Development Director Urban Peace Institute

UPI creates community safety and dismantles harmful systems to ensure justice and freedom from violence. We work to end injustice, violence, and oppression of people who have been historically criminalized and marginalized. By expanding evidence and place-based community violence interventions, building power and assisting new regions, we advance solutions that lead to urban peace.

Since 2006, UPI has worked to develop and implement innovative solutions to address gun violence and engage in ground-level systems reform. In 2021, UPI separated from fiscal sponsorship as its programs and impact continued to expand. UPI works to prevent violence, achieve safety, and improve community health. Rooted in the past and current struggles for justice and equity, the Urban Peace Institute has successfully reduced gun and gang violence to historic lows, trained over 5,000 peacemakers in public health approaches to reduce violence, and championed justice reforms to end youth incarceration.

At one of the most exciting times in the organization’s history, the Urban Peace Institute (UPI) is seeking a highly motivated Development Director to lead strategic fundraising efforts. Over the past five years, UPI has achieved significant fundraising and organizational growth. The organization’s operating budget, Board of Directors, and staff members have all doubled in size. Moreover, the organization has secured significant new sources of private and public funding to expand the community violence intervention field in Los Angeles.

At this pivotal moment in organizational growth, UPI seeks a fundraising leader that is passionate about supporting efforts to transform justice and create community safety. This position will spearhead the organization’s growing Development Department and provide strategic leadership to diversify fundraising efforts. The Development Director will have a strong focus on implementing an innovative fundraising strategy to create a pipeline of new and potential donors, as well as cultivating major and annual gifts from historical supporters. This will include planning and executing a moves management approach to individual giving, leading special and annual events, facilitating corporate partnerships, and activating and growing the organization’s dedicated Board of Directors.

This position will also be responsible for leading complex grant writing initiatives with foundations and public agencies, including collaborative proposals with community organizations and academic partners. The Development Director will be responsible for stewarding and strengthening relationships with key regional foundations, as well as growing support from emerging national funders. Moreover, this position will oversee grant and contract proposals to local, state, and federal government entities.

This is a highly collaborative role, partnering with the organization’s Executive Director, Senior Team, and the Board of Directors to strengthen and improve overall fundraising capacity. The Development Director will also oversee a Development Manager, as well as Development and Communications Coordinator to support fundraising initiatives. As funding permits, there is also the opportunity to further expand the Development Department.

Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Strategic Fundraising Leadership

1. Lead, develop, and execute strategies for all of UPI’s fundraising initiatives to meet annual organization goals, currently set at $4M+
2. Design and implement a comprehensive fundraising plan for general operating, capital, and program needs that works to diversify sources of support and expands fundraising efforts.
3. Spearhead fundraising initiatives including major gifts, individual giving, special events, campaigns, foundation relations, government funding, grant writing, corporate partnerships, and planned giving.
4. Create and implement innovative strategies to create a new pipeline of donor support for the organization and increase major gifts and annual giving.
5. Lead efforts to secure new national foundation support, as well as untapped public funding.
6. Alongside the Executive Director, act as lead liaison with the Board of Directors and identify strategies to increase board membership.
7. Work with the Executive Director, Senior Team, and Board of Directors to cultivate and request major contributions and support from individuals.
8. Partner with the Senior Team and Program Leaders to plan and execute special events, as well as provide ongoing stewardship and cultivation opportunities.
9. Manage a growing development team, including a Development Manager, as well as Development and Communications Coordinator, and ensure future strategic hires are made to achieve development goals.

Donor Relations & Engagement

1. Continue to build on efforts to build an individual giving program from the ground up, estimated to bring in $100,000+ this year.
2. Cultivate an expanding base of existing donors ($2,000+), spending considerable time meeting with and stewarding donors to deepen relationships that will provide long term support for the organization.
3. Establish strategies to create a new and continual pipeline of individual donor support and annual gifts.
4. Plan and execute an expanded moves management approach to individual giving, expanding the organization’s usage of a Salesforce CRM platform.
5. Integrate development and marketing/communications strategies to maximize UPI’s exposure and fundraising opportunities.
6. Oversee the design and production of donor recognition materials, ongoing print and email updates, as well as funding solicitations.

Foundation, Corporate & Government Fundraising

1. Lead the development of complex grant applications, serve as the chief grant writer for the organization, and oversee foundation reporting activities and stewardship.
2. Manage a grants calendar for private foundations, family foundations, and government agencies at the local, state, and federal level.
3. Manage prospective and current funder relationships, ensuring all potential and current philanthropy partners are informed about our work on an ongoing basis and have increased opportunities to connect in-person with our organization.
4. Ensure increased foundation stewardship and deepening of foundation relationships at the local and state level by hosting innovative events, including annual funders briefings.

Note: This is a hybrid position that currently requires at least two days in the office each week and requires staff to live in the Los Angeles region. The Development Director will also be expected to meet with donors in-person on a regular basis across the region, and occasionally in the Bay Area and nationally as needed.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required:

1. Extensive and successful experience in nonprofit development, leading efforts at the $2M+ level, with demonstrated success in significantly growing an organization’s operating budget.
2. Experience growing an individual donor and major gift program.
3. Experience cultivating and securing major gifts at the $5,000 level and up.
4. Superb grant writing skills and experience in writing multi-year proposals for $100,000+.
5. Professional experience or personal commitment to advancing social justice, ending gun violence, and transforming justice.
6. Proficiency in using CRM tools for moves management activities, Salesforce preferred.
7. Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in non-profits and/or communications; equivalent work experience will be strongly considered.
8. At least seven years of nonprofit fundraising experience, with previous management or director experience.
9. Demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse people across the spectrum of socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, and gender orientation.
10. Flexibility to adjust and contribute to a continually evolving work culture and changing priorities.

Annual Salary: $110,000-130,000: Includes health, dental, and vision benefits. Parking is also included.

Please send resume and cover letter stating interest in the position specifically detailing your qualifications and commitment to urban peace issues and/or social justice to:

ATTN: Fernando Rejon, Executive Director
1910 W. Sunset Blvd., Suite 800, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Or e‐mail to:

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