The Elizabeth Dole Foundation (EDF) is the preeminent organization empowering, supporting, and honoring our nation’s 5.5+ million military caregivers–the spouses, parents, family members, and friends who care for America’s wounded, ill, or injured veterans.
The Foundation was founded in 2012, and takes a comprehensive approach in its advocacy, working with leaders in the public, private, nonprofit, and faith communities to recognize military caregivers’ service and promote their well-being. Its mission and goal are to strengthen, empower, and support America’s military and veteran caregivers and their families by raising public awareness, driving research, championing policy, and leading programs and partnerships that make a significant impact on the lives of those who have served our nation. In 2022, EDF successfully championed the expansion of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers to caregivers of every war era.
The Foundation is currently at an inflection point; since putting the issue of military caregiving on the map a decade ago, the Foundation has grown to meet the needs of the military caregiver community. Over the last several years, revenue, staff headcount, and direct service programs have grown significantly, turning an initial $1M annual budget into a now more than $10M operation with a national team of thirty dedicated staff.
EDF wants to continue its trajectory of growth by providing a continuum of care to military caregivers and their families. EDF is committed to using evidence-based research to identify and address the most pressing issues military and veteran caregivers face across the nation.
The Opportunity:
Elizabeth Dole Foundation is excited to offer a unique opportunity for a strategic Vice President of Individual Major Gifts to lead its fundraising program efforts.
The Vice President of Individual Major Gifts, reporting to the Chief Development Officer, will lead the implementation of a comprehensive individual fundraising strategy encompassing mid-level, direct mail, membership, major, and principal giving to build a successful comprehensive effort that will grow significantly over the course of the next five years. The organization raises approximately $12M per year, with $1M coming from individual gifts. The Vice President of Individual Major Gifts will lead the individual major gifts strategy to meet fundraising goals, grow the donor base, and diversify the organization’s donor pool.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develops an integrated major and planned giving program with the goal of building out a major gifts team and significantly elevating the major gifts fundraising of the Foundation beyond its current level of $1M annually.
- Creates and executes targeted plans for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of existing and new prospects who secure gifts and move donors up the giving ladder.
- Establishes measurable annual goals and operational plans for all aspects of individual (annual, major, planned giving) and creates a five-year growth strategy and evaluates and reports progress against benchmarks.
- Leads, coaches, and mentors a team of fundraisers to elevate and motivate desired performance and provide on-the-job training to build the team’s fundraising skills and competencies.
- Expands and nurtures external relationships to grow and diversify major donor and planned giving support as part of a moves-management strategy.
- Develops and oversees the implementation of the annual prospecting strategy.
- Utilizes data along with donor and volunteer networks to grow the pipeline of high-level prospects and donors.
Ideal Candidate:
- Proven track record of closing gifts from individuals from $100K to $1M, plus a track record of revenue growth.
- A moves-management expert who can develop and implement a strategy that focuses on growth, retention, qualification, and stewardship aimed at increasing the pipeline and individual giving year over year.
- Exceptional communication skills.
- A commitment to excellence and an understanding of the difference between urgent and important.
- An authentic relationship builder who knows when to make the ask as well as when not to.
- Knowledge of fundraising concepts and techniques, including gift planning and procedures, as well as current trends in charitable giving in the areas of major and legacy gifts.
- Experience crafting innovative strategies for successful fundraising initiatives or for targeted funding campaigns.
- Experience mentoring and leading a team.
- Demonstrated success leading or being part of a dynamic development team that showcased data-driven processes, accountability, and reporting.
- Minimum of 7 years of fundraising experience in fundraising and/or association management, with at least 5 of those years focused on individual giving.
Location:
This position’s job location is in Washington, DC – 3-4 days a week in the office.
DRiWaterstone is proud to lead this search on behalf of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation.
