About BGCSM
For 96 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (BGCSM) has been serving youth and their families in and around Detroit, fulfilling our mission to enable youth to become career, start-up, and homeowner ready. BGCSM serves 21,000 people annually including 14,000 registered members across three counties. Our multi-generational approach provides youth with an ecosystem of places, programs and partners committed to helping them move toward self-efficacy. BGCSM’s long-term goal is to become an economic mobility hub providing the resources and opportunities needed for youth, families, and entrepreneurs to climb the mobility ladder while driving neighborhood revitalization.
To learn more about BGCSM visit www.bgcsm.org and follow us on social media on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Position Overview:
We are seeking a dynamic and strategic Director of Philanthropy Research to lead our efforts in identifying new funding opportunities and qualifying donor prospects. As a key member of our fundraising team, the successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing comprehensive research initiatives, providing valuable insights to guide fundraising strategies, and playing a crucial role in expanding our philanthropic reach. In this fast-paced and dynamic organization, the successful candidate will be a self-starter capable of working with minimal supervision. Duties and job descriptions will shift and change with the organization's evolving needs, making adaptability and proactive problem-solving essential qualities for success in this role.
Responsibilities:
- Lead the research and identification of new funding opportunities from foundations, corporations, government agencies, and individual donors.
- Utilize advanced research methodologies to identify and assess potential major donors, analyzing their capacity, inclination, and alignment with the organization's mission.
- Qualification and Evaluation:
- Develop and implement a systematic process for qualifying donor prospects, assessing their philanthropic interests, giving history, and potential impact.
- Provide strategic insights on the viability of donor prospects, guiding decision-making for cultivation and solicitation strategies.
- Conduct in-depth market analysis to identify emerging trends, philanthropic patterns, and new opportunities in the fundraising landscape.
- Stay informed about changes in donor behaviors, preferences, and expectations to inform proactive fundraising strategies.
- Collaborate closely with the fundraising team, senior leadership, and program managers to align research efforts with organizational goals and fundraising priorities.
- Provide research-driven insights to support the development of targeted fundraising campaigns.
- Ensure accurate and up-to-date records of donor research activities, maintaining a comprehensive database of qualified prospects and funding opportunities.
- Collaborate with the fundraising operations team to integrate research findings into the donor relationship management system.
- Generate and present regular reports on philanthropic research findings, trends, and opportunities to inform organizational decision-making.
- Provide actionable insights for the development of effective fundraising strategies and initiatives.
- Ethical and Legal Compliance:
- Ensure that all philanthropy research activities adhere to ethical standards, legal requirements, and industry best practices.
- Stay informed about relevant regulations and compliance standards related to philanthropy research.
