CAREERS AT FORGE CITY WORKS

Forge City Works
Job Description: Development Associate (Part-Time, Contract)

Role type: Part-time contractor
Hours: 10–15 hours per week
Pay: $30–$40 per hour
Location: Hybrid (Hartford, CT). Some on-site work required, especially around events.
Reports to: Executive Director

About Forge City Works
Forge City Works serves people in the Hartford community who have barriers to employment by providing job training in the food and hospitality industry to help them achieve sustainable careers. We do this through our training programs and our social enterprises: Fire by Forge Restaurant, Fire by Forge Catering, and The Grocery on Broad.

Position summary
The Development Associate supports donor stewardship, donor communications, and event logistics. This role keeps our donor CRM, Bloomerang, accurate and up to date, ensures donors receive timely thank-yous and follow up, and helps plan and execute two key fundraising events in coordination with the Executive Director and other staff.

Primary responsibilities

1. Donor database management (Bloomerang)

• Enter gifts and maintain accurate donor records, including notes, interactions, and contact information
• Clean and organize data: duplicates, missing fields, address updates, communication preferences
• Build and manage lists, segments, and basic reports for fundraising and stewardship
• Support mail merges and exports for letters, appeals, and invitations
• Maintain consistent naming conventions and documentation for processes and templates

1. Donor thank-yous and stewardship communications

• Draft and send donor acknowledgements (email and print) for online gifts, checks, event gifts, and sponsor gifts
• Maintain a regular cadence of stewardship touchpoints, coordinated with the Executive Director
• Draft donor-facing emails, letters, and short impact updates using Forge City Works voice and tone
• Maintain and improve templates and standard language for donor communications
• Track thank-you completion and follow-up tasks in Bloomerang

1. Event planning support (with other staff)
   Farm to Forge (signature annual event, typically September)

• Support planning timelines, task lists, program compilation, and meeting notes
• Manage invitation lists, RSVP tracking, guest seating inputs, and post-event follow up in Bloomerang. Produce name tags
• Support sponsor tracking and fulfillment (logos, recognition lists, table assignments, thank-yous)
• Assist with event communications: save-the-date, invitations, confirmations, reminders, and follow-up
• Provide on-site support as needed (including some evening hours)

Spring Alumni Dinner (April 26)

• Support planning, guest list management, invitations/RSVP tracking, and follow-up
• Support donor and alumni communications connected to the event
• Help coordinate on-site logistics with staff leads

1. General development admin support

• Maintain a simple development calendar and recurring tasks (thank-yous, key mailings, event deadlines)
• Support basic donor reporting and summaries for internal use
• Coordinate printing, mailing, and list prep as needed
• Assist with other fundraising communications projects as assigned

Skills and strengths we’re looking for

• Strong attention to detail and follow-through
• Comfort working in a CRM (Bloomerang preferred, but not required)
• Strong writing skills that fit donor communications: clear, warm, direct
• Good judgment handling confidential donor information
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and keep projects moving
• Comfortable working independently with regular check-ins and clear priorities
• Basic proficiency in Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Gmail)
• Prefer event management experience

Work expectations

• Flexible schedule within a consistent weekly rhythm
• Quick turnaround needed for donor thank-yous and time-sensitive donor communications
• Hybrid role with some on-site work required, especially during event weeks
• Occasional evening or weekend hours during event build-up and event execution

Compensation and contract details

• $30–$40/hour, depending on experience
• Contractor role (1099)

Apply

Please express interest with a resume and cover note to Luz Conde, HR Manager, at luz@forgecityworks.org.