Hendersonville Theatre is seeking a seasoned fundraiser to join our team. In this role, you will use your expert communication skills and keen sense of initiative to spot fundraising opportunities, develop relationships with potential donors, manage fundraising campaigns, and liaison with local and state government officials. By coordinating events, writing proposals, and recruiting and leading volunteers, you will hone your speaking, writing, and leadership abilities while moving Hendersonville Theatre closer to its financial goals.

Primary Purpose:

The Development Director will participate in strategic planning, budgeting, grant development, and fundraising. This position is responsible for all phases of grant development, evaluation, and compliance, including research, pre-award grant writing, the coordination of grant applications, post-award support for grant-funded projects, managing the grant reporting process, and successfully closing out grant projects with final budget and report outcomes to stakeholders.

The Development Director will actively research and pursue prospective public and private funding sources while developing relationships with potential funders. This position will coordinate with fund personnel and other stakeholders as needed. The ideal candidate will be motivated, professional, organized, and knowledgeable in research. We seek someone who believes in Hendersonville Theatre’s mission and will demonstrate an exceptional drive to further our fundraising efforts and help strategize and deliver new ones.

Role and Responsibilities:

• Partner with the Executive Director and Financial Committees to develop and implement a comprehensive annual strategy across all development activities
• Develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive cultivation and stewardship plan for new and significant gifts by conducting prospect research to identify, qualify, and manage donors.
• Oversee the Annual Fund for Artistic Excellence in implementing broad-based initiatives for mid-level donors, focusing on growing a significant giving portfolio and providing guidance on donor strategies at all giving levels.
• Liaise with local and state government officials to promote the organization’s mission, vision, and programs to garner support.
• Track progress toward fundraising goals and report using metrics and analytics.
• Cultivate a network of dedicated donors and volunteers
• Plan fundraising initiatives to help the organization meet financial goals
• Organize fundraising events while overseeing teams of volunteers
• Form strong relationships with external stakeholders
• Use CRM to track activities, pull reports, and support accurate data input processes.
• In concert with the Executive Director and Financial Committees, collaborate with Hendersonville Theatre’s Marketing, Sales, and Education Departments
• The Development Director will research, write, format, and submit compelling, high-quality grant proposals to funding agencies (federal, state, and private foundations) while applying knowledge of fundraising methods and plans to reach goals.
• This role is responsible for proactively researching and analyzing grant opportunities and making recommendations on their feasibility.
• The position will collaborate with leaders and team members to develop relationships with key stakeholders, develop supporting documents, and maintain donor databases and records.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• Performs internal reviews of institutional needs, collects and gathers program data, and assesses the feasibility of obtaining external funding for project and program proposals
• Investigates local, state, federal, private, foundation, and corporate sources of funds. This includes reviewing materials, listservs, meetings, telephone contacts, and correspondence
• Develops and maintains an internal grant application process
• Develops and maintains a grant management system for funded grants that includes report due dates, budget adherence, and any other grant requirements
• Develops and maintains a library of information on funding sources, grant writing, and community and state data relevant to the foundation’s programs and services
• Collaborates with fund personnel to gather input for all projects and comply with requests for data and other information
• Coordinates, develops, and processes grant applications from the conceptual to submission stage while working closely with staff throughout all phases
• Manages multiple projects and priorities, including searching for funding sources, writing proposals, managing existing grants, reporting to stakeholders, and working on special projects
• Cultivates a network of dedicated donors and volunteers and forms strong relationships with external stakeholders
• Plan fundraising initiatives to help the organization meet financial goals

Qualifications and Education Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• 3+ years of experience in nonprofit fundraising and understanding development activities, including identifying, soliciting, and acquiring individual, major, and corporate funders and sponsorships.
• Demonstrated ability to implement project plans and timelines through completion and monitor and track budget.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully communicate and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders and maintain confidentiality.
• Exceptional skills in research, reasoning, and written and oral communications
• Ability to lead and motivate colleagues and volunteers
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
• An energetic, flexible, creative professional with a “hands-on” teamwork ethic
• Experience working with CRMs
• Proficiency in G Suite

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $32,000.00 – $42,000.00 per year

Hendersonville Theatre is an Equal Opportunity Employer that celebrates diversity and does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability status, or other applicable characteristics protected by law. Hendersonville Theatre is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities.

Experience:

• Grant writing: 1 year (Required)
• nonprofit: 1 year (Preferred)
• Fundraising: 1 year (Required)
• donor engagement: 1 year (Required)
• corporate sponsorship campaign: 1 year (Required)