EPAAF career opportunity

April 2024

Director of Development

EPAAF seeks a fundraising professional to develop the strategy for creating a sustainable donor base and leading all fundraising activities and communication efforts.

The vision of the East Palo Alto Academy Foundation (EPAAF) is for all students and alumni of East Palo Alto Academy (EPAA) to have the opportunity to pursue lives of choice that uplift themselves, their families, and their communities. EPAA opened in 2001 as the city’s first public high school in 25 years and, until 2017, was supported by Stanford New Schools, a nonprofit in partnership with Stanford University Graduate School of Education. In 2017, the supporting organization became the East Palo Alto Academy Foundation, an independent 501(c)3 with a distinct identity.

The impact of EPAAF is significant. Most students are not only the first in their family to attend college but are also the first to graduate from high school. EPAA provides a fundamentally different student experience and is committed to creating a college-going culture. Delivered by an award-winning and exceptionally dedicated faculty and staff who provide academic, navigational, and social-emotional support and assist with access to financial resources, the team strives every day to achieve the mission to support the students and graduates through high school and postsecondary pathways into meaningful careers. EPAAF makes critical high school programs possible, including the Early College Program, Dream Lab Makerspace, athletics, arts and culture, career and college counseling, wraparound health services, teacher professional development, etc. Upon graduation, EPAAF provides alumni with access to scholarships, tutoring, advising, and mentoring through its alumni support programs. EPAAF-funded programs have helped 70% of first-generation, low-income students of color persist through college, well above the 42% national average, and the organization has recently expanded its mission to support even more EPAA alumni to achieve their dreams.

As EPAAF matures as an organization, it needs to expand the base of support to new philanthropists who are inspired by highly motivated students and evidence-based programming in order to sustain programs, provide more scholarships, and subsidize lower-paying internships. The search for the Director of Development (DoD) is a result of the organization’s commitment to invest in resources that support and sustain EPAA.

The DoD reports to the Executive Director – an inspiring educator and administrator – and together, they will co-create a strategy for raising awareness of EPAAF and developing a sustainable base of support from individuals, foundations, and corporations. EPAAF raises approximately $1.8M a year in contributed revenue, and next year, the goal will increase to $2.25M. EPAAF has a full-time team of three who roll up their sleeves, support one another, and thoroughly enjoy working together. The DoD will oversee the work of teammates dedicated to development operations, communication, and grant-writing.

THE POSITION

The Director of Development will bring expertise that complements the strengths of the Executive Director, including a track record of strategically engaging new donors through effective storytelling and connecting donors’ priorities to EPAAF. Working closely as partners, the DoD and ED will create a strategy for identifying and engaging new donors by segment, Director of Development, objectives for individual and institutional fundraising, events, and related success metrics. The DoD will create a robust fundraising calendar to ensure there is consistent outreach and awareness-building activities and that they tie back to results.

The DoD has direct oversight for contributed revenue and will place an emphasis on the identification, cultivation and stewardship of new donors/philanthropists, corporations, and foundations. The DoD will be a hands-on, energetic fundraiser who will spend time in the community developing strategically important relationships, meeting with prospective donors, and providing inspiring management to the Development Team.

In the first three months, the Director of Development’s immediate priorities are to:

  • Thoroughly understand EPAAF and EPAA – the history, culture, programs, personalities, constituencies, and impact; its base of financial support; and the short and long-term funding requirements for the organization.

  • Immediately assess the current status of ongoing fundraising efforts and provide support for those efforts as needed; assume a hands-on role in the identification, cultivation, and solicitation of major gifts and corporate funders.

  • Develop strong relationships with the ED, Board Chair, Chair of the Development Committee, and the Principal and teachers of EPAA; meet with key funders and others critical to individual and institutional fundraising efforts.

Ongoing responsibilities include:

  • Manage and personally engage in solicitation and stewardship activities in collaboration with the ED, Board, and other staff; provide leadership and coaching to assist others in their fundraising success.

  • Develop a pipeline of new individual and institutional donors; ensure cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities follow a strong, transparent process.

  • Understand EPAAF initiatives and develop stories/scripts that highlight the benefits of a small public school and its impact on students, their families, and the community.

  • Expand the public’s awareness of EPAAF, its mission, values, outcomes, and need for philanthropic support through consistent and effective communications in all outwardly facing materials, including direct marketing, website, social media, presentations, and impact reports.

  • Plan and execute special events that highlight EPAA, the students, and the importance of additional community support.

  • Collaborate with the Scholar Programs Manager to promote EPAAF’s postsecondary programs to generate new support for those programs.

  • Manage the activities of the Development Committee, including organizing meetings of the Committee, guiding members to carry out the fundraising action plans established and identifying, recruiting, and training new volunteer leaders.

  • With the Executive Director and the Nominating and Governance Committee, identify potential new Board members whose talents are complementary to the needs of EPAAF.Director of Development

IDEAL EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate will be passionate about actionable programs that break the cycle of poverty in our community, and have combinations of the following experience and qualities:

  • Bachelor’s degree and five (5) years of development experience.

  • A successful track record of personally raising gifts from individuals or institutional sources.

  • Demonstrated skills in coordinating and supporting the fundraising activities of others; holds team and self accountable for reaching or exceeding targets.

  • Broad-based knowledge of various development activities including direct solicitations, online giving, social media, direct mail, proposal and grant development, and event planning and management.

  • Practical experience in using data to manage the fundraising process, enhance donor cultivation, and drive fundraising priorities; an understanding of Salesforce NPSP is highly desirable.

  • A good listener and strategist; comfortable receiving input from many sources and able to analyze and formulate disparate information into a sound, well-organized plan.

  • Outgoing and fearless; derives energy from connecting with individuals, aligning the case for support, creating opportunities for engagement, and building enthusiasm for EPAAF.

  • Superior written and oral communication skills with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to articulate a compelling case for programs.

  • Emotionally mature with a good sense of humor and the flexibility and sensitivity to work with diverse personalities and situations.

The expected pay range for this position is $110,000-$125,000 based on experience and expertise. EPAAF is committed to the well-being of staff and their families and offers an excellent benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; paid vacation; holidays; sick days; and a 403(b). EPAAF is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace where every staff member feels heard, supported, and valued. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals.

For more information please contact:

Lisa Grossman (650) 323-3565 or lisag@moppenheim.com

Oscar Quiros (415) 762-2643 or oscarq@moppenheim.com

m/Oppenheim Executive Search

558 Presidio Boulevard, Box 29625,

San Francisco, CA 94129-0625