Director of Development

StartOut

1d•$110,000 - $120,000•Remote

About The Position

StartOut seeks a dynamic and strategic Director of Development to lead our fundraising and advancement efforts, ensuring we meet or exceed our $2.3M annual revenue goals. You will play a pivotal role in driving the organization's growth by securing funding, building strategic partnerships, and implementing comprehensive development strategies. This leadership position requires a seasoned professional with a passion for our mission and a proven track record in fundraising and donor engagement.

Requirements

Minimum of 8 years in development, with demonstrated career progression over time.
Experience in development program management and execution, consistently meeting and surpassing fundraising targets.
Significant experience in corporate donor cultivation/solicitation. Proven track record of building donor relationships, closing gifts in the five and six-figure range, and fulfilling sponsorship deliverables.
Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate direct reports, non-direct reports, board members and volunteers toward shared objectives.
Solid base of contacts with corporations and foundations with an interest in the LGBTQ+ and/or entrepreneur ecosystem.
Demonstrated commitment to and experience working in diverse communities, including a commitment to DEIB initiatives and knowledge of LGBTQ+ issues and communities.
Experience aligning marketing strategies and program efforts with development objectives.
A passion for entrepreneurship and LGBTQ+ inclusion.
Organized, flexible and committed, with excellent interpersonal and communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator.
Ability to persuade and motivate others, and to gain the respect and attention of the Board leadership and influential volunteers.

Nice To Haves

Preference for knowledge of entrepreneurship and startup ecosystems.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a comprehensive, metrics-based fundraising strategy, securing at least $2.3M in annual dollars in line with StartOut’s strategic plan in 2026.
Nurture and grow existing funding sources.
Identify and pursue new funding sources, including foundations, corporations and major donors.
Prepare, support and collaborate with a highly engaged CEO on fundraising strategies and engagement.
Build a place-based funding strategy to secure new dollars tied to San Francisco, NYC and Los Angeles regions.
Grow annual revenue to at least $2.6M by 2027.
Provide monthly revenue projections to the Director of Operations and draft an annual revenue budget to be approved by the board.
Identify, solicit and steward corporate sponsors to donate to StartOut, understanding their needs for mission-based philanthropy, DEIB, and/or business development. Nearly 80% of the current development portfolio comes from corporate and/or corporate foundation partners.
Collaborate and coordinate with the programs and marketing teams to fulfill all sponsor deliverables and track in Salesforce.
Work with the Corporate Partnerships Manager and CEO on corporate portfolio assignments and prospecting new corporate sponsors.
Create sponsorship proposals, materials, decks, one-pagers, etc. working with marketing or designers when appropriate.
Facilitate processes to document all sponsorship contracts and acknowledge gifts appropriately together with the Director of Operations.
Identify, engage, solicit and steward institutional foundations to donate to StartOut.
Build a comprehensive strategy to identify and engage said founders, including both national foundations and place-based foundations with a focus on those engaged in entrepreneurship, business development, education, LGBTQ+ communities and other related areas.
Grow percent of portfolio from institutional foundations by 10% year-over-year.
Cultivate and steward relationships with existing and potential donors, including board members, to ensure a high level of engagement and support.
Partner with board members to create individual fundraising plans and coordinate activations for them to meet and exceed their $25,000 give/get commitments.
Manage a personal portfolio of corporate contacts and individual donors; assist CEO in management of their own portfolio of donors above $10,000 and high potential prospects.
Create a plan to steward and manage 1% pledge donors, program alumni who have indicated a desire to bequeath 1% of personal earnings from a liquidity event.
Oversee and collaborate with the marketing team to ensure cohesive messaging and branding across fundraising and other promotional materials.
Align and advise marketing strategies for development events.
Oversee digital fundraising and engagement campaigns for donors.
Build, lead and mentor high-performing teams, fostering a culture of growth, collaboration, innovation, inclusivity and accountability.
Supervise the Development and Operations Associate (part-time) and Senior Marketing Manager (full-time), including monitoring KPIs.
Provide guidance on fundraising best practices and ensure the team's success in achieving fundraising goals.
Manage and collaborate with the Corporate Partnerships Manager (contractor), and event planner (contractor).
Provide regular updates and reports to the leadership team and board of directors on fundraising performance.
Champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging both within StartOut and publicly with donors, in the entrepreneurial ecosystem and the LGBTQ+ and allied community.
Ensure that StartOut development events, attendees, and volunteer committees have representation from all StartOut community members.
Oversee the planning and execution of, and meet all fundraising goals for, the annual StartOut Awards and San Francisco and Provincetown salons, including management of event planning consultant.
Facilitate sponsorships, including in-kind venue, food and beverage, etc. for StartOut’s marquee events: StartOut Awards, StartOut Con, and Demo Day.
Serve as an articulate, enthusiastic, visible and tireless spokesperson for StartOut.
Create a strong institutional culture of philanthropy among our members to help drive revenue and awareness.
Provide guidance to local volunteer Leadership Councils to augment their fundraising capabilities and advise on national and local sponsorship strategy.