Development Director

~ The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) is a 40-year-old member-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that helps people in the Carolinas grow and eat local, organic food by advocating for fair farm and food policies, building the systems that organic family farms need to thrive, and educating communities about local, organic farming. We support sustainable farming that is good for consumers, farmers, and the land. ~

Job Summary

The Development Director is a full-time, exempt, salaried position responsible for leading CFSA’s fundraising and donor development, with a primary emphasis on securing and increasing unrestricted funding to strengthen organizational infrastructure and programs. The Development Director is deeply involved in CFSA’s community engagement efforts, including collaborating with membership, communications, marketing, and grant development staff to increase CFSA’s visibility and influence, advance its mission, turn members into donors, and expand community support.

The Development Director is responsible for the overall success of CFSA’s fundraising strategies. A key Leadership Team member, the Development Director is an active participant in making strategic decisions affecting the organization. The Director of Development will design and implement a comprehensive plan cultivating individual and philanthropic support to increase CFSA’s revenue by 40 percent by 2022. The ideal candidate will have previous success in a full range of fundraising strategies, including annual giving, sponsorships, foundation grants, special events, and donor relations, and strong knowledge of relevant funding sources and trends to position CFSA ahead of major funding changes or trends.

The Development Director reports to the Associate Executive Director for Programs and supervises the Development Coordinator(s), contractors, and volunteers. This position will require substantial travel throughout the Carolinas. Preference is for the position to be based at CFSA’s headquarters office in Pittsboro, NC, but candidates working remotely from the Charlotte, NC-area will be considered.

Job Responsibilities

Development (90%)

• Oversee the development and implementation of a 2-3 year comprehensive organizational development plan (including goals, objectives, assignments, timelines, accountability measures, etc.) and annual fundraising plans that secure funding for operational sustainability.
• Grow CFSA’s funder base and identify and engage new donors and volunteer leaders.
• Strengthen CFSA’s development capability, including major gifts, fundraising campaigns, special events, workplace giving, corporate and foundation relations, planned giving, direct mail, email, phone solicitation, and web-based peer-to-peer giving campaigns.
• Establish and monitor metrics to track specific campaigns, long-range development goals, and increased organizational fundraising capacity.
• Develop annual fundraising budgets, prepare and monitor revenue projections, progress reports, and long-range forecasts.
• Donor identification, cultivation, and retention, serving Identify, cultivate, retain, and serve as an external face for CFSA in engaging donors and stakeholders.
• Develop and nurture relationships with prospective, lapsed, and current donors, as well as corporate partners, foundation program officers, and board members.
• Strengthen systems for identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors, foundations and corporations; coordinate all solicitation and donor acknowledgment activities.
• Engage, motivate, and enhance the capabilities of the board of directors and other volunteer leaders in soliciting funds, including working with the Board Fundraising Committee chair to set goals for the board and provide board members with the materials and information necessary to be successful in achieving said goals.
• Prepare other organizational leaders for effective individual fundraising activities.
• Manage all logistics and promotion of fundraising events and activities.
• Manage all fundraising aspects of the CFSA website.
• Work with communications and marketing staff to develop and implement strategies that increase CFSA membership, donations, and engagement in CFSA programs and events.
• Direct corporate sponsorship- and exhibitor-solicitation efforts for CFSA’s annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference and Organic Commodities and Livestock Conference, including stewardship of existing corporate partners and identification and recruitment of new corporate supporters, and drafting and presenting proposals for longer-term partnerships.
• Direct fundraising efforts in support of CFSA’s Lomax Research and Education Farm in Concord, NC, including local government support, corporate support and sponsorships, individual donations, foundation support, and events.
• Ensure compliance with development policies and procedures, and recommend revisions to policies and procedures as necessary.
• Collaborate with other staff to identify funding priorities, create gift opportunities, and position the organization to be considered for major contributions.
• Direct an effective communications strategy in concert with membership staff that engages supporters, facilitates donations and acknowledges gifts.
• Collaborate with other staff on proposals to foundations, including, but not limited to, researching and identifying prospective grants, meeting with program officers, writing outlines/full proposals, editing proposals, and engaging in post-award communications and funder acknowledgment.
• Travel to cultivate and solicit funders and individual major gift prospects.
• Oversee, in collaboration with membership and administrative staff, management of data on donors, prospects, and donations.
• Work with membership and communications staff to expand and deepen our donor base and member relationships, including membership programs and campaigns; and effectively manage CFSA’s membership and donor database, including communications tools, donations, and services to members such as renewals, event registrations, and subscriptions.
• Partner with community groups and business supporters when CFSA is identified as a beneficiary for fundraisers.

General Administration (10%)

• Financial and programmatic monitoring and reporting for CFSA’s fundraising staff to ensure compliance and work plan and budget adherence.
• Oversee purchasing in accordance with approved budget, maintain account and transaction records needed for program implementation, and ensure compliance with CFSA expenditure control protocols.
• Ensure compliance with and enforcement of grant and contract agreements between CFSA and philanthropic funders.
• Supervision and coaching of development staff, including annual performance reviews, and progressive discipline as necessary.

Position Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.
• At least seven years of leadership experience in implementing and managing nonprofit fund development initiatives with a proven track record of success. Major gifts success a plus.
• Supervisory experience (minimum of 2 years).
• Demonstrated success expanding, cultivating, and managing existing donor relationships and forging relationships with donors, prospects, volunteers.
• Experience developing successful funding proposals.
• Experience with a wide variety of development initiatives including annual fund management, workplace giving, corporate and foundation relations, planned giving, direct mail, email, phone solicitation, and web-based peer-to-peer giving campaigns, and special events.
• Proven track record of achieving ambitious revenue targets in a highly competitive environment.
• Knowledge of fundraising principles and best practices, and a sound general vision of how a comprehensive fund development plan should work within an organization’s mission and capacity.
• Passion for promoting and supporting sustainable agriculture and local food systems.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills (verbal, written, oral, and listening) and the ability to work effectively with a diverse set of stakeholders.
• Excellent troubleshooting, multi-tasking, and problem-solving skills.
• Exceptional planning and organizational skills with strong attention to detail and the ability to delegate and follow-up on responsibilities.
• Proven ability to prioritize, plan, and meet deadlines consistently, and comfort with accountability and performance-based metrics.
• Ability to work independently and take initiative to solve problems in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Ability to travel and work a flexible work schedule that includes some nights and weekends
• Excellent computer skills, including MS Office, donor management/CRM software, Internet research, and facility in learning new data management and e-newsletter distribution tools.
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and a commitment to CFSA’s mission.
• Desired: Knowledge of the Triangle and/or Charlotte-area community.

Compensation: CFSA offers a very competitive nonprofit salary, commensurate with experience, and generous vacation, retirement, and health insurance benefits. 

To Apply

• Please click "Apply" below to email a resume and a writing sample demonstrating effective solicitation and communication skills, list of professional references, and a cover letter explaining why you want to work to support diversified, sustainable family farms and food systems.
• Be sure to type “Development Director” in the subject line.
• You will receive an electronic confirmation of your email submission.
• Please, no phone calls.

CFSA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from women and people of color. CFSA does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religious creed, disability, medical condition, genetic information, age, marital status, sexual orientation, military and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.