Donor Cultivation Manager

Lighthouse Vision Loss Center; Sarasota (FL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Lighthouse Vision Loss Center in Florida is seeking a Donor Cultivation Manager to build relationships with organizational and individual prospects and diversify philanthropic support.

You will move donors from initial engagement toward committed giving, manage post-award activities, reporting, and donor communications, and coordinate with the CEO and Business Development Director to strengthen fundraising initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communications, English, or a related field is required or preferred.
• CFRE certification is preferred but not required.
• At least three years of donor cultivation, relationship management, planned giving, or related fundraising experience is required.
• Knowledge of the local community/service area is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Identify and cultivate relationships with new organizational and individual prospects to increase and diversify Lighthouse's philanthropic support.
• Build and maintain an active pipeline of prospective donors and funding partners through outreach, research, and relationship-building.
• Develop and implement a planned giving program, including identifying, cultivating, and stewarding donors capable of making legacy and estate gifts.
• Schedule and coordinate meetings among prospects, the CEO, and the Business Development Director to solidify and formalize new working relationships.
• Serve as staff liaison to the Board of Directors Development Committee, coordinating and tracking monthly board member assignments for donor cultivation activities.
• Design and lead the Annual Fundraising Plan and generate attendance and sponsorships for fundraising events.
• Collaborate with the Marketing Department to align donor relations efforts and communications.
• Manage the annual appeal schedule, including design, distribution, and tracking returns.
• Manage post-award grant and gift activities, including allocations and burn-rate tracking.

Skills

Donor cultivation

Relationship management

Planned giving

Grant management

Education

Bachelor's degree in communications/related field

CFRE certification preferred

Tools

Salesforce CRM

Microsoft Office

Job description

In coordination with the CEO and the Business Development Director, the Donor Cultivation Manager is responsible for identifying new organizational and individual prospects and building relationships with them to increase and diversify philanthropic support for Lighthouse Vision Loss Center. The Donor Cultivation Manager works to move prospects from initial engagement toward committed, ongoing giving relationships, and manages post-award activities, reporting, and donor communications once support is secured.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Identify and cultivate relationships with new organizational and individual prospects to increase and diversify Lighthouse's philanthropic support.
• Build and maintain an active pipeline of prospective donors and funding partners through ongoing outreach, research, and relationship-building.
• Develop and implement a planned giving program, including identifying, cultivating, and stewarding donors capable of making legacy and estate gifts.
• Schedule and coordinate meetings among prospects, the CEO, and the Business Development Director to solidify and formalize new working relationships.
• Serve as staff liaison to the Board of Directors Development Committee, coordinating and tracking monthly Board member assignments for donor cultivation activities.
• Design and lead the Annual Fundraising Plan
• Generate attendance and registration for the annual gala, small fundraising events, and all other fundraising events.
• Secure event items for auction and secure sponsorships for the Annual Gala and all fundraising events, including small fundraising events.
• Collaborate with the Marketing Department to align efforts
• Manage the annual appeal schedule, including piece design and content, timely distribution, and tracking returns.
• Manage content and regular distribution of Constant Contact emails for both the agency and the Luminations store.
• Manage post-award grant and gift activities, including grant allocations and budgets, burn-rate tracking, and department allocations.
• Prepare and submit timely, accurate reports to funders and donors in accordance with grant and gift agreements.
• Use Salesforce as the system of record to manage information across the full relationship lifecycle, from prospect and pre-award pipeline tracking through post-award grant and gift activity, including timely gift acknowledgment and proper donor recognition.
• Manage ongoing donor and funder communications and stewardship activities to strengthen and sustain existing relationships.
• Use AI-assisted tools to streamline prospect research, donor and funder communications drafting, and reporting workflows.
• Provide administrative support to the Business Development Director as needed.

Other Functions

• Attend meetings and trainings as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Needed

• Bachelor's Degree in Communications, English, or a related field preferred.
• Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) preferred
• At least three years' experience in donor cultivation, relationship management, planned giving, grants management, or related fundraising work required.
• Knowledge of the local community/service area.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, and the ability to engage a diverse range of donors, funders, Board members, and staff with diplomacy and tact.
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple relationships, deadlines, and reporting requirements simultaneously.
• Ability to coordinate fund-raisers and special-event projects.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Strong computer and internet skills, and knowledge of donor management software (e.g., Salesforce) and/or Microsoft Office applications.
• Comfort using AI-assisted tools to support prospect research, communications drafting, and reporting efficiency.
• Ability to work cooperatively as a team member to meet organizational goals.

Physical Demands

• Ability to operate basic office equipment such as computers, copiers, and printers.
• Ability to travel within the service area (at times this can exceed two hours each way).
• Ability to sit at a computer or desk for sustained periods of time.

Other Requirements

• Access to reliable transportation enabling regular, predictable, on-time attendance.
• When driving a car for Lighthouse business, a valid Florida driver's license, good driving record, and proof of insurance are required.