Development Director

Summary

Description

Ballinger | Leafblad is pleased to partner with the St. Croix Valley Food Bank on the search for its new Development Director. Based in Hudson, Wisconsin, the St. Croix Valley Food Bank operates a regional warehouse and distribution center that serves nearly 60 affiliated local food pantries/shelves throughout four counties in western Wisconsin: Polk, Pierce, St. Croix and Burnett. Since its founding in 2021, the St. Croix Valley Food Bank has met the rapidly growing needs of its local partners – from Siren to Maiden Rock – Ellsworth to Osceola – and throughout the St. Croix Valley region. 

The Development Director works on-site and face-to-face in communities across the region to increase visibility and raise the funds to support the organization’s essential mission of ending hunger for all in western Wisconsin. The successful candidate will have a strong connection to the St. Croix Valley region and familiarity with its economic and cultural aspects. Residing in the St. Croix Valley is not required but would be considered an advantage.

SUMMARY 

The Development Director is a key member of the leadership team at the St. Croix Valley Food Bank (SCVFB), responsible for creating and executing a comprehensive development strategy to grow and sustain the organization’s philanthropic support. This includes individual and major gifts, planned gifts, grants, corporate sponsorships, in-kind donations, event fundraising, capital campaigns and digital fundraising. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Development Director works closely with the board of directors, staff and volunteers to advance the organization’s mission of alleviating hunger in the St. Croix Valley region. 

Since its founding in 2021, SCVFB has established strong support from the community and corporate partners, a dedicated working board of experienced leaders and an active volunteer base. When Executive Director Lee Kroll joined SCVFB in fall 2024, the decision was made to pause hiring the Development Director position to evaluate the organization’s fundraising needs and growth opportunities. This led to a clearer vision for the new Development Director to establish a comprehensive fundraising strategy for SCVFB, leveraging its track record of success and maximizing existing philanthropic relationships, while increasing and diversifying its sources of financial and inkind contributions. The successful candidate will join an organization with a strong track record, experienced leadership and an active board with deep community roots. With untapped donor capacity, corporate and foundation resources in the region, SCVFB is well-positioned to grow and meet the increasing needs of its hunger relief partners. 

As an individual contributor, the Development Director is both a strategic and hands-on role. This is a unique career opportunity for an enterprising fundraiser who is passionate about food security to make a real impact on the trajectory of a nonprofit organization in its early stages. As such, the successful candidate will be a self-starter who thrives on building and executing fundraising strategies and tactics that support revenue growth within a smaller “start-up” environment.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

FUNDRAISING STRATEGY & EXECUTION 

• Collaboratively design and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy that supports the long-term financial stability of the organization. 
• Establish revenue goals that align with the organization’s future growth plans. 
• Lead fundraising initiatives with support from the Executive Director, Community Engagement & Events Coordinator, volunteers and community partners. 
• Identify and secure diverse and sustainable sources of funding, resources and inkind contributions to include individual and institutional giving, events, sponsorships, partnerships, community/volunteer engagement and more. 
• Identify opportunities to engage, train and support the fundraising efforts of volunteers, board, and staff. 
• Track, analyze and report fundraising data and progress toward annual goals. Provide strategic guidance to leadership and the board of directors on development progress and opportunities. 

GRANTS & INSTITUTIONAL GIVING 

• Identify and pursue grant opportunities from foundations, corporations and government entities. 
• Lead the development of grant proposals and ensure accurate and timely reporting in collaboration with finance and program staff. 
• Maintain internal systems for grant tracking, deadlines and progress reporting. 

DONOR ENGAGEMENT & STEWARDSHIP 

• Identify, cultivate and steward relationships with new and existing donors, sponsors, volunteers and affiliates/partners. 
• Skillfully present the case for support and directly solicit contributions from donors at all levels. 
• Collaborate with the Executive Director and board members to support donor cultivation and stewardship strategies. 
• Maintain accurate records, meeting notes and stewardship plans in the donor database. 
• Provide timely acknowledgment and recognition for all gifts and contributions.

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS 

• Drive the development of compelling fundraising campaign communications that align with organizational goals, ensuring consistent branding and messaging across appeals, acknowledgments, event promotions, publications and all digital channels. 
• Contribute content and ideas that highlight impact and inspire engagement across fundraising platforms. 
• Partner with staff to write, edit and produce communication materials for solicitation, training and donor education. 

EVENTS & SPONSORSHIPS 

• Collaborate with staff, volunteers and other stakeholders to plan and execute fundraising events and special projects. 
• Lead sponsorship efforts by identifying and cultivating potential partners, presenting opportunities and stewarding relationships. 
• Direct and oversee the work of event committees, vendors and volunteers to ensure successful execution and donor experience.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent professional experience 
• Broad knowledge of – and experience with – best practices in the nonprofit development field 
• Minimum of 5 years of professional fundraising experience for a similar-sized or larger nonprofit 
• Direct experience securing major gifts (5+ figures) from individual donors, foundations, family trusts, etc. 

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• CFRE and/or other professional designation 
• Experience securing in-kind contributions and/or supplier discounts is helpful 
• Experience raising money for hunger relief or other basic needs is a plus

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES 

• Passion for the mission of hunger relief and food justice. 
• Strong fundraising skills in donor relations, grant writing, sponsorship development, event fundraising and capital campaigns. 
• Proficiency with CRM/donor management software (DonorPerfect experience is a plus) and other digital tools to create efficient and streamlined processes. 
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills – both in-person and online. 
• Track record of successful fundraising using various media platforms (social, digital, streaming, broadcast, print, public speaking, etc.) to share content that builds awareness, drives engagement and inspires donors to give. 
• Skilled at collaborating with – and directing the work of – volunteers, staff, board and others to execute development activities. Initiative and self-direction balanced with a collaborative and approachable demeanor. Skilled at influencing people and leading activities – with or without formal authority. 
• Detail-oriented and organized, with the ability to manage multiple, concurrent projects and deadlines in a dynamic environment. 
• Ability to systematically plan, implement and track the detailed steps of fundraising campaigns. 
• Adaptable and comfortable balancing strategic work with hands-on implementation in a work setting where everyone pitches in to make the best use of limited resources.

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