About Activate Global

Activate empowers scientists and engineers to reinvent our world by bringing their research to market. We partner with leading funders and research institutions to offer the Activate Fellowship, providing the funding, community, mentorship, network, and time that scientists need to become entrepreneurs.

The results are game changing: Activate Fellows have launched 197 new companies since 2015. These companies have raised $4B in follow-on funding, created more than 2,800 U.S.-based jobs, and defined several new market categories. Activate supports fellows in Berkeley, CA; Cambridge, MA; New York, NY; Houston, TX; and across the U.S. through Activate Anywhere.

Position Summary

The Director of Philanthropy leads the strategy and execution of Activate’s philanthropic fundraising efforts, ensuring the organization has the resources needed to scale its impact. This role manages and grows Activate’s philanthropy team, cultivates high-value funding partnerships, and aligns development efforts across the organization. The Director of Philanthropy is an integral member of the development leadership team and reports to the Chief Development Officer (CDO).

Primary Responsibilities

Cultivation, Solicitation, and Stewardship

Develop, plan, and execute comprehensive strategies to grow philanthropic revenue across national and state funding sources.
Lead cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major philanthropic partners, donor networks, and funders.
Own key relationships across a portfolio of institutional and individual funders, ensuring thoughtful, personalized engagement.
Engage directly with donors and prospects through meetings, events, and ongoing communication.
Represent Activate at conferences, donor events, and other external engagements to build visibility among high-value audiences.
Support the development of compelling proposals, presentations, and briefings tailored to donor interests and funding priorities.’
Curate and oversee donor engagement opportunities—including salons, donor dinners, site visits, and executive-level check-ins—to deepen relationships.

Relationship Management

Oversee holistic, strategic relationship management across the philanthropy team to ensure high-quality stewardship and donor satisfaction.
Develop and reinforce best practices in relationship management across the organization, promoting cross-team coordination and consistent donor engagement.
Collaborate with the Brand team to develop donor visibility and engagement strategies that strengthen affinity and expand the funding pipeline.
Partner with senior organizational leaders and board members to support high-priority donor cultivation and stewardship efforts when appropriate.

Strategy, Planning, and Team Leadership

Develop and implement a multi-year philanthropic fundraising strategy aligned with organizational growth goals.
Collaborate with Finance to support accurate forecasting, revenue tracking, and budget planning.
Serve as an active CRM user, ensuring prompt, accurate data entry and partnering with development operations to maintain data quality and effective workflows.
Support the implementation and continual improvement of HubSpot and Airtable systems for pipeline, award tracking, and donor communications.
Use CRM data to identify trends, improve donor strategy, and contribute to long-term planning.
Manage, coach, and grow philanthropy team members in a remote first organization, including setting goals, providing feedback, and shaping professional development pathways.
Partner with internal stakeholders—including Community, Brand and Strategic Initiatives teams—to ensure aligned and coordinated fundraising efforts.
Contribute to impact reporting efforts by collaborating across the organization to develop and distribute updates to funders.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in philanthropy, fundraising, or development, with a track record of securing and stewarding six and seven figure major gifts or institutional funding.
Demonstrated experience building and managing high-performing teams.
Proven ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with major donors, foundations, and institutional funders.
Experience developing multi-year fundraising strategies and leading implementation across teams.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging for varied audiences.
Strong analytical skills and familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., HubSpot, Airtable), including using data to inform decision-making.
Ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously while maintaining strong organizational rigor and follow-through.

The Ideal Candidate…

Is passionate about Activate’s mission and motivated by the opportunity to mobilize resources that drive hard tech innovation.
Is a strategic thinker who excels at managing complex donor relationships and navigating sophisticated philanthropic landscapes.
Has strong emotional intelligence and communicates effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
Is entrepreneurial, collaborative, and committed to building systems that strengthen organizational resilience.
Demonstrates impeccable judgment, discretion, and integrity.
Fosters a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement within your team
Manage multiple priorities with strong project management, adaptability, and attention to detail
Thrives in a remote-first environment by creating clarity, alignment, and strong communication rhythms.
Values high-quality data and maintains disciplined CRM practices to support effective decision-making.

About the Role

This is a full-time remote position with a competitive salary of $160,000 and a generous benefits package that includes professional development, $2,000 in annual wellness funds, flexible paid time off, healthcare coverage for employees and dependents, with 90–100% of premiums covered, and the opportunity to join a retirement plan with a 3% match beginning after 3 months at Activate.

This role is open to candidates based in the U.S. This role involves up to 25% travel and frequent cross–time zone collaboration.

Encouraging Applications from All Backgrounds

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating a welcoming workplace for all employees. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. We will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. Activate Global, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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Director of Philanthropy