Location:

Gifford Youth Achievement Center (GYAC)

Reports To:

Executive Director Employment Status:

Full-Time, Exempt About GYAC The Gifford Youth Achievement Center is entering an important new chapter of growth, expanding its long-standing commitment to educational opportunity into a broader, multi-generational model that serves youth, families, seniors, and the wider Indian River County community. Through educational, cultural, social, and wellness programming, GYAC strengthens individuals and families while building lasting community impact. We are seeking an entrepreneurial and relationship-driven Director of Fund Development to help secure the philanthropic investment needed to sustain this work, grow future initiatives, and carry GYAC's mission forward. Position Overview The Director of Development will design, lead, and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy that advances GYAC's core operations and supports the growth outlined in the next phase of the GYAC strategic plan. Working closely with the Executive Director, this leader will cultivate and steward individual major donors, foundations, grant agencies, and corporate partners while translating GYAC's multi-generational impact into compelling opportunities for philanthropic investment.

Key Responsibilities Strategic Fundraising & Donor Relations Strategic Development Plan:

Create and implement an annual multi-channel fund development plan to meet organizational revenue goals.

Major Donor Cultivation:

Build, manage, and steward a robust portfolio of individual major donors, introducing supporters to GYAC's expanded multi-generational mission and moving prospects through identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship in a disciplined, relationship-centered way.

Foundation and Board Alignment:

Partner closely with the Executive Director and GYAC Board of Directors to support endowment growth, planned giving, and long-term sustainability.

Corporate & Local Sponsorships:

Secure corporate sponsorships and employee engagement opportunities with local businesses looking to invest in GYAC.

Signature Community Events:

Design and execute signature GYAC fundraising events, local community drives, and giving day campaigns.

Impact Communications:

Collaborate on fundraising collateral, direct mail appeals, and digital marketing highlighting the achievements of GYAC students and seniors.

Strategic Growth Fundraising:

Translate the GYAC strategic pillars into compelling funding proposals and donor pitches that inspire increased philanthropy.

Impact & Sustainability Reporting:

Prepare regular reports on fundraising progress, budgets, receipts, and expenditures related to fundraising. Partner with program staff to leverage data and measurable outcomes to demonstrate fundraising impact to key stakeholders.

Capital & Campaign Strategy:

Partner with the Executive Director and Board to leverage community enthusiasm for multi-generational programming and potential capital campaigns.

Annual Campaigns:

Design and execute modern annual appeals, digital giving campaigns, and direct mail initiatives to diversify and expand the local donor base.

Onsite Engagement:

Utilize our vibrant, multi-generational campus to host high-touch donor tours, community updates, and stewardship events that connect supporters directly to our work.

Database & Infrastructure Management:

Oversee the donor CRM database to maintain impeccable donor records, donation tracking, and timely acknowledgement workflows.

Advanced Grant Management Pipeline Strategy:

Build and maintain an institutional funding pipeline by matching GYAC programs with local, state, federal, and private foundation priorities.

Proposal Development:

Write compelling, data-driven grant proposals that clearly articulate the unique societal impact of GYAC's educational, social, and cultural programs.

Budget Collaboration:

Partner with GYAC staff to create accurate program budgets, cost allocations, and financial justifications for proposals.

Reporting & Evaluation:

Design evaluation frameworks with program directors to track, measure, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) to funders.

Award Stewardship:

Maintain a rigorous tracking calendar for all deadlines, execution agreements, grant modifications, and final impact reports. Additional Responsibilities Carry out other duties as assigned by the Executive Director to support evolving organizational needs. Leadership Competencies Strategic thinker with the ability to align fundraising initiatives with organizational growth objectives. Relationship-centered leader who builds trust with donors, board members, staff, volunteers, and community stakeholders. Entrepreneurial and adaptable, comfortable building new systems and advancing emerging opportunities. Highly organized with strong project management and prioritization skills. Data-informed decision maker committed to measurable outcomes and continuous improvement. Collaborative communicator who inspires confidence and engagement across multiple generations.

Required Qualifications Experience:

3-5 years of progressive non-profit fundraising experience, with a proven track record of securing major individual gifts and private foundation grants.

Education:

Bachelor's degree in Communications, Nonprofit Management, Public Administration, or a related field.

Desired Attributes:

Entrepreneurial, relationship-centered, highly organized, discreet with confidential donor information, comfortable making direct asks, and motivated by GYAC's mission to serve youth, families, seniors, and the broader community.

Strategic Alignment:

Ability to translate GYAC's strategic pillars into actionable, multi-year fundraising benchmarks in partnership with the Executive Director and leadership team.

Technical Proficiency:

Hands-on experience navigating and optimizing donor databases, fundraising platforms (Raiser's Edge, Donor Perfect or similar), digital giving tools, and common office productivity systems.

Data & Outcomes Mindset:

Experience using donor CRM information, program outcomes, demographic data, and impact metrics to build transparent, trust-based relationships with sophisticated donors and funders.

Communication Excellence:

Exceptional storytelling skills to passionately articulate the value of a multi-generational center to the Indian River County philanthropic community.

Interpersonal Skills:

Exceptional active listening and communication skills to connect authentically with the GYAC team and donors across multiple generations.

Local Insight:

Deep knowledge of, or a strong capacity to quickly integrate into, the Indian River County philanthropic landscape.

Preferred Qualifications CFRE Certification:

Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) status is highly desirable.

Federal Track Record:

Direct experience writing and winning federal or state agency grants.

Local Sector Familiarity:

Prior experience raising funds specifically for youth development, aging services, or community-based programming. GYAC is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates whose experience, talents, and commitment to community strengthen our ability to serve youth, families, seniors, and the broader Indian River County community.

Pay:

$75,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Dental insurance Health insurance Vision insurance

Education:

Bachelor's (Preferred)

Experience:

Fundraising:

3 years (Preferred)

Work Location:

In person