Development Director

Development Director

About the Farm

At Storybook Farm, we know that childhood shapes everything that comes next. But for too many children, those early years are marked by trauma, instability, and lack of access to the support they need to thrive. Storybook Farm exists to change that. Through equine and canine connections, nature exploration, horticulture, and hands-on learning, we help children strengthen their confidence, curiosity, and emotional well-being, while building core skills in literacy, STEM, and life. Since 2002, we’ve grown from serving just three children to more than 4,000 each year.

And the most remarkable part? All programs are provided at no cost to families for as long as they need them. We’re currently hiring a Development Director to help sustain this life-changing impact. We’re a passionate, hardworking team that believes in joy, humility, and rolling up our sleeves for a mission that matters. If you’re a driven, experienced, and talented fundraising go-getter ready to make a lasting difference and have fun while doing it, we’d love to meet you.

Job Summary 

We seek a dynamic, results-driven Development Director to lead Storybook Farm’s fundraising efforts with an emphasis on major gifts and personal donor solicitation. The ideal candidate thrives on building relationships, confidently making the ask, and cultivating a pipeline of high-impact donors. This role demands a proactive fundraiser who will help design and execute a strategic plan to grow revenue, engage donors personally, and inspire Board members and staff to elevate fundraising success.

Hours: Full-time, year-round. Occasional evening and weekend work. 

Benefits: Retirement Plan, health insurance, vacation, holidays, personal days, occasional work from home.

Title: Director of Development

Reports to: Executive Director.

Reviews: Performance reviews at 30, 60, 90 days and quarterly thereafter. Monthly reporting required.

Salary Range: $90,000 - $110,000 

Responsibilities

Major Gifts & Donor Solicitation

• Generate revenue by nurturing relationships with donors (all giving levels) and corporate sponsors, and asking them for money in person or on the phone.
• Identifying and cultivating new donors of all levels. 
• Confidently conduct face-to-face and phone asks, partnering with the Executive Director and Board members to maximize fundraising opportunities.
• Build and maintain a robust donor pipeline by conducting research with clear prospect identification and tracking.
• Collaborate with leadership to coach Board members in active fundraising roles.

Fundraising Strategy & Execution

• Help develop and implement an annual fundraising plan with measurable goals across major gifts, individual giving, corporate partnerships, and events.
• Oversee key fundraising initiatives and special campaigns to maximize donor engagement and revenue.
• Manage all stages of the donor lifecycle for all types of donors and giving levels. 
• Track, analyze, and report fundraising progress to leadership and Board.
• Help ensure all donor accounts in CRM are updated and maintained with accurate contact information, activities are tracked, and accounts coded correctly for marketing list management.

Administration 

• Assist in creating standard operating procedures to support all development projects and operations.
• Coordinate donor-based research activities.

Key Interfaces

• Executive management, board of directors, various fundraising committees.
• Executives and decision makers of key partnerships and sponsors.
• Donors, business owners, foundation executives, corporate executives, community leaders.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Ability to develop long-term donor relationships, ask for money, and overcome objections.
• Computer skills: Exceptional skills with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint (or equivalent). Experience with some type of donor management software or CRM software. 
• Superior writing skills. It’s imperative the candidate be an exceptional writer and be able to easily and quickly craft stories, and write compelling collateral based on proven tactics for writing copy that motivates donors and supporters to action.
• Superior speaking skills. The candidate must be an excellent communicator and be able to hold comfortable conversations with strangers, ask for money in face-to-face settings, and speak with ease to large audiences.
• Strong interpersonal skills to effectively work and develop relationships with a variety of people (including donors) with all types of personalities and all types of backgrounds.
• Ability to plan, prioritize, coordinate, and manage own work; ability to work unsupervised and make decisions and solve problems independently, effectively and creatively.
• Ability to present, inform and motivate individuals and groups about a mission.
• Goal-oriented, ORGANIZED, detail-oriented approach to work, persistent and persuasive.
• Understands the confidential nature of fundraising and donor information.

Education/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree preferred but not required.
• Minimum five years’ experience in the field of charitable fundraising. 
• Demonstrated success in raising money from donors, corporations, and foundations at all levels of giving.

Physical Requirements

• Sitting at a computer.
• Travel by car (employee’s vehicle) to meet with donors.

To be considered for this position:

• Complete the JotForm at this link: https://form.jotform.com/251884990243062

Deadline

None. Position open until filled.

Disclaimer

This job description is only a summary of the typical functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, and duties. The responsibilities, tasks, and duties of the person filling this role might differ from those outlined in the job description and that other duties, as assigned, might be part of the job.