Description

Determined to Succeed is seeking a proactive, relationship-driven Philanthropy and Communications Manager to manage and grow key fundraising, donor stewardship, grants, sponsorship, event, and donor communications systems.

This is a manage-and-grow role for someone who takes initiative, follows through consistently, and is energized by building relationships. DTS has an existing donor base, an established annual fundraiser, foundation grant history, an active Board of Directors, and strong student outcomes. The Manager will be responsible for helping turn that foundation into stronger donor engagement and increased fundraising revenue in order to meet the $1.2 million annual budget.

The Manager will own important development workstreams, including donor stewardship, donor outreach, annual campaigns, grant tracking and drafting, sponsor follow-up, fundraising event coordination, donor communications, and development reporting. The Manager will independently manage timelines, identify next steps, bring ideas forward, and move work across the finish line.

The Executive Director will remain involved in organizational strategy and key donor relationships, and the Manager will work closely with the Executive Director, Board, Assistant Director, program staff, and graphic designer to execute fundraising and communications priorities.

Requirements

Fundraising Responsibilities

Donor Relations and Stewardship

• Steward, solicit, and grow donor relationships through in-person meetings, emails, phone calls, and handwritten notes.
• Manage relationships with current donors, lapsed donors, prospects, sponsors, and community supporters.
• Prepare for donor meetings by reviewing giving history, identifying opportunities, drafting talking points, and recommending next steps.
• Recommend strategies to increase donor participation, renew lapsed donors, and encourage increased giving.
• Send donation acknowledgment/tax letters and personalize where appropriate.
• Maintain accurate donor notes, contact information, follow-up tasks, and communication history in the donor database.

Annual Campaigns 

• Help DTS meet its annual fundraising goal of approximately $1.2 million in partnership with the Executive Director, Board, and staff.
• Execute existing annual fundraising campaigns, including Giving Tuesday, year-end giving, and other donor appeals.
• Create campaign timelines, draft outreach materials, segment donor lists, track progress, and manage follow-up.
• Identify opportunities for matching gifts, personalized appeals, and donor-specific follow-up.
• Provide regular campaign updates to the Executive Director.

Foundation Grants 

• Manage the grant calendar, including deadlines, reporting requirements, proposal materials, submission status, and funder communications.
• Draft LOIs, grant applications, reports, and funder updates using existing DTS templates and prior submissions as a foundation.
• Proactively research and recommend new grant opportunities aligned with DTS priorities.
• Maintain commonly used grant language, program descriptions, organizational summaries, and impact data.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with existing and prospective foundation contacts.

Annual Fundraiser - School’s Out for Summer

• Serve as the staff lead for the execution of DTS’s annual fundraiser, School’s Out for Summer.
• Manage the event timeline, task list, guest list, sponsorship materials, event committee, vendor coordination, ticketing, and follow-up systems.
• Manage sponsor outreach and fulfillment in partnership with the Executive Director and Board, while also identifying and cultivating new event sponsors. 
• Track sponsor benefits and ensure all recognition deliverables are completed, including signage, invitation/program acknowledgments, podium thanks, newsletter recognition, and related materials.
• Manage event communications, including invitations, reminders, sponsor materials, guest follow-up, post-event thank-yous, and pledge follow-up.
• Prepare post-event sponsor recaps, impact summaries, and photo highlights, and recommendations for improving the guest, sponsor, and donor experience.

Board and Development Support

• Partner with the Executive Director and Board Chair to support board fundraising efforts.
• Prepare board members with donor outreach language, talking points, email drafts, event invitations, and follow-up materials.
• Track board fundraising activity, including outreach, commitments, event seats, sponsorship prospects, and follow-up needs.
• Maintain a monthly development dashboard tracking donor outreach, gifts received, pledges, grant submissions, grant awards, sponsorships, lapsed donors, campaign progress, and event revenue.
• Bring recommendations to the Executive Director regarding donor follow-up, board engagement, and development priorities.

Communications and Marketing Responsibilities

• Draft and coordinate donor-facing communications, including:
  
  • Quarterly e-newsletters or impact updates
  • Student, alumni, or program spotlights
  • Fundraising campaign emails
  • Event promotion and follow-up
  • Donor updates and stewardship messages
  • Annual report
• Draft and update written materials such as donor letters, sponsorship packages, one-sheets, website updates, pamphlets, and other donor-facing collateral.
• Gather accurate program information, outcomes, photos, and student stories from staff.
• Coordinate with a graphic designer and/or printer for designed and printed materials.
• Maintain a consistent, warm, and impact-focused DTS voice across communications.
• Support social media updates for LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, with a goal of posting at least once per week.

Career and Community Engagement Support

• Coordinate with the College and Career Program Manager to engage local businesses and community partners.
• Support outreach for workplace visits and mock job interviews
• Track participating volunteers, interviewers, and community partners in the donor/CRM system.
• Compose thank-you notes and follow-up messages for volunteers, companies, and community partners.
• Identify community partners with potential for greater donor, volunteer, sponsorship, or career-engagement relationships.

Additional Duties

• Attend weekly staff meetings at Hamilton High School.
• Attend special program functions/events.
• Build familiarity with DTS students, families, programs, and culture in order to communicate the work authentically.
• Assist with special projects and organizational needs as assigned.
• Collaborate with staff across programs, operations, and leadership.

Required Qualifications

• Superb written communication skills.
• Superb verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple deadlines.
• Comfortable building relationships with donors, volunteers, community partners, and staff.
• Experience with nonprofit fundraising, donor relations, communications, grants, and events.
• Experience drafting donor-facing materials such as emails, letters, appeals, reports, or newsletters.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace, including Docs, Sheets, Drive, Gmail, and Calendar.
• Comfortable using a CRM, donor database, or similar tracking system.
• Able to maintain accurate records and follow through on details.
• Collaborative, flexible, and able to work well on a small team.
• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree.

Must complete a background check, Live Scan, and TB test.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with college access, education equity, youth development, or first-generation college student support.
• Experience with donor databases such as Network for Good, Salesforce, or similar platforms

Training

On-the-job training will be provided

To apply, send a resume and cover letter to:
Mimi Neandross, Executive Director

Email: [email protected]

Finalists may be asked to provide a writing sample, such as a donor letter, sponsorship pitch, grant application, newsletter, fundraising email, or other relevant writing sample.

Learn More About Determined to Succeed

Website: www.dtsla.org