Director of Development

Director of Development

USA, Santa Barbara, CA - Onsite

Preferred

Start Date:

Mid-October 2026, ideally by October 19, 2026

Public education is strongest when schools and communities are connected. The Santa Barbara Education Foundation (SBEF) helps turn community generosity, partnerships, and ideas into meaningful opportunities for students and educators throughout the Santa Barbara Unified School District.

The Director of Development plays a critical role in expanding the philanthropic investment that makes that work possible. By building long-term relationships with individuals, foundations, businesses, and community partners, this position helps create sustainable support for students and educators and strengthens SBEF’s long-term impact in Santa Barbara.

The Santa Barbara Education Foundation strengthens public education by connecting community resources with the needs and opportunities of students and educators throughout the Santa Barbara Unified School District. Through philanthropic investment, partnerships, programs, grants, and community engagement, SBEF helps create opportunities for students and educators that extend beyond what public funding alone can provide.

SBEF is entering an important period of organizational growth and is focused on strengthening its fundraising capacity, measuring impact, developing sustainable community partnerships, and expanding philanthropic investment in Santa Barbara’s public schools.

SBEF is seeking a strategic, relationship-driven Director of Development to lead and grow the Foundation’s fundraising and donor engagement efforts. The Director will build and manage a comprehensive, year-round development program designed to increase philanthropic investment in Santa Barbara’s public schools and strengthen long-term relationships with individuals, foundations, businesses, and community partners.

This is an opportunity to help shape the next chapter of SBEF’s growth by moving beyond primarily event- and campaign-driven fundraising toward a disciplined development program built around donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, retention, and increased giving. The ideal candidate is both strategic and hands-on, energized by building relationships and creating systems that support sustainable fundraising growth.

This is a full-time, exempt position reporting to the Executive Director. The position is based onsite at SBEF’s office in the heart of Santa Barbara, with regular in-person work required for engagement with donors, community partners, Board members, and SBEF events.

• Develop and implement SBEF’s annual fundraising and development plan in partnership with the Executive Director.
• Establish annual fundraising goals, revenue targets, development budget priorities, strategies, timelines, and performance measures.
• Build a diversified fundraising program that includes individual giving, major gifts, corporate partnerships, foundation and institutional grants, annual giving, sponsor ships, planned and legacy giving, and multi-year commitments.
• Develop a multi-year donor pipeline to strengthen the Foundation’s long-term financial sustainability.
• Identify opportunities to increase unrestricted and flexible philanthropic support.
  Regularly evaluate fundraising performance and adjust strategies based on results.
• Provide development reports and dashboards for the Executive Director and Board of Directors.
• Provide regular revenue forecasts and manage the development budget in partnership with the Executive Director, with financial data and controls supported by finance and accounting resources.

• Buil…