An independent non-profit organization, Fight For Children (FFC) (www.fightforchildren.com) focuses on educational and healthcare initiatives to ensure that all children in the nation’s capital have opportunities to learn, grow, and succeed. By combining best practices from the philanthropic and business worlds, FFC serves as a catalyst for positive change. Since its founding in 1990, FFC has raised more than $80 million in private contributions, investing these resources in its own initiatives, as well as providing direct support to over 150 youth-serving organizations.
Responsibilities
The Director, Development will manage all FFC fundraising activities, particularly the identification, cultivation and solicitation of major individual and corporate donors, research and identification of new funding opportunities and support for the FFC Board’s involvement in fundraising.

Reporting to the Director, External Relations, the incumbent will be expected to:

-Thoroughly understand FFC, its mission and policies, culture, values, history, key stakeholders, programs, finances, and strategic plan;
-Expand FFC’s corporate, organizational, and individual donor base; develop and build strong relationships with current donors/partners;
-Initiate and maintain contact with new and existing funders, particularly corporate sponsors;
-Identify and research new funding opportunities to support all FFC events and programs;
-Assist the FFC Board of Directors and President/CEO in soliciting donations;
-Create donor outreach and stewardship materials for FFC events and programs;
-Participate in strategy meetings with the Fight For Children event team;
-Assist in other fundraising and marketing activities as necessary;
-Develop and implement systems and procedures to conduct ongoing prospect research to determine capacity or interest in supporting FFC;
-Utilize available prospect research resources using the internet, print and electronic sources, as well as existing donor records;
-Develop and maintain standardized proposals for prospective donors, and customize these as needed;
-Coordinate all aspects of corporate and individual donor recognition programs
-and develop and manage a timely and relevant acknowledgement program.

Qualifications and Personal Characteristics

-A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, and a minimum of six to eight years of successful experience in corporate and/or individual donor fundraising;
-Experience developing solid working relationships with high-level donors and/or volunteers and senior staff members;
-Demonstrated success in prospect research, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship;
-Ability to make decisions, prioritize, manage multiple projects and tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment;
-Outstanding verbal, written, editing and research skills;
-An articulate and detail-oriented team player;
-Pro-active, confident and organized, with a willingness to work hands-on to develop and execute a variety of fundraising activities;
-Committed to, enthusiastic about and able to articulate the mission and programs of FFC, with an appreciation and respect for the culture and traditions of the organization;
-Demonstrated computer literacy and proficiency in donor database programs, and the experience and ability to identify and create systems and procedures.

Please submit a cover letter and resume by August 8, 2008 to:

Ms. Lee Crane Wood
strategies.for.growth@gmail.com (subject line: FFC) or fax (703) 765-1125