Director of Philanthropy

Access Fund is the national advocacy organization that leads and inspires the climbing community toward sustainable access and conservation of the climbing environment. Access Fund represents more than 8 million climbers nationwide in its work to protect and conserve the land, fight for sustainable access, and build a community of inspired advocates.

Access Fund is seeking an experienced, high caliber, strategic fundraising leader who is passionate about our mission and excels at building meaningful, long-term relationships with donors and philanthropic partners. The Philanthropy Director will play a key leadership role in advancing Access Fund’s philanthropic strategy, with primary responsibility for growing and strengthening the organization’s major gifts and planned giving programs.

Reporting to the Deputy Director, Philanthropy, Marketing, & Operations, the Philanthropy Director will develop and execute strategies to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors and prospects across the country. This position will manage a significant portfolio of high-capacity donors while also providing strategic leadership to the broader individual giving program. The Philanthropy Director will work closely with the Executive Director, Deputy Director, Board of Directors, and marketing team to deepen donor engagement, increase philanthropic revenue, and position Access Fund for sustained growth.

The successful candidate will bring strong frontline fundraising experience, strategic thinking, excellent judgment, and the ability to build authentic connections and inspire confidence and action among donors, colleagues, and board members. This is an opportunity for a creative and entrepreneurial fundraising professional to help shape the future of philanthropy at a national conservation organization with a highly engaged community.

Access Fund maintains its national headquarters in Boulder, Colorado. This position is eligible for remote or hybrid work arrangements; however, a preference will be given to candidates within close proximity to a major market with easy access to an airport (Denver, Colorado; Seattle, Washington; and San Francisco Bay Area, CA).

• Lead the strategy, growth, and evolution of Access Fund’s major gifts program, establishing ambitious but achievable annual and long-term revenue goals.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive annual major donor strategy that incorporates prospect identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and retention.
• Manage a personal portfolio of major and prospective donors across the country, building authentic, long-term relationships and soliciting gifts of increasing size and significance.
• Work closely with and support the Executive Director, Deputy Director, and program directors in managing their portfolios of the highest priority major donors, charitable foundations, and other major supporters.
• Serve as a strategic advisor and thought partner to the Deputy Director and Marketing & Membership Director on donor strategy, relationship management, solicitation approaches, philanthropic opportunities, and how to integrate memberships and major gifts.
• Help lead Access Fund’s exploration of potential future capital campaigns, including initiating a feasibility study and, if appropriate, planning and implementing a successful campaign.
• Develop compelling, donor-centered cases for support, proposals, solicitation strategies, and stewardship plans that connect donors to Access Fund’s mission, impact, and vision.
• Identify opportunities to deepen donor engagement through events, climbing experiences, site visits, briefings, and other meaningful points of…