Company Description
About the David Lynch Foundation
The David Lynch Foundation (DLF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 2005. Our mission is to reduce the epidemic of trauma and toxic stress among at-risk populations through the implementation of the evidence-based Transcendental Meditation technique. DLF has served more than 500,000 children and adults worldwide, with a focus on underserved middle and high school students, veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress and their families, and women and children dealing with domestic violence and sexual assault. DLF also works with those in recovery, the homeless, prison populations, people living with HIV/AIDS, and others. In addition, DLF offers programs for companies and government agencies, the proceeds of which help support our mission-directed programs.
Job Description
The Associate Director of Philanthropy for the Los Angeles Region is part of the David Lynch Foundation Philanthropy team and works closely with both the Director of the Los Angeles Region and the Chief Philanthropy & Communications Officer of DLF to develop, plan, and execute a comprehensive fundraising plan covering all facets (individual and institutional) for DLF program and operational needs in the Los Angeles region. The position is responsible for identifying and cultivating prospective donors, stewarding current donors to maintain and increase their donations, and utilizing all methods – traditional and new – to increase fundraising support and reach budgeted goals in coordination with the Los Angeles office and the national (New York) office.
Essential Responsibilities
The Associate Director must be an entrepreneurial and results-oriented individual who is self-motivated, committed to working at the highest level of quality, able to work both independently and in collaboration, manage multiple priorities, and thrive within tight deadlines. The ability to maintain focus on overarching goals and objectives is essential. The ideal candidate will have a strong foundation of best practice fundraising in southern California, with a track record of using effective strategies and tactics to obtain and maximize contributed income.
The Associate Director must believe in and be dedicated to the David Lynch Foundation’s mission, have experience in regularly using and optimizing a donor database to provide information and target funding appeals, be open to new ideas, and embody creativity in fundraising. The Associate Director must have a focus on customer service when working with donors and be collaborative in dealing with new ideas from different areas of the Foundation, including Senior Management, Programs, and Communications.
The Associate Director will:
o Plan, develop, and implement all components of donor appeals using electronic and print methodology in collaboration with the New York-based national Philanthropy team.
o Research, prepare, submit, and manage grant proposals and reporting, in coordination with the National office.
o Have lead responsibility for overseeing the management and use of donor records in DLF’s donor database (currently CauseView from Salesforce).
o Maintain and cultivate donor relationships for donors under the Major Gift ($25,000) level, in coordination with the Director, DLF/LA and the National office.
o Research and recommend new individual and institutional (foundation and corporate) donor targets and opportunities.
o Oversee the timely sending of donor acknowledgements and will prepare higher-level donor acknowledgements, in coordination with the Director, DLF/LA and the National office.
o Prepare and distribute donor appeals, in coordination with the Director, DLF/LA and the National office.
o Optimize opportunities for individual support with Communications and DLF Live (live productions).
o Manage donor communications.
o Collaborate with programs and other staff to prepare and present the organization in a highly compelling manner.
o Manage the Regional Institutional Giving pipeline and database for institutional funders and prospects.
o Establish and maintain contact with institutional funders and recommend activities that connect them to DLF programs and management.
o Maintain all donor tracking, reporting, and management tools, including comprehensive donor information in the CauseView database.
o Track of donor commitments, including payment schedules and renewal dates.
o Work closely with Philanthropy staff for timely processing of all donations.
o Tracking LA region contributed income against budgeted fundraising goals.
o Oversee and manage donor and prospective donor e-mail inquiries.
o Create and implement cultivation and fundraising events that strengthen relationships, in coordination with the Director, DLF/LA and the National office.
o Plan and manage smaller cultivation and stewardship events as appropriate.
o Work with Finance staff to build program budgets for fundraising needs.
o Comply with all interim and final grant reporting as required.
o Support other projects as requested.
Qualifications
The Associate Director of Philanthropy for the David Lynch Foundation’s Los Angeles Region will have a Bachelor’s Degree and 3-6 years of experience in individual fundraising and institutional giving with proven, quantitative results. Additional requirements include:
o Significant experience in preparing, implementing, and acknowledging numerous donation appeals, preferably for a California-based not-for-profit organization.
o Experience in researching and successfully contacting foundation and other institutional prospects.
o Experience building relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
o Strong interpersonal skills.
o Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
o Experience in delivering positive customer service including excellent follow up and follow through.
o Strong organization and prioritization skills.
o Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously.
o Attention to detail.
o Interest in utilizing new methods and implementing new ideas.
o A collaborative nature.
o A strong work ethic.
o Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and databases (Salesforce preferred).
Interactions:
o Reports to: Directly reports to Director DLF/LA with a dotted line to the Chief Philanthropy & Communications Officer (based in NY).
o Supervises: The position has partial access to a DLF/LA Assistant as well as support staff handling donor systems.
This is a full-time, salaried position based in the Los Angeles offices of the Foundation in the Hancock Park area. After an initial employment period, employees become eligible for the Foundation’s comprehensive employee benefits package, including group health and dental plans, voluntary vision, life/AD&D and long-term disability insurance, flex plans for medical, dependent and commuting expenses and paid time off.
Additional Information
What is Transcendental Meditation?
Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a simple, easily-learned, evidence-based technique, practiced for 20 minutes twice a day, sitting comfortably in a chair with the eyes closed. During TM, the body gains a profound state of rest and relaxation while the mind is wide awake and the brain functions with increased coherence. More than 350 peer-reviewed studies verify the physiological and psychological benefits of Transcendental Meditation for reducing stress and stress-related disorders, including hypertension, anxiety, depression, and insomnia, while increasing creativity, energy, intelligence, and focus.
