Job Description
The Vice President of Philanthropy is a senior leadership role responsible for developing and leading the YMCA's philanthropic strategy, with a primary focus on growing major gifts and planned giving. Reporting to the CEO and serving as a key member of the executive team, the VP of Philanthropy will deepen donor relationships, expand philanthropic support, and build the relationships, systems, and readiness needed to support future strategic and capital priorities.
Working in close partnership with the Director of Development, as a direct report, the Vice President will help create a coordinated approach to annual giving, major gifts, donor stewardship, events, and legacy giving. The Vice President of Philanthropy will personally manage relationships with the YMCA's highest-capacity donors and prospects and serve as a key philanthropic partner to the CEO, Board of Directors, and volunteers.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree or CFRE certification preferred.
- Minimum 7 years of nonprofit fundraising experience, including significant experience in major gifts, donor cultivation, and relationship-based fundraising.
- Demonstrated track record of personally closing five- and six-figure gifts.
- Prior capital campaign experience strongly preferred.
- Experience building or scaling a planned giving program preferred.
- Experience supervising, coaching, or leading development staff strongly preferred.
Essential Functions
Major Gifts Strategy and Donor Leadership - Develop and lead a comprehensive major gifts strategy designed to increase philanthropic support from individuals, families, foundations, corporations and other community partners.
- Build and manage a focused portfolio of major gift prospects and donors.
- Personally cultivate, solicit and steward significant five- and six-figure gifts, managing key donor relationships, and when appropriate, providing the CEO, Board members, and other organizational leaders with the strategy, preparation, and follow-through needed to participate effectively.
- Develop individualized strategies to advance the YMCA's highest-priority donor and prospect relationships.
- Establish consistent prospect management and moves-management practices, including portfolio review, activity tracking, revenue forecasting, and progress reporting.
- Ensure major gift opportunities are grounded in the YMCA's strategic priorities, program impact, financial assistance needs, facility needs, and long-term vision.
Planned & Legacy Giving - Develop and grow a planned and legacy giving program aligned with the YMCA's donor base and long-term philanthropic goals.
- Identify and cultivate donors with the interest and capacity to make bequests, beneficiary designations, gifts of appreciated assets, charitable trusts, and other planned gifts.
- Work with donors and their professional advisors to facilitate planned gifts.
- Integrate planned giving into major donor cultivation, recognition, and long-term stewardship.
Strategic & Capital Priorities - Build the philanthropic relationships, prospect pipeline, internal systems, and volunteer engagement needed to support future strategic and capital priorities.
- Partner with the CEO and Board leadership to identify and cultivate donors whose interests align with the YMCA's long-term vision.
- Contribute fundraising expertise to organizational planning, case development, donor communications, and the identification of compelling philanthropic opportunities.
- Support future campaign planning and implementation in coordination with organizational leadership.
Board & Volunteer Engagement - Help strengthen a culture of philanthropy among the Board of Directors, senior leadership, staff, and key volunteers.
- Equip and support the Board of Directors and volunteers to participate in donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
- Staff the Board's philanthropy/resource development committee and provide regular reporting on fundraising activity, donor engagement, pipeline development, and revenue progress.
- Match Board members and volunteers with appropriate donor and community engagement opportunities based on their relationships, interests, and comfort level.
Team & Organizational Leadership - Provide strategic leadership, supervision, and support to the Director of Development and other development staff, ensuring alignment and coordination across the YMCA's fundraising program.
- Partner with the CEO to prioritize and advance the YMCA's most important donor relationships, providing the strategy, preparation, and follow-through needed for effective engagement.
- Work across departments to translate the YMCA's programs, impact, and funding priorities into compelling philanthropic opportunities.
- Partner with Marketing and Communications to develop donor-facing materials, proposals, cases for support, and stewardship communications.
Fundraising Operations - Develop and manage the philanthropy budget, revenue projections, and progress reporting to the CEO and Board.
- Ensure consistent use of the donor database (CRM) for prospect tracking, relationship management, gift documentation and reporting; establish KPIs for portfolio activity and dollars raised.
- Strengthen fundraising policies and practices related to gift acceptance, acknowledgment, stewardship, donor recognition, and confidentiality.
- Represent the YMCA at community, donor, and public events, effectively communicating its mission, impact, and philanthropic priorities.
Ymca Careers
Similar Positions
VP of PhilanthropyYMCA of Catawba Valley
AVP of DevelopmentCentral Florida YMCA
Director of Development & MembershipYMCA of the University of Illinois
