Director of Development

Heart of the City is seeking a highly motivated individual to design, implement, and lead a comprehensive fundraising strategy that increases and diversifies our funding sources, including individual giving, corporate sponsor ships, major donors, foundation and corporate grants, and special events. Reporting to and closely working with the Executive Director, the Director of Development will cultivate meaningful relationships, help to establish new partnerships, and build a culture of philanthropy within our organization and throughout Lake County that recognizes Heart of the City as the charity of choice for our community.

This role is ideal for a seasoned development professional who is passionate about youth development and social impact and skilled at building sustainable funding streams.

• Develop and lead the organization’s annual fundraising plan with clear goals, benchmarks, and strategies.
• Lead efforts to increase fundraising revenue by 15-20% annually through all giving streams, in collaboration with the Executive Director and Board.
• Grow and diversify funding streams, including individual donors, corporate sponsor ships, grants, and events.
• Create and manage a donor stewardship program that ensures regular and meaningful engagement.

• Cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors and prospects.
• Oversee donor recognition, retention, and appreciation efforts.
• Research prospective foundation and corporate grant opportunities.
• Write and submit compelling grant proposals and reports in partnership with program and finance staff.
• Maintain a grants calendar and track deliverables and deadlines.

• Oversee planning and execution of 2-3 large annual fundraising events per year generating over $200K gross combined in collaboration with the Executive Director, Development and Grants Manager, and an Event committee.
• Plan and execute donor appreciation, cultivation events, and giving campaigns in collaboration with the Executive Director and Development and Grants Manager.
• Leverage online platforms and social media for digital fundraising initiatives in collaboration with the Executive Director and Marketing Manager.

• Supervise Development and Grants Manager.
• Collaborate across departments to align fundraising messaging with program impact.
• Work closely with the Executive Director and Board Development Committee to engage the board in fundraising.

• Maintain accurate donor and gift records in the CRM Neon and Event CRM Give Smart.
• Provide regular reports and fundraising dashboards to leadership and the board.
• Analyze fundraising metrics to evaluate performance and adjust strategies accordingly.

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 5–7 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in a leadership role.
• Demonstrated success in securing major gifts, foundation grants, and/or corporate partnerships.
• Strong knowledge of fundraising best practices, donor cultivation, and donor stewardship.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Self-starter with excellent organizational and project management skills.
• Experience with donor databases/CRM systems.