Compensation/Benefits:
- $80,000 - 88,000 annually depending on experience
- Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental and retirement plans.
- Opportunity to make a meaningful impact by contributing to the success of a non-profit organization.
- Collaborative and inclusive work environment that values diversity and professional growth.
Primary Duties:
Executive Leadership & Revenue Strategy
- Partner with the Executive Director and director team to develop and implement organizational strategy, priorities, and plans for sustainable revenue growth.
- Lead a comprehensive development strategy aligned with Cultivate Initiatives' mission, strategic priorities, and long-term financial goals with particular emphasis on growing major-gifts, individual-giving, and unrestricted, flexible funding.
- Establish fundraising goals, revenue targets, performance metrics, and accountability structures; regularly assess progress and adjust strategies to maximize results.
- Diversify and strengthen revenue through individual giving, major gifts, institutional funding, corporate and community partnerships, events, and other philanthropic opportunities.
- Keep the organization's mission, impact, and the needs of the people it serves at the center of fundraising strategy and donor engagement.
- Identify emerging opportunities, risks, and challenges affecting the organization's fundraising and financial sustainability and develop creative, strategic responses.
- Develop and manage a robust portfolio of current and prospective major donors, funders, corporate partners, and other key supporters.
- Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward high-level donors and funders, including identifying prospects, developing relationships, making compelling asks, and securing significant financial commitments.
- Partner with the Executive Director to engage the Board to advance fundraising goals.
- Develop compelling cases for support that clearly communicate Cultivate Initiatives' mission, impact, needs, and vision for the future, inviting in staff & neighbors to center their stories.
- Envision and oversee fundraising activities across individual giving, major gifts, grants, corporate partnerships, events, and other development efforts.
Institutional Funding & Partnerships
- Lead institutional fundraising strategies across foundations, government funding, corporate philanthropy, and other aligned funding sources.
- Identify and pursue funding opportunities that align with organizational priorities and demonstrate potential for sustainable impact.
- Oversee the development of high-quality proposals, reports, funding requests, and other materials that effectively communicate organizational impact and funding needs.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with institutional funders and community partners while collaborating with program and finance leadership to monitor funding commitments, deliverables, and reporting requirements, and compliance.
Donor Relations & Community Engagement
- Serve as a primary ambassador for Cultivate Initiatives, building authentic relationships with donors, funders, community leaders, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and other external stakeholders.
- Develop meaningful opportunities for supporters to understand and experience the impact of Cultivate Initiatives' work.
- Strengthen the Cultivate Initiatives' visibility, reputation, and philanthropic network through community engagement, presentations, and other external activities.
Board & Executive Partnership
- Equip and engage Board members as ambassadors, relationship-builders, and fundraising partners.
- Lead the Development Committee by establishing goals, delegating responsibilities, and supporting volunteers in advancing fundraising priorities.
- Provide the Board with clear and regular updates on fundraising performance, revenue projections, donor relationships, opportunities, and risks.
- Lead or participate in Board and staff committees to advance fundraising and organizational priorities.
Financial Stewardship & Organizational Sustainability
- Partner with the Executive Director and Director of Finance to develop revenue projections, fundraising budgets, and long-term financial sustainability strategies.
- Analyze fundraising performance, revenue trends, donor behavior, and funding pipelines to inform strategy and decision-making.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen revenue diversification, donor retention, fundraising efficiency, and long-term organizational sustainability.
Development Team Leadership & Organizational Culture
- Build a culture of philanthropy in which staff and leadership understand their role in cultivating relationships, communicating impact, and advancing the mission.
- Coach and support development team, establishing clear roles, effective systems, and accountability for fundraising performance and relationship building.
- Collaborate with Human Resources and organizational leadership on hiring, professional development, performance management, and retention within the development function.
- Foster a development culture grounded in authenticity, relationship-building, equity, inclusion, and respect for the dignity and experiences of the people and communities Cultivate Initiatives serves by building connections between neighbors and donors.
Marketing & Communications
- Lead the development and implementation of marketing and communications strategies that strengthen Cultivate Initiatives' visibility, advance its mission, and support fundraising and organizational priorities.
- Oversee messaging, storytelling, and content development across digital platforms, publications, campaigns, and other communications channels to engage donors, community partners, and the broader public.
- Ensure communications consistently reflect Cultivate Initiatives' mission, values, and impact while honoring the dignity, privacy, and lived experiences of neighbors.
- Partner with organizational leadership and program teams to identify and communicate compelling stories, outcomes, and opportunities for community engagement and philanthropic support.
- Guide brand management and messaging to maintain a consistent, authentic organizational identity across internal and external communications.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of marketing and communications efforts and use data and stakeholder feedback to strengthen engagement, reach, and impact.
Preferred Competencies, Skills, & Experience:
- Significant fundraising leadership experience, including demonstrated success in developing and executing strategies that generate substantial philanthropic revenue.
- Proven success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors and/or other high-level philanthropic partners, with the ability to personally build relationships and make significant asks.
- Demonstrated ability to develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy across multiple revenue streams, including individual giving, major gifts, institutional funding, corporate partnerships, and other philanthropic sources.
- Strong understanding of the principles and practices of major-gift fundraising, donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and relationship management.
- Demonstrated success growing revenue, diversifying funding sources, and strengthening long-term financial sustainability.
- Executive-level presence and the ability to inspire confidence, build relationships, influence others, and serve as a compelling ambassador for an organization and its mission.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex organizational work into compelling stories, cases for support, proposals, presentations, and funding requests.
- Strong financial acumen, including the ability to understand budgets, revenue projections, fundraising performance, and the financial implications of development strategies.
- Demonstrated ability to establish and manage meaningful fundraising metrics, analyze data and trends, assess performance, and translate strategy into measurable results.
- Strong strategic and organizational skills, with the ability to balance long-term revenue strategy with the hands-on work required to cultivate relationships and secure funding.
- Proven ability to identify opportunities, anticipate challenges, develop creative solutions, and effectively lead through change and complex situations.
- Highly effective collaborator with strong judgment, emotional intelligence, and the ability to build trust and accountability with donors, Board members, staff, community partners, and organizational leadership.
- Ability to effectively engage and activate Board members, volunteers, and organizational leaders in fundraising and relationship-building.
- Demonstrated ability to build authentic relationships across differences and communicate effectively with individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
- Commitment to equity and inclusion, with the ability to lead fundraising and relationship-building practices that honor the dignity, voice, and lived experiences of the people and communities Cultivate Initiatives serves.
- Commitment to Cultivate Initiatives' mission and the ability to authentically communicate the organization's impact, vision, and value to current and prospective supporters.
Work Conditions and Physical Requirements:
- Work is performed primarily indoors with occasional engagements outside
- Ability to work in environments with varying noise levels, from quiet offices to louder, industrial settings
- Ability to occasionally lift and/or move objects weighing up to 15 pounds
- Work requires the ability to perform repetitive movements of the wrist, hands, or fingers due to continuous use of computer keyboards and other office equipment
- Must be able to work weekends and evenings, when necessary
- Being physically present in the CI offices from 8:30am - 4:30pm, Monday - Friday
- Must be able to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or religious exemption
- Must be able to provide proof of Driver's License
How to apply:
Please submit a cover letter and resume electronically through our website.
The position is open until filled. Applications received by November 5, 2026, will receive priority consideration. If a suitable candidate is found during that screening, later applications will not be considered. Ideally, we hope to have our next Director of Development & Relationships start in early December 2026. We look forward to speaking with you!
