Application Guide

How to Apply for Business Development Associate

at Village Capital

🏢 About Village Capital

Village Capital is a global leader in impact investing, uniquely blending venture capital with social impact by supporting early-stage startups that address economic mobility, environmental sustainability, and access to essential services. With a track record of directly supporting over 2,100 startups across 70 countries and facilitating over $9.6B in funding, the company is at the forefront of reshaping capital flows to be more inclusive and impactful.

About This Role

As a Business Development Associate, you will be the operational backbone of the Development & Innovation team, driving prospect research, lead generation, proposal development, and pipeline management. This role is critical to ensuring Village Capital can continue to back the next generation of impact entrepreneurs by building and sustaining a strong funding pipeline.

💡 A Day in the Life

Your day might start by reviewing a CRM pipeline report to identify follow-ups needed, then diving into prospect research on a foundation aligned with economic mobility. You could draft a proposal outline for a corporate partnership, attend a team stand-up to align on priorities, and end the day by logging new leads and updating opportunity stages in Salesforce.

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🎯 Who Village Capital Is Looking For

  • Proactive and independent researcher who can identify and qualify new funding prospects from diverse sources (foundations, corporations, HNWIs).
  • Strong writer and communicator capable of crafting compelling proposals and managing multiple deadlines simultaneously.
  • Detail-oriented with experience using CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce) to track and manage a pipeline of opportunities.
  • Passionate about impact investing and familiar with the landscape of social enterprise and venture philanthropy.

📝 Tips for Applying to Village Capital

1

Tailor your resume to highlight specific experience in prospect research, lead generation, and proposal writing, especially within impact investing or nonprofit development.

2

In your cover letter, mention your familiarity with Village Capital's portfolio companies or programs (e.g., Vilcap Investments, Abaca) to demonstrate genuine interest.

3

Showcase any experience with CRM management, particularly Salesforce, as pipeline administration is key.

4

Quantify your achievements in previous roles, e.g., 'Generated 50+ qualified leads resulting in $2M in new funding.'

5

Prepare a brief analysis of a potential funding prospect (e.g., a foundation aligned with Village Capital's mission) to demonstrate your research skills.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your ability to independently drive the full business development cycle from research to proposal submission.', "Specific examples of how you've built and managed a pipeline of funding opportunities, including CRM tracking.", "Your passion for impact investing and alignment with Village Capital's mission to democratize capital access.", "Your understanding of the impact startup ecosystem and how your skills can directly contribute to scaling Village Capital's reach."]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Read Village Capital's annual impact report to understand their funding sources and program outcomes.
  • → Explore their portfolio companies on vilcap.com to see the types of startups they support.
  • → Familiarize yourself with the Abaca web app and its role in entrepreneur support.
  • → Review recent news or blog posts about Village Capital's partnerships or funding announcements.
Visit Village Capital's Website →

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Describe your process for researching and qualifying new funding prospects. How do you prioritize leads?
2 How have you used CRM tools to manage a pipeline? Can you walk us through a specific example?
3 Tell us about a time you developed a winning proposal. What was your approach?
4 How do you stay informed about trends in impact investing and philanthropy?
5 Why Village Capital specifically? What do you know about our programs and investment strategy?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn't reference Village Capital's specific programs or impact metrics.
  • Failing to demonstrate direct experience with business development tasks like lead generation or proposal writing.
  • Overlooking the remote, US-based requirement and not addressing how you'll work independently in a distributed team.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Village Capital!

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