‍Development Manager

‍Development Manager

Location: Kansas City, MO (hybrid) or Remote (from within the USA)

Salary: $50,000-$60,000 annually DOE (salary exempt, full-time)

About Folk Alliance International

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Folk Alliance International (FAI) is an arts nonprofit founded in 1989 to connect folk music leaders aiming to sustain the community and genre. As the leading international voice for folk music, FAI is a member organization and worldwide community for artists, agents, managers, labels, publicists, arts administrators, nonprofits, venues, festivals, and concert series presenters. Folk music is broadly defined and includes a variety of genres in the musical arts and industry.

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FAI convenes artists, music business industry professionals, and folk music communities on a global level with a mission to serve, strengthen, and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation, and promotion. FAI presents an annual event consisting of conference, awards show, and artist showcases as well as year-round programming.

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About the Position

The Development Manager will be responsible for FAI’s budget growth through sponsorship, fundraising, and grants. This position requires a strong project manager with a business development orientation who understands the nuances of fundraising, sponsorship, grants, and membership and is passionate about communicating the work of FAI to a growing audience.

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The ideal candidate has experience in the music industry and/or nonprofits and a record of leading sales, marketing, and fundraising efforts to inspire growth. This person excels in a team environment that values shared leadership and will step in to lead, do, or follow as the situation requires. A passion for music will help in this role, but musical experience is not required. FAI will prioritize a KC area resident, but we will consider a remote worker if it's the right candidate.

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Roles and Responsibilities:

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1. Fundraising and Membership Drives

• Lead fundraising efforts to achieve annual revenue goals, with distinct campaigns  focused on membership and donations.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with existing donors, ensuring ongoing engagement and support.
• Manage donor database and ensure accurate and timely donor acknowledgment and recognition
• Build schedules and KPI’s to track growth across FAI’s income sources: membership, registration, sales, donations, and grants.
• Identify and pursue new funding opportunities, including grants, sponsorships, and individual donations.
• Collaborate with the senior leadership to align development strategies with organizational goals.
• Organize fundraising campaigns across direct mail, email, social media, and direct appeals in coordination with the communications team.
• Build materials that tell FAI’s story to current donors, potential donors and members.
• Work collaboratively with board members to thank donors through calls and emails.
• Work closely with the leadership team and employ research to identify and court major donors.
• Implement best practices in fundraising based on self-lead education and peer mentorship.

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2. Sales and Business Development

• Develop the sponsorship deliverables and create packages to maximize sponsorship revenue.
• Work with the communications team to design assets to clearly explain and sell sponsorships.
• Creatively develop business solutions for FAI’s members ranging from small budgets to major brands.
• Achieve budget targets by maintaining an existing pipeline and expanding sponsorship through new relationships.
• Work collaboratively with senior leadership to meet sponsorship goals.
• Creatively work with partners to create barters that offset organizational costs.
• Oversee the successful delivery of all sponsorship deliverables.
• Manage database and contracts as related to sponsorship and barters.

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3. Grants and Foundations

• Oversee grant writing and write where needed in collaboration with the Executive Team and contracted grant writer.
• Stay informed of programs and priorities to identify grant opportunities that match organizational growth.
• Seek new grant opportunities in partnership with senior leadership.
• Manage processes related to grants to track progress and grant activities.

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4. Collaboration, Leadership, and Strategy

• Work collaboratively with all levels of the organization to integrate development efforts with organizational goals and objectives.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and mentorship to staff and volunteers involved in development, and fundraising activities.
• Represent the organization at community events, conferences, and networking opportunities to promote our mission and build strategic partnerships.

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Qualifications:

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- Minimum of three years of experience in sponsorship sales, fundraising, or nonprofit development, preferably in the arts and culture sector and/or music industry.

- Proven track record of success in developing and executing fundraising strategies that achieve measurable results.

- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate the organization's mission and impact to diverse audiences.

- Strong leadership, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills.

- Proficiency in fundraising software and donor databases.

- Knowledge of current trends, best practices, and regulations in nonprofit development.

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The Development Manager plays a vital role in advancing our mission to enrich lives through music. If you are a strategic thinker, creative problem solver, and passionate advocate for the arts, we invite you to join our team and make a meaningful difference.

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