Director of Development

Position Title:

Director of Development – Full-time, year-round position

Reporting Relationship:

Executive Director

Starting Date:

November 30, 2026 (negotiable)

Posting Date:

Posted until filled

Organization:

Founded in 2011, Evanston Scholars is a non-profit organization that improves college access and success for a diverse group of ambitious Evanston Township High School students who are traditionally first-generation college entrants, low-income, and students of color, starting with the college admissions process and continuing through graduation. The comprehensive, six-year program offers workshops, mentors, test prep, and college counseling to support students to get to and through college. The program now serves over 300 students, selecting 50-60 new high school sophomores every year. Roughly 80% of our Scholars graduate from college.

Location:

1234 Sherman Ave., Suite 214, Evanston, IL 60202

Position Description:

Evanston Scholars is seeking a dynamic Director of Development to join our team and help us expand funding to grow our services. The Director of Development is a senior leadership role responsible for designing and executing a comprehensive fundraising strategy to strengthen and diversify Evanston Scholars' philanthropic revenue base, with a current annual budget of approximately $2 million. The Director of Development will work alongside the Executive Director to develop and execute the annual major gifts strategy, corporate and foundation giving, prospect development, donor cultivation, stewardship efforts, and Board engagement. The Director of Development will manage a small development team and collaborate across departments to ensure fundraising efforts reflect program impact and organizational values.

Major Responsibilities :

Strategic Leadership & Revenue Growth

• In partnership with the Executive Director and the Board of Directors, leverage and enhance the existing development plan to implement a strategic and diversified fundraising plan in FY26-27 that meets the current goal of raising $2M and that anticipates future needs and growth objectives.
• Annually lead the development planning process alongside the Executive Director and Board of Directors to to establish annual and long-term fundraising goals and strategies.
• Customize segmented strategies and targeted communications to increase giving at all levels; including a focus on increasing donor pipeline and acquiring new donors.
• Monitor fundraising pipeline and regularly report progress to the Executive Director and Board. Produce quarterly reports on progress towards goals.
• Lead the Development team to translate annual strategy into actionable fundraising initiatives and monitor ongoing execution progress ensuring sustainability and measurable impact over time.
• Develop strategies to identify new individual supporters, fully leverage existing relationships, increase multi-year commitments, and maintain or elevate current commitments.
• Partner with Finance to align revenue projections and reporting during the annual planning process and throughout the fiscal year.

Portfolio Management

• Serve as primary manager in partnership with the Executive Director as solicitor to develop and execute a tailored fundraising and engagement strategy for renewal donors and prospects across individual, corporate, and foundation giving streams ensuring effective cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of high-priority donors and prospects.
• Identify and cultivate new individual, corporate, and foundation prospects in partnership with the Executive Director and Board.
• Develop the operations and systems necessary to support ongoing execution of annual engagement strategies in partnership with the Executive Director.

Board Engagement & Fundraising Partnership

• Partner with the Executive Director to build a strong culture of philanthropy with the Board.
• Prepare and present regular fundraising progress and gap analysis to the full Board, outlining meaningful roles for Board members in cultivation and stewardship efforts.
• Manage the scope and sequence and ongoing engagement of the Board’s Development Committee in service of activating the Board toward building new relationships and facilitating introductions to new prospects.
• Support Board members in developing confidence and capacity in fundraising.
• Work closely with the Development Committee to set strategy and monitor progress.
• Equip Board members with tools, messaging, and engagement opportunities.
• Support Executive Director in managing all Board communications related to advancing development strategy.