Development Director

ABOUT EARTHCORPS

EarthCorps is a Seattle-based non-profit that cultivates leaders and community partnerships to advance environmental justice. We believe in the power of people – acting through their collective responsibility to one another and our planet – to tackle the most pressing challenges facing our world. We envision an equitable world where all people and nature thrive together.

EarthCorps is committed to becoming a more liberated and anti-racist organization. Through a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion, EarthCorps is building a network of leaders who have the cultural competency and skills to build a new future, while restoring vital lands and waters and connecting people to nature. This work is ongoing, and the organization is committed to being transparent with program participants about our work, as well as including their input to drive the direction of the organization towards a healthier, equitable, and sustainable community for us all.

To cultivate this important work, we train young leaders in ecological restoration. We bring together young adults – who we call corps members - from the US and across the globe for an environmental leadership development and green-jobs training program where we care for the lands and waters of Puget Sound. Corps members gain hands-on leadership experience, cross-cultural skills, and learn technical environmental restoration while building a close-knit community as they care for our natural world. These emerging environmental leaders “think globally and act locally” in leading community volunteers to complete restoration projects such as native tree planting, invasive plant removal, salmon stream restoration, wetland and shoreline restoration, and trail construction.

COMMITMENT TO RACIAL EQUITY

EarthCorps strongly believes in the values of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion. EarthCorps works to ensure that everyone feels engaged and supported in all areas of the organization's operations as we work to become a fully inclusive, multi-cultural, and anti-racist organization.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Development Director (DD) serves as a key member of the leadership team and an active participant in making strategic decisions affecting EarthCorps. In partnership with the Executive Director (ED), this position is responsible for all fundraising and development activities including management of government contracts that support programmatic work. The successful candidate will help forge new and existing relationships to build EarthCorps’ visibility, impact, and financial resources. This role reports directly to the ED and serves as a critical thought partner and may act as a stand-in for selected external settings

The DD will have primary responsibility for strengthening and building a fundraising team. The 2025 EarthCorps budget totals $5.2M with approximately $1.4M coming from private sources and the remainder from government contracts and fee-for-service activities. Strong candidates will bring with them deep knowledge of the complexities of grants and contracts in addition to the ability to build the agency’s grant, major gifts, special events, and corporate programs. In addition to revenue generation, the DD oversees communications and marketing for EarthCorps.

The DD will expand and diversify EarthCorps’ donor base and funding pipeline as well as work closely with other team members to secure funding for new initiatives, including unrestricted funding. In addition, the DD will work closely with the board of directors and support board members to take on a more active fundraising role.

Duties & Responsibilities

Strategy, Vision & Leadership

• Serve as a member of EarthCorps’ leadership team which includes participation in organizational planning.
• Collaborate with the finance director, partnerships director, and field director to develop, implement, and track progress on EarthCorps’ revenue generation strategy.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive development strategy to include grants, corporate, foundation, special events, and individual donors (alumni, annual, major, and planned giving).
• Oversee the creation of metrics and KPIs for the development team to track and analyze progress towards achieving revenue and communications goals.
• Monitor and report regularly on the progress of the development program to board and executive team.
• Serves as an external staff ambassador on behalf of the organization

Resource Development

• Lead efforts to identify, cultivate, steward, and solicit new and existing donors; leverage and engage both the ED and board members to support those efforts.
• Support the ED in managing a portfolio of major donors, with the goal of soliciting, securing, and growing the number of five and six-figure individual and foundations contributing to EarthCorps.
• Lead EarthCorps’ events strategy and, in collaboration with the development team, manage the annual fundraising event, Revive.
• Manage government, foundation, and corporate relationships and oversee strategy for annual grant and contract plan. Supervise a seasoned contract grant writer to execute on proposals/reports; and sometimes lead grant writing efforts as part of EarthCorps’ strategic plan to significantly increase grant revenue.
• Develop and implement a stewardship program aimed at cultivating deeper ties with donors.
• Oversee prospecting and donor research. Strategize and work with the ED to implement cultivation techniques to inspire prospective supporters to become donors and increase the number of donors giving annually.
• Oversee research of funding sources and trends, with foresight, to help position EarthCorps ahead of major funding changes or trends.
• Ensure that the organization is capturing key data in Salesforce database to ensure strong data integrity and accurate reporting.

Communications

• Responsible for creating the annual comprehensive marketing, communications, and public relations program that enhances EarthCorps’ image and position within the marketplace and the public.
• Identify a consultant or other forms of support to ensure regular communication across channels to promote Corps recruitment and publicize EarthCorps’ accomplishments
• Ensure a consistent and positive brand experience for external and internal partners.

Team Leadership and Development

• Supervise development team including 1 FTE development position and at least 1 contractor.
• Hire, train, inspire, motivate, and retain members of the development team.
• Build a collaborative team and culture of philanthropy, both within the development team and between development and the rest of the organization.

Required Qualifications

• High energy and passion for EarthCorps’ mission and environmental justice is essential
• Deep and authentic commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and eager to manage staff, serve on our leadership team, and lead our development efforts in ways that are fully centered on these values
• Significant experience in development, fundraising, grants management, or other revenue-generating activities in nonprofit organizations
• Tangible experience of having expanded and cultivated existing donor relationships over time; strong preference to those with experience working with donors/funders in the Seattle region
• Experience directly soliciting and securing six-figure gifts from individuals and building meaningful relationships with donors
• Experience managing government grants and contracts for charitable work including application, contract negotiation, compliance, and reporting
• Flexible and adaptable style; a leader who can positively impact both strategic and tactical fundraising initiatives
• Demonstrated management skills including staff supervision and staff development
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral; ability to influence and engage a wide range of donors and build long-term relationships
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and projects at a time, without missing deadlines
• Ability to construct, articulate, and implement an annual strategic development plan
• Ability to work both independently without close oversight, but also a team player who will productively engage with others at varying levels of seniority within and outside EarthCorps
• An entrepreneurial self-starter, creative risk-taker, who is excited to innovate
• Experience with capital campaigns is a plus
• Ability to travel regionally including car and ferry trips
• Must be able to work from EarthCorp’s office in Seattle at least once per week and attend community briefings, special events, and donor meetings in the Puget Sound region.

COVID-19 Considerations

We require all employees be fully COVID-19 vaccinated prior to the start of employment. Proof of a completed COVID-19 vaccination should be submitted on or no later than your scheduled start date. If you believe you are entitled to either a medical or religious exemption to our vaccination requirement, please contact Human Resources and your situation will be evaluated.