Director of Development | Nonprofit Fundraising, Major Gifts, Events, Outreach

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT | Nonprofit Fundraising, Major Gifts, Events, & Outreach

Position Type: Full-time (1.0 FTE) exempt

Location:Gunnison, CO

Reports to:Executive Director

Supervises: Marketing Manager, Development Associate

Compensation: Starting Salary $56,000 – $68,000 DOE

OVERVIEW

Fundraising, donor engagement, major gifts, campaigns, grant writing, marketing, events, networking, nonprofit development.

The Development Director advances the mission of Mountain Roots by designing, planning and implementing the fundraising and development strategy and building a culture of philanthropy aligned with the organization’s mission and vision.

Core program duties are:

1) Development & Fundraising of annual budget, 2) Marketing & Communication, 3) Events, 4) Administration

This senior leadership position is responsible for achieving the annual fundraising goals, securing a dynamic base of support from a variety of funding sources and constituents and engaging donors in our mission and programs. The Development Director designs and leads the organization’s fundraising and outreach activities, and is responsible for the communications, gift tracking, and general organization of the development department and public outreach campaigns.

The position currently oversees one supporting staff member, and can build a team to accomplish the goals. As the goals grow, the team can grow. The DD works with a high level of collaboration with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, and other staff. The DD is passionate about our mission, relationship-oriented, is able to develop constructive and cooperative relationships with others and maintain them over time, and is committed to achieving fundraising targets.

About Mountain Roots

Mountain Roots Food Project cultivates a resilient food system in the Gunnison Valley, Colorado by enhancing healthy connections between food, earth, and community. We foster knowledge, teach skills, and provide opportunities that ensure access to affordable, nutritious food that is regionally based and sustainably produced. As the leading local food systems initiative, we work to increase individual and community resilience and promote personal, community, and environmental health through programs in five focus areas: Food Culture & Education, Food Production, Food Security, Food Economy, and Food Policy. We run a district-wide Farm to School program, manage two community farms and four hydroponic farms, coordinate a network of organic urban/community gardens, manage a 140-member multi-farmer CSA, and lead targeted-access food security programs including Cooking Mattersä and Backyard Harvest.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

DEVELOPMENT

· Develop, maintain and implement a long-term fundraising plan aligned with Mountain Roots’ mission and strategic plan, intended to broaden the base of individual donors and increase the level of contributed income through major gifts, planned giving, events, campaigns, membership, and annual appeals.

· Develop, maintain, and implement annual work plans, budgets, and cash flow projections for all development programs.

· Evaluate current development strategies, identify new, diverse fundraising strategies, and proposes methods for strengthening fundraising plans.

· Oversee administration of board and volunteer Development and Event Committees.

· Cultivate a culture of philanthropy, including motivating, training and recruiting board members, volunteer committee members, and staff for fundraising, cultivation, events, sponsorship, and solicitation tasks.

· Supports the Executive Director and Program staff in grant writing and administration

DONOR RELATIONS

· Major Gifts - Identify, cultivate, and solicit and steward major gifts from individuals, corporations and foundations. This position serves as the major gifts officer and will have a discrete portfolio of donors and prospects; cultivation of these donors could comprise up to 33% of their time, ensuring that donors receive personalized experience, prospects are identified and cultivated to make gifts, authentic connections are built, mid-level donors are prepared for major gift asks, and relationships are prioritized.

· Donor Cultivation - Develop and maintain relationships with current and prospective major donors at all levels.

· Prospects – Develop and keep an ongoing list of prospective individual donors and donor groups by using such sources as newspaper items, company records, local merchants, organizational, professional, and industrial listings and directories and other sources.

· Campaigns – Develop and execute all major fundraising campaigns, including a $1.5M capital campaign currently in design / quiet phase.

· Tracking – Manage CRM database. Manage pledges and proposals. Refine systems to ensure prompt processing of gifts, donor recognition, and reporting.

· Correspondence – ensure timely and professional correspondence with donors, foundations, businesses, and members is maintained. Develop annual and special appeal letters, annual reports, monthly board reports, etc.

· Maintains best practices in development and fundraising.

GRANTS

· Manage and coordinate the grants program to ensure compliance with all grant conditions and reporting requirements.

· Actively support the Executive Director and Program Managers in grant writing and administration.

EVENTS

· In collaboration with the Board Events Chair, plan and staff our fundraising, member, donor, and community events. Oversee events volunteers and related committees.

PR, MARKETING, & OUTREACH

· In collaboration with the Executive Director and through management of your staff and the development committee, develop and implement a strategic marketing plan consistent with the mission and brand of the organization.

· Produce collateral materials for donors, develop the annual appeal and other campaigns, and create other marketing pieces (brochures, newsletters and other outreach materials) that are related to fundraising and development of resources, including volunteers, program participants.

