How to apply for Philanthropy Manager

About Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition

The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition is a small, fully remote team that has spent 37 years advocating for conservation and outdoor recreation funding in Washington State. It champions the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP), which funds parks, trails, wildlife areas, working lands, and shoreline access projects in every legislative district. The organization operates with a collaborative, values-driven approach to legislative advocacy.

About the role

The Philanthropy Manager works with the Executive Director and Board of Directors to set fundraising strategy and carry out the Coalition's fundraising efforts. This includes major gifts, corporate support, events, membership management, virtual campaigns, grant applications, and donor relations. The role also involves event management, donor communications, and presenting the Coalition's mission and membership benefits at conferences and partner organizations.

A typical day

A typical day might involve coordinating with the Executive Director on donor outreach, drafting a grant application, planning a virtual fundraising campaign, or preparing a presentation for a partner organization. You could also be managing event logistics, updating membership records, or communicating with major donors and corporate sponsors. Since the team is fully remote and small, you would likely handle multiple fundraising tasks in a single day.

Who Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition is looking for

• Has a solid understanding of and/or existing connections to Washington State's recreation and conservation industry.
• Has experience managing major gifts, corporate support, events, membership programs, virtual fundraising campaigns, and grant applications.
• Is comfortable working remotely and collaborating closely with an Executive Director and Board of Directors.
• Can present the organization's mission, philanthropy opportunities, and membership benefits at conferences and to partner organizations.

Tips for this application

• Highlight any direct experience with or connections to Washington State's recreation and conservation sector, since the job description specifically calls this out.
• Show concrete examples of managing major gifts, corporate sponsorships, events, membership programs, virtual campaigns, and grants, because the role covers all of these areas.
• Demonstrate familiarity with the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) and the Coalition's 37-year history of legislative advocacy.
• Explain how you have worked remotely and coordinated with an Executive Director and Board of Directors on fundraising strategy.
• Provide examples of presenting an organization's mission and membership benefits to external audiences, such as at conferences or partner organizations.

What to cover in your cover letter

Key points to emphasize: 1) Your specific ties to Washington State's recreation and conservation industry. 2) Your hands-on experience across the full range of fundraising activities listed in the job description, including major gifts, corporate support, events, membership, virtual campaigns, and grants. 3) Your ability to partner with an Executive Director and Board of Directors to set and execute strategy. 4) Your experience presenting an organization's mission and membership benefits to external partners and at conferences.

Research before applying

• Read about the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) and its role in funding parks, trails, wildlife areas, working lands, and shoreline access across Washington State.
• Review the Coalition's 37-year history and current legislative advocacy priorities.
• Look into the Coalition's existing fundraising events, membership program, and donor communications to understand what already exists.
• Check if the Coalition has any recent grant applications or corporate partnerships mentioned publicly.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How would you approach building a major gifts program for a small, remote conservation advocacy organization?
• What experience do you have with the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) or similar legislative funding programs?
• How would you manage and grow membership while also running virtual fundraising campaigns and events?
• Describe how you have worked with an Executive Director and Board of Directors to set fundraising strategy.
• How would you present the Coalition's mission and philanthropy opportunities to recreation and conservation industry partners?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying without showing any connection to or knowledge of Washington State's recreation and conservation industry.
• Focusing only on one fundraising area (e.g., events) when the role requires experience across major gifts, corporate support, membership, virtual campaigns, and grants.
• Ignoring the remote and collaborative nature of the team, or failing to address how you work with an Executive Director and Board of Directors remotely.