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Head of Philanthropy and Private Funding

Calstart
3 days ago
Full-time
Remote
United States
Nonprofit
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About Us:

CALSTART is a mission-driven industry organization focused on transportation decarbonization and clean air for all.

For over 30 years, itā€™s been CALSTARTā€™s mission to develop, assess, and implement large-scale, zero-emission transportation solutions to mitigate climate change and support economic growth. CALSTART works with businesses, organizations, governments, and communities to create real-life impact toward clean air and equitable access to clean transportation for all. CALSTART provides scientific, technical and policy support for regulatory development and clean technology and infrastructure acceleration.

About The Role:Ā Ā 

CALSTARTĀ is seekingĀ aĀ Head of Philanthropy and Private FundingĀ that is aĀ strategic andĀ collaborativeĀ leaderĀ toĀ manageĀ and growĀ the organizationā€™s existing and futureĀ philanthropic relations. Ā The organization isĀ seekingĀ toĀ Ā expandĀ and diversify ourĀ pool of private (non-government) revenue.Ā Achieving our mission requiresĀ growth inĀ ourĀ impact, deeper partnerships,Ā and aĀ philanthropic strategy that matches the scale of our ambition.Ā 

To lead this effort, we are looking for a Head of Philanthropy and Private Funding who is highly experienced, motivated, and results-oriented.Ā Ā The Head of Philanthropy and Private Funding, reporting directly to the CEO, will design and execute CALSTARTā€™s private fundraising strategy, cultivating high-impact relationships with current and new foundations, donor-advised funds (DAFs), high net-worth individuals, corporate philanthropy, and the general public. This leader will coordinate all activities related to the lifecycle of private grants and fundraising including funder research, identification, arrangement of meetings, lead cultivation, proposal development, grant management, deliverables, and reporting. This leader will be tasked with maintaining strong relationships with the broad set of funders that CALSTART currently works with, ensuring that we are delivering on existing grants and well positioned for both renewals and growth.Ā 

The ideal candidate will be a well-connectedĀ individual within theĀ cleanĀ transportationĀ and sustainabilityĀ communityĀ withĀ aĀ passion for our mission andĀ a trackĀ recordĀ of driving results, ideally in aĀ nonprofitĀ environment.Ā They will haveĀ demonstratedĀ success inĀ building strong donor pipelines,Ā growing relationships,Ā andĀ working collaboratively toĀ develop a compelling vision that funders will want to support. Ā They willĀ demonstrateĀ strongĀ writing skills,Ā organization, follow-through,Ā tracking andĀ delivering onĀ deadlines,Ā andĀ the ability toĀ leadĀ a professionalĀ supportĀ team.Ā TheyĀ will also embrace creative approaches to leveraging CALSTARTā€™s unique perspectives as an industry builder and implementation expert, as well as its industry and stakeholder network.Ā Ā 

They will partner very closelyĀ with the Head of Policy and the Sr. Director forĀ Global Drive to Zero,Ā which areĀ funded primarily through PhilanthropicĀ sources.Ā 

What Youā€™ll Do:

Strategic Leadership and Revenue Diversification:Ā 

  • Develop, drive, and adapt an annual and multi-yearĀ private fundraising strategyĀ aligned with organization goals.Ā 

  • Set annual private revenue targets in partnership with the CEO.Ā 

  • DevelopĀ compelling, comprehensive proposals that build on CALSTARTā€™s strengthsĀ and seek funding support with the philanthropic community and with other private funders.Ā 

  • Build a diversified portfolio of philanthropic revenue across foundations, DAFs, major donors, andĀ corporate philanthropy.Ā 

  • Manage a comprehensive fundraising pipeline andĀ generateĀ data-driven forecasting and reporting.Ā 

Donor Cultivation, Solicitation, and Stewardship:Ā 

  • Manage a portfolio of current and prospective donors (individual and institutional) andĀ developĀ andĀ maintainĀ meaningful relationships with CALSTARTā€™s community of philanthropists.Ā Ā 

  • Serve as a primary relationship manager for key philanthropic partners and prospects, working in partnership withĀ the Senior Leadership TeamĀ toĀ manage existing and foster new relationships.Ā 

  • EnsureĀ timelyĀ andĀ high-qualityĀ reportsĀ to fundersĀ on delivery ofĀ all existingĀ grants and managing grant renewal applications.Ā 

  • Design and implement a stewardship strategy that deepens donor engagement and strengthens retention,Ā with theĀ objectiveĀ ofĀ increasingĀ levels of giving.Ā 

