Application Guide
How to Apply for Vice President of Development
at Let's Get Ready
🏢 About Let's Get Ready
Let’s Get Ready is a mission-driven nonprofit focused on educational equity, helping under-resourced students access and succeed in college. The organization’s commitment to systemic change and its collaborative, entrepreneurial culture make it an inspiring place to work for those passionate about closing the opportunity gap.
About This Role
As Vice President of Development, you will lead the fundraising strategy and operations, directly stewarding major donors and building a diversified revenue base. This role is impactful because your work will directly fuel programs that empower thousands of students to achieve their college dreams.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might start with a virtual check-in with your development team, followed by reviewing donor pipeline reports and preparing for a major donor meeting. Afternoon could involve a strategy session with the CEO on funding priorities, then drafting impact narratives for a grant proposal, ending with a call to a prospective corporate partner.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Let's Get Ready Is Looking For
- A seasoned fundraiser with 8+ years of experience, including leadership in an entrepreneurial nonprofit environment.
- Proven track record of cultivating and closing six- and seven-figure gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations.
- Experience scaling a development function, building high-performing teams, and implementing robust fundraising systems.
- Deep personal commitment to educational equity and alignment with Let’s Get Ready’s mission and values.
📝 Tips for Applying to Let's Get Ready
Tailor your resume to highlight specific dollar amounts and growth percentages from past fundraising campaigns.
In your cover letter, explicitly connect your experience with educational equity to show genuine mission alignment.
Research Let’s Get Ready’s current funding sources and propose one or two ideas for diversifying revenue in your application.
Mention any experience with remote team management, as this role is fully remote.
Include examples of how you’ve mentored or developed junior fundraising staff.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your personal commitment to educational equity and why Let’s Get Ready’s mission resonates with you.', 'Specific examples of major gifts you’ve secured ($100k+) and how you cultivated those relationships.', 'Your experience building or scaling a development function, including team growth and system improvements.', 'Your vision for diversifying funding sources and increasing sustainable revenue for the organization.']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Review Let’s Get Ready’s latest annual report and financials to understand their current revenue mix and funding gaps.
- → Read about their program impact metrics, such as college enrollment and persistence rates for participants.
- → Look into their board members and key partners to identify potential donor connections or networks.
- → Familiarize yourself with the competitive landscape of college access nonprofits to position Let’s Get Ready effectively.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic application without referencing Let’s Get Ready’s specific mission or programs.
- Focusing only on fundraising tactics without showing strategic thinking about long-term revenue sustainability.
- Failing to demonstrate a genuine passion for educational equity—this is core to the role.
📅 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 Let's Get Ready!