Position: Development Officer

Reports to: Executive Director

Receives Work Direction from: Executive Director

Provides Work Direction to: N/A

FLSA: Exempt (Executive)

Date: June, 2026

Position: Full Time

Location: Plainview MN Office/ Hybrid/ Remote

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Position Overview: The Development Officer (DO) position at the Minnesota FFA Foundation plays a vital role in cultivating and strengthening relationships with donors and friends of the foundation. The DO manages a portfolio of 125–150 donors and prospects to secure major gifts that advance the foundation’s strategic priorities. As a proactive advocate for agricultural education/FFA, the DO designs and executes engagement strategies to cultivate, solicit, and steward meaningful relationships. This role is essential to fulfilling’s the Minnesota FFA Foundation’s mission: “to secure strategic partnerships and financial resources that promote and enhance premier leadership, personal growth, and career success for Minnesota youth in agricultural education.”

 

Essential Duties:

• Build and manage a portfolio of 125-150 current and prospective donors through a relationship driven and results-oriented gift cycle strategy.

• Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward prospects for major and planned gifts.

• Engage prospects and donors through personal (face-to-face) visits, virtual meetings, and other personalized communications, meeting monthly and annual goals for contacts, dollars raised, and proposals.

• Serve collaboratively alongside other foundation team members, partnering and encouraging them in this vital work to meet team goals.

 

Other Essential Duties:

• Support and actively participate in key advancement events, including but not limited to: State FFA Convention, donor receptions, donor-centric events. Evening and weekend work will be required.

• Maintain accurate records in the CRM, documenting donor cultivation plans and progress to ensure timely follow-up and provide timely updates on portfolio progress.

• Other duties as assigned.

 

Education & Experience:

• Commitment to the mission, vision, promise, strategic plan, and goals of the Minnesota FFA Foundation.

• A minimum of five years of experience in fundraising, donor development, or advancement is preferred.

• A bachelor's degree is required.

• Ability to clearly articulate the mission and vision of the Minnesota FFA Foundation to external stakeholders.

• Strong interpersonal skills.

• Demonstrated success in gift solicitation.

• Demonstrated success in working independently and collaboratively in a team setting, emphasizing interpersonal skills and engaged listening.

• Ability to communicate clearly and succinctly through various communication methods.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and donor management software.

• Ability and willingness to travel throughout assigned regions.

 

Supplemental Information:

The mission of the Minnesota FFA Foundation is to secure strategic partnerships and financial resources that promote and enhance premier leadership, personal growth, and career success for Minnesota youth in agricultural education.

The vision of the Minnesota FFA Foundation is to engage partners to ensure agricultural education is available in every Minnesota school, enabling students to have access to life-changing programs.

 

The Minnesota FFA Foundation provides support of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resource programs/FFA chapters throughout the state. This support is directed to support the areas of Youth Leadership, Scholarships, Teacher Preparation, and the Minnesota FFA State Convention.

 

Feel free to contact Val Aarsvold, val.aarsvold@mnffafoundation.org with any questions and process for applying. Pay Range: Negotiable based upon experience

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Position Description downloadable here: