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 is unique as a pioneering environmental advocacy organization with over 50 years of history fighting for global environmental justice, not just conservation. They combine grassroots activism with policy advocacy to drive systemic change, making them appealing to those who want to work at the intersection of fundraising and tangible environmental impact. Their long-standing reputation and commitment to sustainable reforms create a compelling mission for mission-driven fundraisers.

About This Role

This role involves personally managing 100-150 major gift prospects across the West Coast, requiring extensive travel to conduct 36+ face-to-face donor meetings annually to secure significant contributions. It's impactful because you'll directly fuel Friends of the Earth's advocacy campaigns by building relationships that translate into major gifts supporting their environmental justice work, with clear metrics tied to annual revenue goals.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve morning portfolio review and strategy planning for 5-10 priority donors, followed by virtual meetings with West Coast prospects to cultivate relationships, and afternoon work on personalized proposals or travel planning for upcoming in-person solicitations. You'd regularly collaborate with the Director of Philanthropy on strategy and spend significant time documenting donor interactions in the CRM system to track progress toward annual goals.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Friends of the Earth Is Looking For

  • Has 4+ years in environmental or social justice fundraising with 3+ years specifically managing major donor portfolios of 100+ prospects
  • Is comfortable with 30% travel across Western/Southwestern U.S. and can demonstrate experience with regional donor cultivation
  • Can showcase specific examples of developing personalized cultivation strategies that led to secured major gifts
  • Is proficient with CRM systems (like Salesforce or Raiser's Edge) and can analyze portfolio metrics to drive strategy

📝 Tips for Applying to Friends of the Earth

1

Quantify your major gifts experience: specify portfolio size, average gift amounts, and travel percentage in your resume

2

Highlight any West Coast/Southwest regional fundraising experience or donor networks in your application materials

3

Demonstrate knowledge of Friends of the Earth's specific campaigns (like plastic pollution or climate justice) in your cover letter

4

Include a brief example of how you developed a personalized cultivation strategy for a major donor in a previous role

5

Show you understand the 30% travel requirement by mentioning your flexibility and experience with donor travel logistics

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your specific experience managing 100+ donor portfolios and securing major gifts through face-to-face solicitations', "How your fundraising philosophy aligns with Friends of the Earth's environmental justice mission and 50+ year history", 'Examples of collaborating with leadership to develop and execute major gifts strategies that met revenue goals', 'Your ability to travel throughout the West/Southwest regions and manage donor relationships across distances']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Friends of the Earth's current major campaigns and recent victories in environmental justice
  • → Their organizational structure and leadership team, particularly the philanthropy department
  • → Their donor recognition programs and major gift funding priorities
  • → Environmental funding landscape in the West Coast region and key philanthropic trends
Visit Friends of the Earth's Website →

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Describe your process for developing personalized cultivation strategies for 100+ major gift prospects
2 How would you approach building relationships with West Coast environmental donors who may be new to Friends of the Earth?
3 Walk us through a successful major gift solicitation you conducted face-to-face, including preparation and follow-up
4 How do you use CRM systems to track portfolio metrics and inform your fundraising strategy?
5 What experience do you have collaborating with a Director of Philanthropy to set and achieve major gifts revenue goals?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Applying without addressing the 30% travel requirement or West Coast regional focus
  • Using generic environmental fundraising examples instead of mission-aligned experience
  • Failing to demonstrate specific major gifts experience with portfolios of 100+ donors

📅 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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