Major Gifts and Planned Giving Specialist

Description

The National Federation of the Blind is a membership organization of blind people from each of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. As America's civil rights organization of the blind, the Federation is a coordinated network of skilled advocates, resources, and programs that raise expectations of the blind in society and create opportunities for blind people to live the lives they want. The staff of the Federation are central to the organized blind movement by providing support, professional expertise, and daily contributions to the success of the organization. Working under the direction of the Federation's elected President, the staff advise the organization's leadership and contribute to the vibrant, energetic, and collaborative culture of the organization that raises expectations throughout society.

The Major Gifts and Planned Giving Specialist is a member of the Outreach Department and reports to the Director of Outreach. The employee in this position is responsible for building and managing relationships with individual donors and prospects who have the capacity and interest to make significant annual or planned gifts to the National Federation of the Blind. The officer will manage a portfolio of donors and prospects, develop individualized cultivation and solicitation strategies, conduct donor visits, prepare proposals and other donor communications, and provide timely stewardship. The position will also help expand the Federation's planned giving program by identifying and cultivating prospective legacy donors and promoting charitable giving through wills, beneficiary designations, retirement assets, life insurance, and other appropriate planned giving vehicles. The successful candidate will be a relationship-focused fundraiser who is comfortable initiating conversations, making direct asks, managing multiple donor relationships, and working collaboratively with staff and Federation leaders.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of major gift and planned giving donors and prospects, with responsibility for qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Develop and implement individualized strategies for moving donors and prospects toward increased philanthropic engagement with the National Federation of the Blind.
• Identify and qualify new major gift and planned giving prospects through donor records, referrals, events, research, and other appropriate sources.
• Conduct donor meetings by phone, video conference, and in person, including travel as appropriate, to build relationships and solicit support.
• Prepare donor proposals, briefing materials, correspondence, gift illustrations, stewardship updates, and other fundraising communications.
• Make direct solicitations for major gifts and planned gifts and support the President, Board of Directors, and other organizational leaders in donor cultivation and solicitation activities.
• Train members regarding major and planned giving approaches and strategies to build capacity for members to solicit major and planned gifts.
• Help grow the planned giving program through outreach related to wills, beneficiary designations, retirement assets, life insurance, and other planned giving opportunities.
• Follow up on planned giving inquiries and maintain ongoing relationships with donors who have indicated that the National Federation of the Blind is included in their estate plans.
• Coordinate donor recognition and stewardship activities for major and planned giving donors.
• Maintain accurate and timely donor contact reports, moves-management information, proposals, gift documentation, and next steps in the constituent relationship management database.
• Work collaboratively with Outreach, Communications, Fiscal Services, the Office of the President, and other staff to advance fundraising priorities and donor relationships.
• Participate in National Federation of the Blind events, including the national convention and other donor engagement opportunities, as needed.
• Track portfolio activity and progress toward agreed-upon fundraising and relationship-management goals.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Three to five years of progressively responsible fundraising, development, donor relations, sales, account management, or comparable relationship-management experience, including experience working directly with donors, clients, or prospects.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and move individuals from initial engagement through cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Experience making direct asks or closing gifts, commitments, sales, or other relationship-based transactions.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with donors from a wide range of backgrounds.
• Strong organizational and follow-through skills, with the ability to manage a portfolio, maintain accurate records, and advance multiple relationships at the same time.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and collaborate effectively with colleagues and organizational leaders.
• Comfort using CRM and standard office technology.
• Ability to travel periodically and to participate in occasional evening or weekend donor and organizational events.

Please go to our benefits brochure to learn about the employee benefits offered by the National Federation of the Blind.