Director of Fundraising

Job Summary: The Director of Fundraising will play a crucial role in securing the necessary resources to support our mission of creating, maintaining, and supporting broadcast media centers, Seacrest Studios, within pediatric hospitals.

This role will be responsible for implementing a comprehensive fundraising and development strategy, forging key partnerships, and cultivating a network of supporters to drive sustainable growth and impact. This role requires an analytical thinker with exceptional communication and relationship-building skills, a passion for our cause, and a demonstrated history of successful fundraising. A significant focus for this role will be on major gifts, corporate partnerships, along with some grant work.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities:

Fundraising Strategy and Execution:

• • Develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising plan to meet the organization's financial needs and support its growth objectives.
  • Identify and pursue diverse fundraising channels, including major gifts, corporate partnerships, grants and more.
  • Conduct ongoing prospect research to identify new funding opportunities and maintain a robust pipeline of potential donors.
  • Partner with Executive Director & VP, Business Development & Operations to conduct annual review and assessment of corporate partnerships.
  • Lead in planning and execution of fundraising events: i.e., performing advance research of attendees and understanding all details of each program to ensure events run smoothly and efficiently.

Major Gifts and Donor Cultivation:

• • Cultivate and steward relationships with major donors, foundations, corporations, and other potential sources of significant funding. Developing funding proposals and structuring complex gifts / multi-year gifts from $10,000 and above.

Stewardship:

• • Implement donor stewardship initiatives, ensuring timely acknowledgment, recognition, and ongoing communication with individual donors.
  • Manage and improve the utilization of our donor database, tracking donor interactions and engagement levels. Ensuring the timely capture and recording of data relating to the assigned prospect pool maintaining accurate and thorough records in CRM.

Budgeting and Reporting:

• • Work closely with senior leadership to establish and monitor development-related budgets.
  • Provide regular reports and updates on fundraising progress to the senior leadership.

Requirements/Qualifications:

• Minimum 8 years of development and fundraising experience.
• This position will preferably be based full time out of the Nashville, TN office, with the potential for a hybrid dynamic.
• Proven history of donor and portfolio growth, with gifts in the six figures.
• Ability to maintain donor files and securely manage confidential donor information.
• Deep understanding of the non-profit sector.
• Experience working in or partnering with the entertainment industry is preferable.
• Effective communication skills that will attract new supporters to invest in RSF’s mission.
• Ability to travel throughout the U.S. and work a flexible schedule, with occasional evening and weekend engagement.
• Excellent organizational, written, and verbal skills  
• A high degree of computer literacy and donor research skills.
• Experience working with Salesforce or similar CRMs.

About the Ryan Seacrest Foundation:

The Ryan Seacrest Foundation (RSF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring pediatric patients through entertainment and education focused initiatives.

RSF’s primary initiative is to build broadcast media centers, named Seacrest Studios, within pediatric hospitals for patients to explore the creative realms of radio, television, and new media. RSF’s aim is to contribute positively to the healing process for children and their families during their stay by developing these centers to bring an uplifting spirit to the hospital community. We believe access to multimedia experiences brings patients exciting and stimulating adventures to encourage optimistic thoughts during treatment.

It is also important to us to work with students from local colleges and universities, providing them with internships where they gain first-hand experience in broadcasting, programming, and operating a multimedia center.

Founded in 2009, RSF currently has Seacrest Studios at hospitals in Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Orange County, Philadelphia, Orlando, Nashville, Salt Lake City, Queens, Washington D.C., and Memphis. Two new studios will be launched in 2025 and 2026.