Director of Philanthropy: The Director of Philanthropy will develop, lead and execute the organization’s comprehensive fundraising and donor engagement strategies. This role works closely with the president of Women’s Fund and is responsible for cultivating and stewarding relationships with individual, corporate, and institutional donors to ensure financial sustainability and growth. The ideal candidate is a self-motivated, entrepreneurial and results-driven.
Women’s Fund of Central Indiana convenes, invests, and advocates so all who identify as women and girls living in Central Indiana have an equitable opportunity to reach their full potential, no matter their race, place or identity. Our priority areas are health, economic mobility and career development, girls’ empowerment and personal safety/intimate partner violence.
For nearly 30 years, Women’s Fund has executed its mission, in part, by granting more than $10M to more than 500 women- and girl-serving not-for-profits and programs in the eight-county Central Indiana region. We are dedicated to achieving the following strategic goals:
1) Harnessing the power of women and girls’ work, wealth and wisdom because we are stronger together
2) Cultivating a robust and healthy ecosystem of women- and girl-serving organizations
3) Amplifying the experiences of women and girls, especially those often ignored and underrepresented
4) Growing capacity and resources to ensure organizational excellence and sustainability.
Women’s Fund is a proud member of the Central Indiana Community Foundation philanthropic collaborative.
What We’re Looking For:
The Director of Philanthropy will develop, lead and execute the organization’s comprehensive fundraising and donor engagement strategies. This role works closely with the president of Women’s Fund and is responsible for cultivating and stewarding relationships with individual, corporate, and institutional donors to ensure financial sustainability and growth. The ideal candidate is a self-motivated, entrepreneurial, results-oriented, equity-driven fundraising professional with a deep understanding of gender and racial equity and a passion for advancing social justice. This fundraiser will play a critical role, alongside the president, in growing financial support for the organization’s strategic development, from a regional fund at a community foundation to an independent foundation that advocates for women and girls across the state.
Key Responsibilities
Fundraising Strategy and Implementation
· Develop and implement a multi-year, statewide fundraising plan to grow individual, corporate, and institutional giving.
· Identify and cultivate relationships with major donors, foundations, and corporate partners, focusing on building long-term commitments.
· Design and lead major giving campaigns, ensuring alignment with the foundation’s mission and priorities.
· Alongside the president, develop products (DAFs, giving circles, etc.) that amplify giving power to women’s and girls’ issues.
Donor Stewardship and Engagement
· Build and sustain meaningful relationships with donors, effectively communicating the impact of their contributions.
· Lead planning and execution of donor recognition events, campaigns, and communications to deepen engagement and loyalty.
· Develop tailored strategies for donor segmentation, ensuring an inclusive approach to outreach and engagement.
· Staff the fundraising committee.
Grantwriting and Institutional Partnerships
· Oversee preparing and submitting compelling grant proposals and reports to institutional funders.
· Collaborate with program teams to align funding opportunities with organizational priorities.
· Research and pursue new grant opportunities that support the foundation’s equity-focused work.
Collaboration and Leadership
· Serve as a key leadership team member, contributing to strategic discussions and organizational growth.
· Work closely with Central Indiana Community Foundation’s vice president of philanthropy and other collaborative fundraisers to maximize partnership and funds reaching the community while minimizing donor confusion and overwhelm.
· Collaborate with the communications team to develop impactful fundraising materials and campaigns.
· Manage the senior philanthropy officer and other development staff, providing mentorship and fostering a high-performing, inclusive fundraising culture.
Requirements
Education and Experience
· Minimum of 7 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, with a track record of success in major gifts, corporate partnerships, and institutional fundraising.
· Experience working within organizations focused on racial, gender, or social justice is highly preferred.
Skills and Competencies
· Proven ability to cultivate and steward relationships with donors, securing six- and seven-figure gifts.
· Strong understanding of racial and gender equity and how it intersects with philanthropy.
· Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience in crafting compelling donor materials.
· Strategic thinker with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.
· Proficiency in donor management software and data analysis tools (e.g., Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge).
Working Environment
· This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
Physical Demands
· The physical demands described here are representative of those that an employee must meet to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
· This is largely a sedentary role. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and/or hear and communicate sufficiently to exchange accurate information. The employee frequently is required to sit; stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. May be required to lift up to 10 lbs.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Working Conditions: Flexible hybrid office environment (in office three days a week). Home base–English Foundation Building in downtown Indianapolis, plus additional space and expectation of presence in Hamilton County Community Foundation’s Fishers office.
What You Get:
- $115,000 salary plus generous benefits, including:
- Employer-provided health, dental, vision
- 7% percent employer discretionary 403b contribution
- Potential for an annual bonus based on organizational and individual performance
- 10.5 paid holidays, including MLK Day and Juneteenth
- 20 PTO Days
- Flexible, hybrid work arrangement - Work from home on Mondays and Fridays
- Homebase–Newly renovated office space conveniently located downtown, just steps from Mass Ave.
- An opportunity to do meaningful, results-driven work with a passionate, diverse team, supporting organizations that are committed to building and maintaining a strong, equitable and supportive culture for our team of changemakers.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT:
Central Indiana Community Foundation, The Indianapolis Foundation, Hamilton County Community Foundation and Women’s Fund of Central Indiana are equal opportunity employers that seek to recruit persons of diverse backgrounds and to support their retention and advancement. Justice is one of our core values, and we are committed to fostering a workplace culture inclusive of people with respect to their race, ethnicity, national origin, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, veteran status, marital status, age, disabilities, political affiliation, religious beliefs or any other characteristic. Our commitment to justice and diversity also means providing a work environment that is welcoming, respectful, and engaging.
Our mission is to mobilize people, ideas and investments to make Central Indiana a community where all individuals have equitable opportunity to reach their full potential—no matter place, race or identity.
Racism deeply impacts the well-being of our communities, compounding existing disparities and creating intersectional barriers. We strive to name and address these barriers through community engagement and assessment, relevant and effective policy creation, and organizational accountability methods. We support initiatives that address all forms of oppression, however, maintaining an explicit focus on race is essential to advancing equity across our communities. Improving outcomes for people of color will improve outcomes for everyone.