About the Aim Higher Foundation
The Aim Higher Foundation (AHF) provides scholarships to ensure that children from all backgrounds have access to a transformative Catholic education. As an independently operated nonprofit, AHF is supported by individuals and partners who believe deeply in the life-changing power of Catholic schools.
Since its founding in 2012, Aim Higher has awarded more than 19,000 scholarships totaling nearly $18 million to students across the Twin Cities. In the 2025–26 school year alone, approximately 2,900 students are receiving Aim Higher Scholarships — the largest group of scholars in the Foundation’s history — attending every Catholic school serving grades K-8 throughout the metro area.
The Aim Higher Foundation’s core values state that we are “people for others with focus, integrity, and attention to detail.” Team members are committed to putting people first, serving others, earning trust, and staying focused on our mission.
Position Summary
The Advancement Manager reports to the Director of Advancement and plays a vital role in helping the Foundation meet its fundraising goals. The position supports the President and Director of Advancement while overseeing several key fundraising functions. These include overseeing fundraising appeals, donor data management, gift processing, grant coordination, reporting, and stewardship. The position ensures every donor interaction reflects our gratitude, professionalism, and deep respect for the dignity of each person.
The Advancement Manager helps create a seamless, mission-aligned donor experience that empowers the Foundation to grow scholarship support and serve more children and families each year.
This role is ideal for a highly organized, detail-oriented professional who finds purpose in operational excellence and takes pride in supporting a team committed to expanding educational opportunity.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Fundraising Program Support
- Help lead fundraising appeals, including the annual appeal.
- Assist with key advancement initiatives and events
- Develop and manage individual donor communication workflows, including pre- and post-event communications
Database Management, Gift Processing, and Stewardship
- Manage and maintain the donor database to ensure accuracy, integrity, confidentiality, and accessibility of information
- Oversee gift processing, ensuring adherence to gift acceptance policies, IRS guidelines, and nonprofit best practices
- Generate reports, analytics, and donor lists to support events and appeals
- Maintain clear documentation of processes to promote sustainability and continuity
- Manage gift acknowledgments and ensure every donor receives thoughtful, mission-centered stewardship.
Prospect Coordination
- Identify and research new, lapsed, and prospective donors across individual, corporate, and foundation sectors.
- Build and maintain a structured prospect identification pipeline to support fundraising growth.
- Develop donor cultivation strategies and support advancement leadership in moving prospects toward giving.
Grant Coordination
- Manage the grant calendar and pipeline, identifying opportunities and coordinating timely submissions.
- Research, write, and submit grant proposals
- Maintain funder relationships, ensuring accurate reporting and strong stewardship.
Essential Experience & Qualifications
- Deep respect for and commitment to the mission of providing Catholic education access to children from all backgrounds
- 3–5+ years of nonprofit development, advancement operations, or related experience
- Experience working with donor databases or CRM systems
- Strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail
- Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines with professionalism and discretion
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Collaborative mindset and enthusiasm for working within a small, mission-driven team
Preferred qualifications include experience with grant solicitation and management, fundraising dashboards and analytics, and moves management.
Position Details
- This is a full-time, hybrid position based in St. Paul, MN.
- The salary range for this position is $60,000–$70,000 annually, commensurate with experience.
- Benefits include generous PTO upon hiring, medical insurance and, after 12 months of employment, access to a SimpleIRA retirement plan.
Application Instructions
Interested applicants must submit:
1. A resume (no longer than two pages)
2. A cover letter that includes why you are drawn to the mission of the Aim Higher Foundation and a specific example of past experience that has prepared you to succeed in this role.
Please combine your resume and cover letter into a single PDF and submit to careers@aimhigherfoundation.org.
