Application Guide

How to Apply for Development Director

at She Leads Justice

🏢 About She Leads Justice

She Leads Justice is a distinctive antiracist, intersectional feminist nonprofit that uniquely combines direct service, policy advocacy, and community organizing to address systemic injustice in Connecticut. Unlike traditional nonprofits, it explicitly centers women and communities most impacted by oppression while using institutional power to drive statewide systemic change, making it an ideal workplace for mission-driven professionals committed to transformative justice.

About This Role

As Development Director, you'll lead all individual fundraising efforts—from small donor cultivation to major gift stewardship—while managing institutional partnerships and grants to close Connecticut's civil legal justice gap. This role is impactful because you'll directly fuel SLJ's ability to advocate for policies improving women's economic security and organize for statewide change, making you the financial engine behind their intersectional feminist mission.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve analyzing donor data to identify major gift prospects in Connecticut, drafting a grant proposal for a foundation focused on racial and economic justice, and collaborating with program staff to translate their community organizing work into compelling fundraising messages. You'll likely spend time personalizing thank-you notes to donors, updating SLJ's online giving platform, and preparing a report for the Executive Director on monthly sustainer growth.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who She Leads Justice Is Looking For

  • Has 4+ years of nonprofit development experience with proven success in cultivating major donors within social justice, feminist, or antiracist organizations
  • Demonstrates expertise in donor database management and can create compelling, intersectional feminist messaging that resonates with CT-based donors
  • Possesses grant writing and research skills specifically for foundations focused on gender equity, racial justice, or economic security in Connecticut
  • Can energize and lead volunteers, staff, and board members with a vision aligned with SLJ's antiracist, intersectional feminist values

📝 Tips for Applying to She Leads Justice

1

Quantify your fundraising achievements with metrics relevant to social justice nonprofits (e.g., 'increased monthly sustainer donations by X% at a feminist organization')

2

Explicitly mention experience with Connecticut-based foundations or donors in your resume to show local knowledge

3

Tailor your materials to SLJ's specific language—use terms like 'antiracist,' 'intersectional feminist,' and 'centering impacted communities' authentically

4

Highlight any experience with civil legal justice, women's economic security, or policy advocacy fundraising, even if tangential

5

Include a brief statement in your cover letter about why you're specifically drawn to SLJ's Connecticut-focused statewide change model

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your personal alignment with SLJ's antiracist, intersectional feminist mission and how it informs your fundraising philosophy", 'Specific examples of successfully cultivating major donors or writing grants for organizations focused on gender/racial justice', 'Experience managing donor databases and creating fundraising reports that informed organizational strategy', 'Your ability to translate complex programmatic goals about civil legal justice or economic security into compelling donor messages']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → SLJ's specific policy advocacy work on women's economic security in Connecticut—review their website for recent campaigns or legislative priorities
  • → Connecticut's civil legal justice gap and key players in the state's legal aid/nonprofit landscape
  • → Foundations that have previously funded SLJ or similar Connecticut-based gender/racial justice organizations
  • → SLJ's public-facing communications to understand their exact intersectional feminist messaging and tone
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💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you develop a donor cultivation strategy that centers SLJ's antiracist, intersectional feminist values while expanding their monthly sustainer program?
2 Describe your experience researching and securing grants from foundations focused on women's economic security or racial justice in Connecticut
3 How do you approach stewarding major donors who may be new to intersectional feminist frameworks?
4 What metrics would you track to demonstrate the Development Director's impact on SLJ's ability to close the civil legal justice gap?
5 How would you collaborate with the Executive Director to identify engagement activities for donors that reflect SLJ's community-centered approach?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Using generic fundraising language without connecting it to social justice, antiracism, or intersectional feminism
  • Focusing only on national fundraising experience without demonstrating knowledge of Connecticut's philanthropic landscape
  • Presenting donor cultivation as transactional rather than relationship-based and mission-aligned

📅 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 She Leads Justice!

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