Application Guide
How to Apply for Senior Development Manager/Development Manager (Title & Level Determined by Experience & Qualifications)
at Children & Nature Network
🏢 About Children & Nature Network
The Children & Nature Network is a global nonprofit dedicated to ensuring every child has access to nature, leading research, advocacy, and community programs that connect kids with the outdoors. Working here means joining a mission-driven team that values collaboration, innovation, and work-life balance, with a fully remote culture that supports flexibility. It's a place where fundraising directly fuels a movement to improve children's health and well-being through nature.
About This Role
This role is the operational backbone of C&NN's fundraising growth, managing donor data in Little Green Light (LGL), leading moves management for major donors, conducting prospect research, and preparing the CDO and CEO for high-level donor conversations. You'll also have opportunities to engage directly with donors and funders, and potentially take on grant writing as the program expands. It's a high-trust position that ensures fundraising runs on robust systems, not just relationships, making a tangible impact on the organization's ability to scale its mission.
💡 A Day in the Life
You might start your day updating donor records in LGL, ensuring recent interactions are logged and action items are assigned. Later, you could conduct prospect research on a new foundation, preparing a briefing memo for the CDO's upcoming meeting. In between, you might coordinate with the development team on moves management strategies or draft a grant proposal if you're taking on that responsibility. The role is a blend of data management, strategic support, and collaborative planning, all in service of growing C&NN's fundraising capacity.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Children & Nature Network Is Looking For
- Experienced in nonprofit development operations or CRM management, with hands-on expertise in Little Green Light (LGL) or similar donor databases.
- Skilled in moves management and prospect research, able to track and strategize donor relationships from identification to stewardship.
- Detail-oriented and systems-minded, with a knack for building efficient processes that reduce reliance on institutional memory.
- Either a career development operations professional who thrives in a support role, or an accomplished development assistant/coordinator ready to step up; grant writing interest is a plus.
📝 Tips for Applying to Children & Nature Network
Highlight specific experience with Little Green Light (LGL) in your resume and cover letter—this is a key requirement and a differentiator.
Demonstrate your understanding of moves management by describing a time you tracked donor relationships and improved donor engagement or retention.
Emphasize your ability to support senior leaders (CDO/CEO) with donor preparation, such as creating briefing materials or conducting prospect research.
Show enthusiasm for the mission of connecting children with nature; mention why this cause resonates with you personally or professionally.
If you have grant writing experience or interest, explicitly state it—this is a growth opportunity within the role and can set you apart.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your proficiency with LGL and how you've used it to maintain data integrity and drive fundraising decisions.", "A concrete example of how you've implemented or improved moves management systems to support major donor relationships.", 'Your ability to work behind the scenes to prepare leadership for donor conversations, including prospect research and briefing preparation.', "Your alignment with C&NN's mission and your excitement about contributing to a growing fundraising program with potential for expanded responsibilities."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Explore the Children & Nature Network's website, especially their research reports, initiatives (like the Green Schoolyards program), and recent news to understand their impact and funding needs.
- → Learn about Little Green Light (LGL) if you're not already familiar—understand its features for moves management, donor tracking, and reporting.
- → Research the backgrounds of the CDO and CEO, as well as the development team, to understand their priorities and leadership style.
- → Look into C&NN's major funders and partners (e.g., foundations, corporate sponsors) to get a sense of the donor landscape you'd be managing.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Focusing only on frontline fundraising experience when this role is primarily operational and support-oriented—highlight your systems and behind-the-scenes skills instead.
- Neglecting to mention LGL or similar CRM experience—this is a core requirement, so not addressing it suggests a lack of attention to detail.
- Being vague about your moves management experience—provide specific examples of how you've tracked donor relationships and contributed to fundraising success.
📅 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!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to Children & Nature Network!