Application Guide

How to Apply for West Coast Major Gift Officer

at Friends of the Earth

🏢 About Friends of the Earth

Friends of the Earth has been a pioneering force in environmental advocacy for over 50 years, uniquely blending grassroots activism with policy expertise to drive systemic change. Working here means joining an organization with deep historical impact on environmental justice and sustainability reforms, where your fundraising directly supports campaigns that challenge corporate power and protect vulnerable communities worldwide.

About This Role

As the West Coast Major Gift Officer, you'll be responsible for building and managing relationships with 100-150 high-capacity donors across the West and Southwest regions, securing major gifts through personalized strategies and face-to-face meetings. This role is impactful because your success directly fuels Friends of the Earth's campaigns for environmental justice, translating donor relationships into tangible resources for fighting climate change, protecting biodiversity, and advancing sustainable policies.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve morning virtual meetings with the philanthropy team to coordinate strategies, followed by researching and preparing personalized outreach for West Coast donors in your portfolio. Afternoons could include donor calls or virtual meetings, updating Raiser's Edge with engagement notes and pipeline moves, and drafting proposals for upcoming solicitations, with regular travel blocks scheduled for in-person donor visits across California, Oregon, Washington, or Southwest states.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

Practice questions for this role

🎯 Who Friends of the Earth Is Looking For

  • Has 4+ years of environmental or social justice fundraising experience with proven success in securing 5-6 figure gifts from individual donors
  • Demonstrates specific experience managing a portfolio of 100+ major donors with personalized cultivation strategies and can share metrics on gift growth
  • Is comfortable with 30% travel across the West/Southwest and has experience planning donor trips efficiently across multiple states
  • Has hands-on experience with Raiser's Edge or similar CRM systems for tracking donor pipelines and can speak to specific reporting metrics used

📝 Tips for Applying to Friends of the Earth

1

Quantify your major gifts experience with specific metrics: number of donors managed, average gift size secured, portfolio growth percentages, and meeting-to-gift conversion rates

2

Highlight any West Coast/Southwest regional knowledge or donor networks you've developed that would help you hit the ground running

3

Demonstrate your understanding of environmental justice by referencing specific Friends of the Earth campaigns (like their work on fossil fuels or plastic pollution) in your materials

4

Showcase your Raiser's Edge proficiency with specific examples of how you've used it for donor segmentation, pipeline management, or reporting

5

Include a brief paragraph in your resume or cover letter explaining how your fundraising philosophy aligns with Friends of the Earth's movement-building approach

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your specific experience managing 100+ donor portfolios and securing major gifts through face-to-face solicitations (include dollar amounts if possible)', "How your fundraising approach aligns with Friends of the Earth's mission of environmental justice and systemic change, not just conservation", 'Your ability to balance 36+ annual donor meetings with strategic planning and collaboration with the Director of Philanthropy', "Examples of how you've used CRM systems (especially Raiser's Edge) to track metrics and improve donor engagement strategies"]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Friends of the Earth's current campaigns and victories (particularly their West Coast initiatives on climate, plastics, or corporate accountability)
  • → The organization's specific approach to environmental justice versus traditional conservation (read their 'Justice' section on their website)
  • → Their major donors or foundation partners mentioned in annual reports to understand their funding priorities
  • → Recent news about their policy wins or advocacy efforts to speak knowledgeably about their impact
Visit Friends of the Earth's Website →

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk us through how you would develop cultivation strategies for different types of major donors in an environmental justice organization
2 How would you approach building relationships with West Coast donors who may be new to Friends of the Earth's specific advocacy model?
3 Describe a time you successfully secured a major gift through face-to-face solicitation and how you prepared for that meeting
4 How do you prioritize and manage 100-150 donor relationships while still achieving 36+ meaningful meetings annually?
5 What metrics do you find most valuable for tracking major gifts pipeline development and why?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Using generic environmental language without demonstrating understanding of Friends of the Earth's specific justice-focused approach
  • Focusing only on fundraising metrics without connecting them to mission impact or donor relationship-building
  • Showing discomfort with the 30% travel requirement or lack of experience planning efficient regional donor trips

📅 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 Friends of the Earth!

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