Application Guide

How to Apply for Chief Financial Officer

at EarthShare

🏢 About EarthShare

EarthShare is a unique nonprofit that has directed over $450 million to environmental causes through innovative programs like donor-advised funds and workplace giving. If you're passionate about leveraging finance to drive environmental philanthropy, this is a rare opportunity to lead the financial strategy of an organization that directly funds a healthier planet.

About This Role

As CFO, you'll architect and oversee the financial systems behind EarthShare's DAF, fiscal sponsorship, and workplace giving programs—ensuring funds are managed responsibly to maximize environmental impact. You'll partner with the CEO and Board to build financial models that enable sustainable growth, making this a high-impact leadership role at the intersection of finance and mission.

💡 A Day in the Life

Your day might start with a virtual check-in with the accounting team to review cash positions and donor fund activity, followed by a strategic planning session with the CEO on a new fiscal sponsorship opportunity. After lunch, you'd analyze fee models for the DAF program and prepare a board deck on liquidity projections, then end the day reviewing internal controls for a new workplace giving partner.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who EarthShare Is Looking For

  • A CPA or MBA with 10+ years of progressive financial leadership, including senior-level experience in a nonprofit or mission-driven environment.
  • Deep expertise in nonprofit GAAP, fund accounting, Form 990, audits, and internal controls, with specific experience managing donor-advised funds or fiscal sponsorship programs.
  • A strategic partner who can translate financial data into actionable insights for non-finance leaders, and who thrives on building scalable financial infrastructure.
  • Passionate about environmental causes and committed to fiduciary excellence that amplifies philanthropic impact.

📝 Tips for Applying to EarthShare

1

Tailor your resume to highlight nonprofit fund accounting and DAF/fiscal sponsorship experience—use specific dollar amounts and program names.

2

In your cover letter, explicitly connect your financial leadership to environmental outcomes (e.g., 'I managed $X in donor-advised funds that directed Y% to climate initiatives').

3

Research EarthShare's current financial reports (990s, audited statements) and reference a specific challenge or opportunity you could address.

4

Demonstrate remote work readiness: mention tools (e.g., QuickBooks, Salesforce) and your experience leading distributed finance teams.

5

Avoid generic finance language; use terms like 'fund accounting,' 'donor restrictions,' 'liquidity planning,' and 'fee modeling' that align with the job description.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your experience with nonprofit accounting standards (GAAP, ASC 958) and complex fund structures (DAFs, fiscal sponsorship).', 'A concrete example of how you improved financial transparency or decision-support in a prior nonprofit role.', 'Your ability to partner with a CEO and Board on strategic financial planning and risk management.', "Your personal commitment to environmental sustainability and how it aligns with EarthShare's mission."]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Review EarthShare's most recent audited financial statements and Form 990 (available on their website or Guidestar) to understand revenue mix and fund balances.
  • → Read about their DAF and fiscal sponsorship programs—look for case studies or impact reports on their site.
  • → Understand the competitive landscape: other environmental DAF sponsors (e.g., Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable) and how EarthShare differentiates.
  • → Check recent news or press releases about EarthShare's strategic initiatives or new partnerships.
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💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk us through how you would design the financial architecture for a donor-advised fund program, including fee modeling and liquidity planning.
2 Describe a time you managed a complex nonprofit audit or resolved a compliance issue related to donor restrictions.
3 How would you partner with the CEO and COO to develop a financial model that supports responsible scaling?
4 What metrics would you use to measure the financial health of a nonprofit with multiple revenue streams (DAF, workplace giving, grants)?
5 How do you ensure financial transparency and decision-support across a remote organization?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Overemphasizing for-profit CFO experience without clearly connecting it to nonprofit context (e.g., fund accounting, donor restrictions).
  • Failing to demonstrate knowledge of DAFs or fiscal sponsorship—these are central to the role.
  • Being vague about remote work experience or tools; EarthShare is fully remote, so show you can lead 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 EarthShare!

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