Director of Development

Columbus Botanical Garden

Development Director

Position Description

The Development Director reports directly to the Executive Director of the Garden and will lead in the creation, implementation, and management of a formal development program designed to foster and nurture long-term, meaningful relationships between the Columbus Botanical Garden, its donors, and donor prospects.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Fundraising

• Strategize and direct all fundraising activities, including major gift cultivation and stewardship, individual annual giving, membership programs, corporate giving and sponsorships, and foundation and government grants.
• Work with Board Development Committee and Executive Director to develop a fundraising plan which increases revenue from all sources to support the strategic directions/initiatives of Columbus Botanical Garden.
• As principal professional support for the Growing Towards Greatness Campaign, work collaboratively to manage and support the Campaign Chair, Campaign Counsel, Executive Director and campaign committees to successfully execute the Garden’s capital campaign. 
• Identify, cultivate and solicit potential donors to support the Garden’s priorities, specifically the Growing Towards Greatness Campaign (with a portfolio averaging 50 top prospects)
• Engage, solicit and steward current and new donors, and provide thorough, accurate, and timely responses to all donor requests.
• Advise on overall development strategy, specifically on major gift cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.
• Identify grant opportunities and coordinate the Garden’s grants program, maintaining all grant information, application deadlines, reports, and deadlines.
• Build and oversee a planned giving program.
• Coordinate fundraising special events, including working with Garden events coordinator to solicit event sponsorships and in-kind donations.
• Monitor and evaluate all fundraising activities to ensure that the fundraising goals are being achieved.

Gift Reporting, Acknowledgement and Stewardship

• Assume responsibility for all development reports and accurately track all contributions ensuring that donor intentions and restrictions on funds are documented and honored. 
• As the primary point of development contact, provide timely communications and regular giving reports of all contributions to Executive Director, Board Development Committee and Capital Campaign Chairman, as well as providing stewardship reports to donors.
• Manage timely personal acknowledgements of all gifts and pledges to donors.
• Prepare official donor agreements as required.
• Demonstrate excellent customer service in all relations with donors.

Public Relations, Communications & Other Duties

• Make public appearances, including speaking engagements to promote the Garden and its mission.
• Lead the creation of case development, communications and publications to support fundraising activities.
• Other duties as assigned by the Executive Director

Required Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree and minimum of 5-years development and management experience required. Strong verbal and written communications, analytical, computer and organizational skills.

Contact Director Stefan Bloodworth at sbloodworth@columbusbotanicalgarden.org