Director of Development

About the role

The Director of Development is a strategic and relationship-driven fundraiser responsible for advancing Hope Ignites Baltimore’s philanthropic revenue through individual, corporate, foundation, and community partnerships. Working closely with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, and Development Committee, this role leads donor cultivation and stewardship efforts, fundraising communications, prospect research, and CRM management. The Director of Development serves as a key ambassador for the organization, building meaningful relationships that strengthen support for Hope Ignites Baltimore’s mission.

Responsibilities

• Donor & Community Engagement: Build, manage, and grow a portfolio of individual, corporate, and foundation donors and prospects through strategic relationship cultivation, personalized stewardship, and meaningful engagement. Prepare donor briefings, meeting materials, and follow-up communications for donor solicitation efforts in partnership with the Executive Director and Board members. Represent Hope Ignites Baltimore at community, philanthropic, and networking events to strengthen organizational visibility and build strategic relationships.
• Strategy & Fundraising Leadership: Partner with the Executive Director to develop and implement annual fundraising goals, strategies, and revenue projections aligned with organizational priorities. Success measured through progress toward annual fundraising goal of $1.03 million including growth in philanthropic revenue, donor acquisition and retention, and diversification of funding sources. Develop and execute strategies to grow and diversify funding sources, including individual giving, major gifts, corporate partnerships, foundation support, and community-based fundraising. Lead the fundraising strategy for organizational events, including sponsorship prospecting and solicitation, donor cultivation and follow-up, and coordination of Board and volunteer engagement to maximize event revenue and strengthen donor relationships. Partner with Board members to strengthen fundraising efforts by providing the tools, resources, and support needed for donor outreach, introductions, cultivation, and stewardship, while leveraging Board networks to expand philanthropic opportunities.
• Marketing & Communications: Provide development-related content for the website, social media platforms, and marketing materials to support fundraising, stewardship, and community engagement efforts. Maintain an annual development plan to ensure timely, strategic, and consistent engagement with donors, funders, and community partners including co-created appeals, updates, and fundraising materials.
• Systems, Reporting & Operations: Serve as the primary owner of the organization's CRM system, ensuring accurate donor records, prospect tracking, fundraising campaigns, and donor engagement activities. Develop and maintain donor pipelines, dashboards, reports, and analytics that support fundraising strategy, revenue growth, and informed decision-making. Ensure timely gift acknowledgements, donor recognition, stewardship activities, and compliance with organizational and funder requirements.
• Performs other related duties as assigned for the purpose of ensuring the efficient and effective functioning of the work unit.

Requirements

• Proven ability to build and maintain strong relationships with donors, volunteers, Board members, corporate partners, foundation representatives, and community stakeholders.
• Demonstrated success securing and stewarding philanthropic support through individual, corporate, and foundation giving.
• Experience serving as a primary relationship manager for donors and prospects, including conducting cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship meetings.
• Strong understanding of fundraising best practices, including annual giving, major gifts, donor stewardship, and corporate partnerships.
• Experience utilizing Salesforce or a comparable CRM platform to