  • Partner with the CEO, ExecutiveĀ CTeam,Ā and select board members toĀ engageĀ their networks and prepare them for donor conversations.Ā 

  • Launch and grow a robust Major Gifts program, including donor segmentation, prospecting, and personalized cultivation plans.Ā 

  • Develop and launch with Marketing a robust ongoing nurture campaign that is tailored for different funder audiences: institutions, major donors/family offices,Ā and individual supporters.Ā 

Cross-Organizational Collaboration and Thought Leadership:Ā 

  • Support the CEO and senior leaders inĀ representingĀ CALSTART toĀ theĀ philanthropic community.Ā 

  • Work closely with CALSTARTā€™sĀ Policy team, the Global Drive to Zero team,Ā InitiativesĀ andĀ RegionalĀ OfficesĀ Ā toĀ shape fundable concepts and articulate compelling cases for support.Ā 

  • Foster a culture of philanthropy across the organization, ensuring program leaders understand and contribute to fundraising success.Ā 

  • Collaborate withĀ Marketing andĀ CommunicationsĀ to develop clear, compelling philanthropic messaging and donor-facing materials.Ā 

  • Partner with the ExecutiveĀ Team to cross-functionally create annual revenue generation plans that include existingĀ awardsĀ and potentialĀ renewals,Ā aiming to increaseĀ and expandĀ intoĀ new streams of funding.Ā 

  • Partner with peer NGOs toĀ developĀ larger-scale campaigns for impact.Ā Ā 

Team Leadership and Governance:Ā 

  • Lead, mentor, and develop a small team of grant specialists focused on the pursuit, preparation, and renewal of philanthropic grants.Ā 

  • Strengthen fundraising systems, CRM practices, and data governance to support scalable growth.Ā 

  • Ensure adherence to ethical fundraising standards and grantĀ complianceĀ best practices.Ā 

What You'll Bring to the Table:

  • Bachelorā€™s degree, Advanced degree preferredĀ 

  • Extensive (10+ years) professional experience inĀ fundraising,Ā development, externalĀ relationshipĀ building.Ā 

  • Experience working inĀ the cleanĀ transportation, energy, and/or climate sectors.Ā Ā 

  • AĀ strongĀ track recordĀ of winning major foundation funding.Ā Ā 

  • Strong and trusted contacts and relationships with relevantĀ foundations, industry, and institutional funders.Ā Ā Ā 

  • Track recordĀ of developingĀ strong relationship, over time, with a broad set of stakeholdersĀ 

  • Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively atĀ all levels to actively support development-related goals and activitiesĀ 

  • Strong program oversight and project management experience.Ā Ā Exceptional campaign and proposal development and submission experience with a high win rate.Ā Ā 

  • ExceptionalĀ communication, public speaking,Ā presentation, organization, stakeholderĀ management,Ā  andĀ writing skills.Ā Ā Ā 

  • Willingness to travelĀ 10-15%, primarilyĀ within North AmericaĀ but alsoĀ abroadĀ 

  • Knowledge of project budgeting and organizational revenue forecasting. Ability to use software tools to enhance internal processes and drive improved results. Ā 

  • ProficiencyĀ in Microsoft Office suite of applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook).Ā Ā Ā 

$140,000 - $177,960 a year
Ā 

CALSTART values transparency and strives to provide as much information regarding compensation as possible. The salary range for this role isĀ $140,000 - $177,960. We determine pay based on several factors, including but not limited to job-related skills, qualifications, experience, education, internal equity and other factors relevant to the job.

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We understand that not everyone will match the above qualifications 100%. If your background isn't perfectly aligned but you feel you would be a great addition to the team, we'd love to hear from you.

We're a tight-knit team of world-class innovators, business minds, and change agents who believe passionately in our mission and put our team ahead of self. We are committed to the continued development and growth of our employees and invest in your success!

We care about your personal well being as much as your professional success and offer generous benefits to full time employees including: 100% company paid comprehensive health benefits for Medical, Dental, Vision, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability and Life Insurance, Retirement plan with generous company contributions, FSA for Health and Dependent Care, 3 weeks of vacation time in the first year of employment, 11 paid company holidays, paid sick time, paid family leave, and more!

Our inclusive environment focuses on making decisions based on merit without regard to race, color, hair texture, gender, religion, age, nationality, social or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, LGBTQIA+ status, marital status, pregnancy, disability, genetics, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.