· Directs the messaging for the organization with the Executive Director, for the purpose of raising funds, raising awareness of the cause/issues, raising participation / involvement, and providing education to the community of the activities we offer and the solutions we provide.

SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES / ADMINISTRATION

· Will develop new systems for effective donor research, and lead generation processes; sophisticated database systems for tracking prospects, pledges, gifts, and grants; gift processing capabilities; donor acknowledgement and recognition programs; and correspondence records.

· Act as an enthusiastic advocate and ambassador for the Organization in the community by promoting its resources, programs and services. Attend events as appropriate to establish and maintain relationships beneficial to Mountain Roots. Oversees management of the donor database, ensuring accurate data entry and alignment with accounting systems and the organization’s budget.

· Manages gift prospects, pledges and proposals to ensure Mountain Roots’ policies, non-profit fiduciary laws, and grant compliance requirements are met.

· Creates, retains, and destroys documents in compliance with the Records Management Policy.

· Prepare and present development status reports at quarterly board meetings

· Active involvement with development of the organization’s annual budget

· Ensure ethical adherence to gift-related policies and procedures as defined by the Association of Fundraising Professionals; follows strict donor confidentiality and security of all donor records.

· Works collaboratively in a team environment with a spirit of cooperation both with the staff and board.

Who You Are

A Fundraising Professional: You have 5 years of experience in nonprofit development, with a track record in major gifts, donor engagement, and grant writing.
A Relationship-Builder: You thrive on networking and enjoy cultivating long-term donor relationships.
A Strategic Leader: You understand fundraising strategy, capital campaigns, and nonprofit financials.
A Strong Communicator: You excel in writing donor communications, storytelling, marketing materials, and grant proposals.
A Multi-Tasker: You can manage multiple campaigns, events, and initiatives simultaneously.

What We’re Looking For

· 5 years related experience, plus BA/BS in related field, or a comparable combination of education or experience, including management/supervision of other staff members

· Strong written and verbal communication skills.

· Proven ability to raise funds from individuals, businesses, and foundations with accompanying metrics; planned giving experience is a plus.

· In-depth knowledge of Development strategies and trends. Solid experience with Capital Campaigns.

· Flexibility with schedule: Job duties may require long hours and occasional evenings and weekends

· Outstanding writing, editing, organizational, management, supervisory, and communication skills. Communicates effectively with individuals of varying social and cultural backgrounds. Strong public speaking skills.

· Skilled networker. Relationship-focused. Outgoing. A vibrant, engaging, and professional “face” for the organization.

· Ability to read, understand, and complete written and verbal requests and work assignments. Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, working both independently and as a team member.

· Work with close attention to detail and to maintain iron clad confidentiality. Ability to take initiative and prioritize tasks; excellent time-management, problem-prevention, and problem-solving skills.

· Provide excellent customer service skills and conflict resolution skills.

· Perseverance in the face of challenges and creativity in finding solutions.

· Ability to represent the organization with a high level of integrity and professionalism, adhere to organization policies, and support management decisions in a positive, professional manner.

· Strong supervisory, delegation, mentor/coaching, employee management, and team-building skills.

· Dependability, flexibility, and adaptability in a dynamic event-driven environment. Enjoys wearing many hats.

· Proficiency with computer programs and graphic design software, including Microsoft Office, CRM software, InDesign, PowerPoint, WordPress, MailChimp and Microsoft Excel

· Knowledge and enthusiasm for our mission, and a desire to work toward a future where social, economic, and environmental health is a priority, but achievable and accessible for all.

Preferred Experience (Bonus Skills)

Experience managing capital campaigns
Background in planned giving & donor stewardship
Familiarity with fundraising CRMs (Bloomerang, Salesforce, DonorPerfect, or similar)
Experience in food systems, sustainability, or social impact nonprofits

Why Join Us?

Impact-Driven Work: Be a key leader in shaping the future of food systems, food access, regenerative agriculture, and community resilience.
Collaborative Team: Work alongside passionate changemakers in Gunnison, CO.
Growth Opportunities: Lead and scale fundraising efforts with potential to build out a development team.
Autonomy & Leadership: Direct the organization’s development strategy and see your efforts directly translate into impact.

Mountain Lifestyle: Live and work in a stunning rural Colorado mountain town, surrounded by outdoor adventure, a tight-knit community, and a high quality of life.

How to apply:

Please send the following via email to Holly Conn, Executive Director (see website for email address)

1. Cover letter / letter of interest, describing how your experience will develop and enhance this program, what unique value you will add, and providing examples of three attributes your co-workers, friends, and family would all agree you possess.

2. Resumé

3. Contact information for two references

Please use “Development Director Position_YourLastName” in your subject line and in the titles of your attachments.

Application deadline: Open till filled.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $56,000.00 - $68,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Experience:

• development and fundraising: 3 years (Required)
• management: 3 years (Required)
• grant writing and administration: 3 years (Preferred)
• Events management: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $56,000 - $68,000