Vice President of Development

Vice President of Development

Project Access Inc. Orange, California, United States

Project Access is transforming lives in affordable housing communities across America. With over 120 Resource Centers in 17 states and a team of 145+ dedicated professionals, we connect, engage, and empower more than 27,000 children, families, and seniors each year through four key initiatives:

• Economic Stability – Building pathways to financial independence
• Education for Youth & Families – Creating opportunities for lifelong learning
• Health & Wellness – Promoting healthy, thriving communities
• Community Building – Fostering connections that strengthen neighborhoods

We're not just providing services - we're creating tangible, life-changing impact in communities nationwide. See our success stories ject-access.org/success-stories.

Project Access is seeking a Vice President of Development to lead the next chapter of growth for our national fundraising operation. Working in close partnership with the CEO & President, the VP of Development will be responsible for achieving ambitious strategic fund development goals as our organization continues to expand, with a $1.8M annual fundraising target spanning corporate giving, grants, individual giving, special events, and campaigns.

This is an opportunity for a self-directed, strategic thinker who thrives operating independently and can move fluidly between big-picture vision and hands-on execution. You'll act as both a doer and a thought leader, driving measurable revenue growth across a diversified funding portfolio that includes an 80% fee-for-service model through developers and 20% traditional fundraising, within a $13M operating model.

In this role, you will lead a focused turnaround and growth strategy, prioritizing:

• Improving national gift opportunities and grant success rates
• Rebuilding momentum in corporate giving
• Reengaging lapsed donors
• Growing and developing the development department
• Reestablishing and strengthening our brand

If you're energized by the challenge of building something bigger, and want your strategic vision to directly shape the future of an organization making a real impact, we'd love to hear from you.

Lead & Develop Our Team

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of four direct reports: the Annual Giving Manager, Director of Community Relations, Director of Marketing and Communications, and Volunteer & Community Partnerships Manager
• In your first 30 days, assess the department's strengths and needs and build a scalable revenue infrastructure
• Foster a culture of accountability, trust, and continuous improvement through regular coaching and clear goal-setting
• Model collaborative leadership by working across departments and building strong partnerships with Operations, Programs, and Finance

Drive Revenue Growth

• Own strategic oversight of all revenue streams — individual gifts, events, foundation and government grants, corporate giving, CRA partnerships, planned giving, bequests, and endowments
• Develop and execute a donor roadmap, including a 90-day revenue recovery plan and a three-year growth strategy with defined milestones
• Segment and reengage lapsed donors, and pursue larger transformational gifts
• Build a major gifts program from the ground up, targeting 15-20 new major donors annually ($5K+ capacity)
• Launch a monthly giving program and reinstate our Planned Giving Program
• Create a donor recognition society with tiered recognition and exclusive cultivation events
• Support Board Give/Get fulfillment and cultivation, lead in-kind contribution strategy, and partner with our technology team to grow PA Connect app licensing and enterprise revenue
• Ensure our CRM and donor database are set up to support our success, and oversee giving history and statistical reporting

Overhaul Grant Strategy

• Shift toward fewer, higher-probability grant applications and build a 6-month grant pipeline
• Develop compelling, funder-specific case statements around affordable housing, digital equity, and resident services
• Prioritize multi-year grant commitments to build sustainable revenue

Rebuild Corporate Giving

• Design a year-round corporate engagement strategy…