The Southern Movement Committee (SMC) is seeking a motivated and mission-aligned Development Associate to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is passionate about racial justice, human rights, and grassroots organizing in the South.

The Development Associate will play a key role in ensuring the sustainability and growth of our work by managing donor relations, writing and tracking grants, coordinating fundraising campaigns, and supporting the planning and execution of fundraising events.

This is a full-time position based in Nashville, Tennessee, with possible monthly travel.

• Manage and grow donor relationships, including individual donor outreach and stewardship

• Research, write, and submit grant proposals and reports in coordination with program staff

• Track grant deadlines and ensure timely submission of reports and renewals

• Coordinate fundraising campaigns across digital and in-person platforms

• Plan and support fundraising events

• Maintain donor databases and fundraising tracking systems

• Support organizational storytelling and fundraising messaging in collaboration with the communications team

• Highly motivated and able to take initiative

• Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills and follow-through

• Passionate about racial justice, human rights, and community-led change

• An excellent communicator — both in writing and in person

• Comfortable managing multiple projects and deadlines

• A collaborative team player who can also work independently

• A proven track record of grassroots fundraising—raising $500,000 or more to support the growth and sustainability of a small, mission-driven organization

• Five or more years of experience in fundraising, grant writing, development, or related nonprofit work

• Strong writing, editing, and communication skills

• Familiarity with donor databases, CRM systems, or fundraising tools is a plus

• Experience in grassroots, movement, or community-based organizations is highly valued

• Ability to use and navigate Google Workspace, Mailchimp, Zoom, donor databases, QuickBooks, Excel, and other office and member management systems

• Base pay ranges from $55,000–$65,000 per year (full-time)

• 10 vacation days per year

• 12 paid holidays

• 14 wellness/sick days

• Paid family leave

• Medical and dental insurance (includes dependents)

• $2,000 for professional development each year