development director

Mudlark Theater; Evanston (IL); On-site; USD 56,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

retirement program (optional)

Paid time off (vacation, family leave,

holiday

Job summary

Mudlark Theater, a not-for-profit in Evanston, IL, seeks a Development Director to lead all fundraising and contributed revenue strategies. You will oversee individual and institutional giving, donor stewardship, sponsorships, and fundraising events, working closely with the Executive Director and Board leadership.

You will manage grants, donor communications, and CRM records, ensuring compliant, ethical fundraising practices while growing diversified revenue streams for Mudlark Theater.

Qualifications

• 3 years experience in fundraising.
• Proficiency in managing donor databases or CRMs.
• Strong written and verbal communicator. Grant-writing experience preferred.
• Enthusiasm to work on a small passionate team and grow contributed revenue capacity.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement comprehensive annual and multi-year fundraising strategies.
• Establish contributed revenue goals with leadership and maintain accountability.
• Monitor fundraising progress and provide regular reporting and analysis.
• Develop strategies to diversify and grow contributed revenue streams.
• Represent Mudlark Theater at community events and donor meetings.
• Build and maintain relationships with funders, sponsors, and institutional partners.
• Lead all annual giving, including donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and retention.
• Manage donor communications and acknowledgments.
• Maintain donor records in Neon CRM and track gifts and interactions.
• Generate contributed revenue reports for leadership and funders.
• Ensure compliance with fundraising regulations and ethical standards.
• Lead grant writing and reporting efforts; cultivate corporate sponsorships.

Skills

Fundraising

Donor communications

Grant writing

Public speaking

Tools

CRM software (Neon)

Job description

Mudlark Theater is a not-for-profit organization where children are taken seriously as artists and learn theater by making it. Our residencies, classes, and camps teach life skills as well as theater arts. Our productions have real substance and tell innovative stories that surprise and delight all audiences. Actors and students learn empathy, listening skills, public speaking, critical thinking, and collaboration—strengths that enhance their academic and personal growth, and will also prepare them to make a difference in any field they choose to enter. At Mudlark, we strive to be a welcoming and safe space where the stories and identities of all youth are honored and celebrated.

Summary

The Development Director is responsible for leading and implementing all fundraising and contributed revenue strategies that support the mission of Mudlark Theater. This position oversaw individual and institutional giving, donor stewardship, sponsorships, and fundraising events and is also responsible for establishing and achieving annual contributed revenue budget goals.

The Director of Development serves as a key member of the organization’s leadership team and works closely with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, and the Board Development Committee. They serve as the primary staff liaison to the Board Development Committee and act as a key deputy to the Executive Director in matters related to Board communication, engagement, and fundraising support.

This position reports to the Executive Director and may supervise development staff, contractors, interns, and event volunteers.

Key Responsibilities

Develop and implement comprehensive annual and multi-year fundraising strategies to support organizational priorities and growth.

Establish contributed revenue goals in collaboration with the Executive Director and Board leadership and maintain accountability for achieving fundraising benchmarks.

Monitor fundraising progress and provide regular reporting and analysis on campaign performance, donor activity, and revenue projections.

Develop strategies to diversify and grow contributed revenue streams.

Represent Mudlark Theater at community events, networking opportunities, donor meetings, and public-facing functions.

Build and maintain relationships with community leaders, funders, sponsors, and institutional partners.

Annual Giving, Campaigns, & Donor Relations

Lead all annual giving efforts, including donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and retention strategies.

Manage donor communications, acknowledgments, and recognition in digital and printed materials and public remarks at events.

Support the Executive Director and Board members in donor cultivation and solicitation activities.

Maintain accurate donor records in the organization’s CRM (Neon) and track gifts, pledges, donor interactions, and fundraising metrics.

Generate contributed revenue reports for leadership, board members, and funders.

Ensure compliance with fundraising regulations and ethical standards.

Institutional Giving

Manage grants portfolio including proposal timelines, reporting deadlines, and funder relationships.

Lead grant writing and reporting efforts in collaboration with staff.

Develop sponsorship opportunities and cultivate corporate partnerships aligned with organizational goals.

Board Relations & Development Committee

Attend all Mudlark Board meetings and serve as the primary staff liaison to the Board Development Committee.

Support Board fundraising engagement, donor cultivation efforts, and development-related strategic planning.

Assist the Executive Director with Board communications and Board meeting materials related to fundraising and advancement.

Events

Serve as the primary staff lead responsible for planning, coordination, and execution of fundraising events in collaboration with the Marketing and Audience Services Director and Executive Director.

Oversee all fundraising, sponsorship, donor cultivation, logistics, timelines, volunteer coordination, and event management related to the annual gala, Larkabout.

Collaborate with staff, Board members, event volunteers, and external vendors to ensure successful execution of events.

General Mudlark Duties

Attend weekly staff meetings.

Attend Mudlark shows and events as needed. Will require occasional evening and weekend hours.

Uphold company diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments, centering anti-racist, anti-bias, and anti-oppression principles when executing all work.

Qualifications

3 years experience in fundraising.

Proficiency in managing donor databases or CRMs.

Strong written and verbal communicator. Grant-writing experience preferred.

Enthusiasm to work on a small passionate team and grow contributed revenue capacity.

Prior experience working for a youth serving and/or arts organization is beneficial, but not required.

Reports to: Executive Director

Status: Full-time, exempt

Salary & Benefits: $56,000-$60,000 annually. Benefits include health insurance, optional retirement program, and paid time off (vacation, family leave, and holiday).

production positions

Costume Designers

Mudlark Theater is an Equal Opportunity Employer and committed to bringing diverse perspectives to our administrative and artistic teams.