic goals and long-term vision.
- Research, develop, write, and submit grant proposals, sponsorship proposals, and other funding requests.
- Develop fundraising messaging and campaign strategies that clearly communicate GRM's mission, impact, and investment opportunities.
- Set measurable fundraising goals, track progress, adapt strategies when needed, and follow initiatives through completion.
2. Donor, Sponsor & Community Relationships
- Cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors, recurring donors, major donors, sponsors, foundations, and community supporters.
- Develop thoughtful donor and sponsor engagement strategies that strengthen long-term relationships and increase investment in GRM.
- Coordinate donor recognition, appreciation, impact updates, stewardship outreach, and timely follow-up after gifts, sponsorships, campaigns, and events.
- Partner with the Executive Director on major donor strategy, relationship development, meetings, and solicitation.
- Take the lead on organizing and implementing GRM’s annual fundraising event.
- Build and maintain relationships with local businesses, community organizations, service clubs, schools, wellness and outdoor partners, philanthropic leaders, and other potential supporters.
- Represent GRM at community, networking, and donor events to increase organizational visibility and develop new relationships.
- Identify partnership and sponsorship opportunities that support fundraising, program growth, and organizational awareness.
- Approach relationship development creatively, considering how new connections could grow into financial support, collaborations, sponsorships, events, or other opportunities.
- Strengthen community awareness of GRM's mission, programs, impact, and commitment to equity for girls and women.
3. Systems Management & Fund Development Operations
- Manage and maintain a well-organized donor CRM, currently Bloomerang, including accurate donor records, gift tracking, sponsorship tracking, relationship notes, and campaign reporting.
- Build and maintain systems for donor segmentation, donor pipelines, stewardship tracking, recurring giving, sponsorship renewals, and fundraising reporting.
- Maintain fundraising calendars, grant submission timelines, sponsorship renewal schedules, and donor follow-up workflows.
- Coordinate donor acknowledgments, tax receipts, and other development-related administrative processes.
- Track and analyze fundraising metrics including donor retention, campaign performance, sponsorship revenue, major donor activity, grant results, and recurring donor growth.
- Develop dashboards and reporting tools that help GRM evaluate progress and make informed fundraising decisions.
- Build systems and processes that can grow with GRM and strengthen long-term fundraising sustainability.
4. Vision, Innovation & Project Development
- Work closely with the Executive Director to understand GRM's larger organizational vision and translate big-picture ideas into achievable fundraising strategies, projects, and partnerships.
- Help imagine, develop, and test new fundraising opportunities, campaigns, events, partnerships, and approaches, including new or unconventional ideas.
- Take projects from concept to execution by developing plans, timelines, goals, systems, relationships, budgets, and next steps.
- Balance creative thinking with strong project management to ensure new ideas move forward in an organized and sustainable way.
5. Marketing & Fundraising Collaboration
- Collaborate with GRM's Marketing Coordinator and establish priorities for marketing and communications work that supports fundraising and relationship development, including email campaigns, social media, media relations, and advertising.
- Collaborate with GRM’s Marketing Coordinator to develop donor communications, fundraising campaigns, impact stories, sponsor recognition, event materials, website content, and other fundraising-related communications.
- Ensure fundraising strategy and marketing execution are coordinated while maintaining clear ownership of donor strategy, solicitation, stewardship, grants, sponsorship development, and fundraising goals within the Fund Development Manager role.
Who We’re Looking For
We recognize that excellent candidates may arrive at this work through many different career paths. We are interested in both direct fundraising experience and transferable experience that demonstrates the skills needed to succeed in this role. A strong candidate will bring many of the following:
- Approximately 3+ years of relevant professional experience in nonprofit development, business development, sales, marketing, communications, entrepreneurship, project management, account management, community relations, partnership development, event development, or a related field.
- Demonstrated success building relationships, earning trust, and engaging a wide range of people.
- Experience developing a project, campaign, partnership, initiative, business opportunity, or other idea from concept through execution.
- A track record of setting goals, developing a plan, and following through to achieve measurable results.
- Exceptional organizational and project-management skills, including the ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities while keeping sight of the larger goal.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to communicate ideas in a compelling, clear, and authentic way.
- Confidence initiating conversations, developing new relationships, making a case for support or investment, and following up consistently.
- A creative, entrepreneurial, and visionary mindset with a willingness to explore new or unconventional approaches.
- The ability to see both the vision and the details - dreaming big while building the systems, plans, and relationships necessary to make ideas happen.
- A personable, approachable communication style and genuine interest in building meaningful relationships.
- Comfort working independently, taking initiative, solving problems, and bringing forward new ideas.
- Experience using, or the ability to quickly learn, CRM systems such as Bloomerang and other tools used to organize relationships, projects, and data.
- Alignment with GRM's organizational values and a commitment to advancing equity and opportunity for girls and women.
- Direct experience with every area of fundraising is not required. Candidates with strong transferable skills and a demonstrated ability to learn, build relationships, manage projects, and achieve goals are encouraged to apply.
Requirements
- Must possess, or be willing to obtain, a valid Montana Driver’s License.
- Must maintain an acceptable driving record and have access to reliable transportation for local travel.
- Must successfully complete all required background checks, including criminal and protective services clearances.
- Must be willing to participate in GRM coach training and occasionally support or coach youth programming to build familiarity with GRM’s mission and programs.
- Must be willing to attend GRM Adult Ambassador events and activities as needed.
- Must be available for frequent local travel within the Missoula area and occasional travel outside of Missoula.
- Must have flexibility to attend occasional evening and weekend events as required by the position.
Compensation & Benefits
- Competitive salary of $60,000 - $65,000.
- Flexible and hybrid work schedule.
- Four weeks (20 days) of PTO, 10 holidays, and a work-free birthday.
- SIMPLE IRA with a 3% employer match.
- $500 wellness stipend/month.
- Professional development support.
- Wellness-oriented and mission-driven organizational culture.
Submit resume and cover letter to Angela Bridegam, Executive Director, at [email protected]. Application period closes at 5 pm on September 11, 2026.
Pay: $60,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Missoula, MT 59801
