Director of Philanthropy
CENTRUM Foundation: Director of Philanthropy
About Centrum Foundation
Founded in 1974, CENTRUM Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to serving artists of all ages through residential workshops, creative residencies, and public performances. Located at Fort Worden State Park - in the small Victorian seaport of Port Townsend, Washington - Centrum is nationally-renowned for major summer educational programs and festivals (Jazz, Blues, Writing, Fiddle, Youth and more); wide-ranging learning experiences for students; and year-round artist-in-residence programs. Creativity is our primary resource. We believe that individuals and organizations achieve excellence by taking risks and embracing change. We change by actively seeking out, inviting in, listening to, and learning from people of all ages and backgrounds. Centrum serves as both a retreat from and opening to the world. While most of our programming is inter-generational we do provide a series of residential learning experiences that serve youth only. About one-third of Centrum workshop participants are 18-year-old or younger. We are dramatically increasing scholarship funds available for youth with the goal of being able to serve and learn from the broadest possible spectrum of aspiring young artists and creative thinkers. We directly serve about 27,000 individuals each year. At the core of the Centrum community are more than one thousand individual donors and volunteers who demonstrate through their generosity a profound belief in the power of creativity. They understand that imagination is the freedom to create a different world–for an hour, a week, or a lifetime.
General Summary
The Centrum Director of Philanthropy serves to cultivate major donors and long-term giving to advance Centrum’s excellence, capacity, and sustainability. This position requires an active pursuit of face-to-face visits and relationship-building with current and prospective Centrum supporters.
Essential Functions
- Fuel multi-year contributions and pledges to Centrum major gifts campaign(s), with an expectation of building capacity at the $25,000+ annual giving level
- Develop and implement an annual major gifts plan and budget for inclusion in the overall fundraising plan in order to maximize contributed revenues at the $2,500+ level
- Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit and acknowledge major donors and prospects (including planned giving where appropriate and with additional resources as needed), working autonomously and/or in consultation with the Executive Director, Sr. Director of Development, Board of Directors, key staff and volunteers where necessary and appropriate
- Research and prioritize donors and prospects; establish, monitor, and adjust as needed individualized strategies that maximize donor generosity, retention, and renewal; develop written strategies when relevant
- Coordinate major donor communications and contact, facilitating relationships between potential and current donors and the Executive Director, Sr. Director of Development, Board of Directors, key staff, volunteers and others
- Collaborate on an ongoing basis with Centrum Development and Marketing Departments
- Manage a portfolio of 75-100 current and prospective major donors
- Make and document approximately 100-125 strategic cultivation, solicitation or stewardship visits each year with identified core prospects
Qualifications
- Passion for Centrum programs, mission, vision and values.
- At least five years of development-related experience, minimum of two years in
- major giving ($2,500+)
- Proven track record soliciting gifts of $25,000+
- High level of competency in working closely with board members in friend- and fundraising
- A high degree of professionalism and ability to maintain client confidentiality
- Experience seeking multi-year pledges
- Bachelor of Arts or Sciences in related field or equivalent education and experience
- Excellent communication skills, both written and interpersonal including public speaking
- Must be extremely well organized, work well under pressure and meet deadlines
- Must be computer literate, exhibit fluency with MS Office and have some working knowledge of donor software (Raiser’s Edge, etc.)
- Must be a superb listener, customer-service oriented and flexible
- Must be a team-player and assist with all projects as required
- Knowledge of Olympic Peninsula philanthropy desired
- Must have valid Washington Driver’s License and access to personal transportation
- Must be willing and able to work weekends and evenings when needed