Application Guide
How to Apply for Major Gifts Officer
at iNaturalist
🏢 About iNaturalist
iNaturalist is a unique nonprofit that has built one of the world's largest open biodiversity databases through a passionate community of nature enthusiasts and scientists. Working here means contributing to a mission that connects people to nature and supports conservation efforts globally, with your fundraising directly enabling critical biodiversity research and community engagement.
About This Role
As Major Gifts Officer, you'll cultivate and solicit high-net-worth donors to secure major gifts ($10k+) that fund iNaturalist's conservation and science initiatives. This role is impactful because you'll build lasting relationships with donors who are passionate about nature, directly fueling the organization's growth and ability to scale its mission.
💡 A Day in the Life
Start your day reviewing donor profiles and updating CRM notes from yesterday's outreach. Spend mid-morning on virtual meetings with donors or prospects, followed by crafting personalized proposals or stewardship materials. Afternoons often involve collaborating with the Head of Philanthropy on pipeline strategy, preparing for board meetings, or traveling to in-person donor events.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who iNaturalist Is Looking For
- Proven track record of face-to-face major gift solicitation and closing gifts of $10,000+ annually, ideally in a conservation or science-focused nonprofit.
- Comfortable with CRM systems (Virtuous preferred) and data-driven pipeline management to track donor engagement and revenue forecasting.
- Excellent written and verbal communicator who can craft compelling donor proposals and represent iNaturalist's mission authentically.
- Self-starter who thrives in a remote environment, with ability to travel for donor meetings and events as needed.
📝 Tips for Applying to iNaturalist
Highlight specific major gift closes (amounts and outcomes) from your portfolio, especially any gifts of $10k+ in conservation or science fields.
Mention any experience with Virtuous CRM or similar tools; if you haven't used it, emphasize your adaptability to learn new systems quickly.
Tailor your resume to show measurable impact: include donor retention rates, upgraded gift amounts, and revenue growth from your portfolio.
In your cover letter, connect your personal passion for nature or biodiversity to iNaturalist's mission—this is a mission-driven role.
Research iNaturalist's current campaigns or programs (e.g., City Nature Challenge) and reference them in your application to show genuine interest.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your personal connection to iNaturalist's mission of connecting people to nature and advancing biodiversity science.", "Specific examples of major gift solicitations you've led, especially any that involved scientific or conservation causes.", 'Your experience collaborating with leadership (Executive Director, board) to secure donor meetings and manage follow-up.', 'How your skills in pipeline tracking and revenue forecasting will help iNaturalist scale its major gifts program sustainably.']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Read iNaturalist's annual report and recent blog posts to understand their funding priorities and impact stories.
- → Explore the iNaturalist platform and community to see how donors' contributions are used (e.g., research papers, conservation projects).
- → Check out their recent news about the City Nature Challenge or partnerships with organizations like National Geographic.
- → Understand the competitive landscape of conservation nonprofits to position iNaturalist's unique value to donors.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn't mention iNaturalist's specific mission or programs—this role requires genuine passion.
- Overlooking the remote-work aspect: failing to demonstrate self-discipline, organization, and communication skills for virtual collaboration.
- Neglecting to quantify your fundraising success—vague statements like 'raised significant funds' are less convincing than specific numbers.
📅 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:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!