Development Associate

MISSION/VISION Healthcare Alternative Systems (HAS) provides a continuum of multicultural and bilingual (English/Spanish) behavioral care and social services that empower individuals, families, and communities. The agency envisions a world where affordable, barrier-free, and comprehensive behavioral health and supportive services are available to all who need them. With 11 locations across the Chicagoland area, HAS provides services and resources to individuals at every stage in their behavioral/recovery journey.

Essential Functions:

The Development Associate, reporting to the VP of Advancement & Strategy, provides comprehensive support across HAS’ fundraising operations—including donor relations, gift processing and acknowledgment, grants administration, and development communications. This role ensures that the data, systems, and donor touchpoints that underpin fundraising are accurate, timely, and well-organized, and plays a key part in advancing both public and private funding by keeping the development function running smoothly and delivering reliable weekly outputs.

The Development Associate role is ideal for a detail-oriented, highly organized professional with strong writing and relationship-building skills who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is eager to help build the infrastructure of the Development Department. This role requires urgency, follow-through, and comfort working against firm deadlines, and is best suited for someone who enjoys juggling varied responsibilities, moving quickly, working as an efficient and dynamic team member, and being accountable for results.

Development Associate Responsibilities:

Donor Relations & Database Management Process incoming gifts and pledges, and prepare timely, accurate acknowledgment letters and tax receipts.

Maintain accurate donor and gift records in the development database (CRM), including data entry, updates, and regular clean-up.

Track donor touchpoints, deadlines, and follow-up tasks to ensure timely and accurate stewardship.

Support donor stewardship by coordinating thank-you communications, impact updates, and recognition activities.

Generate fundraising reports, gift summaries, and constituent lists for appeals, mailings, and leadership review.

Help maintain organized records, files, and systems that keep the development function running smoothly.

Assist with prospect research on individuals, foundations, and corporate funders aligned with HAS’ mission.

Grants & Funder Support Support the full grant lifecycle by drafting and editing sections of proposals, concept notes, letters of inquiry, and supporting documentation.

Help prepare and submit grant reports, track reporting deadlines and funder requirements, and support strong funder relationships.

Maintain a library of boilerplate text, budgets, attachments, and narratives (e.g., mission, theory of change, program descriptions) for use in proposals and reports.

Events, Communications & Development Provide logistical and administrative support for fundraising events, donor meetings, and campaigns.

Assist in drafting and coordinating development communications, including appeals, newsletters, and social media content, in collaboration with the team.

Support annual giving and individual donor campaigns, from list preparation through follow-up.

Coordinate with internal program staff to gather impact data, stories, and photos for donor and funder communications.

Other duties as assigned

Comprehensive Benefits at Healthcare Alternative Systems (HAS)
At HAS, we value our employees and offer a robust benefits package designed to support your health, well-being, and financial security. When you join our team, you’ll receive:

Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)13 Paid Holidays – Enjoy time off to rest and recharge

Comprehensive Health Insurance – Affordable HMO, PPO, and HSA options through Blue Cross Blue Shield Dental & Vision Coverage – Choose from HMO or PPO dental plans and vision coverage through Blue Cross Blue Shield Flexible Spending Account (FSA)- Medical, dependent care and commuter

Retirement Plan – 403(b)
Life & Disability Insurance Education & Training Support - $200 dollars annual

Voluntary…