Fundraising Consultant

Website womenstrongintl WomenStrong International

Requirement: WomenStrong International seeks to procure an experienced fundraising consultant or firm to support the execution of an ambitious fundraising strategy to support its new Strategic Plan (2023-2025).

Reporting to: Executive Director, WomenStrong International

Length of Contract and LOE: TBD. WomenStrong estimates the length of contract to be between 6 – 8 months. The length of contract, based on the scope of work and applicant availability, will be finalized in consultation with the successful applicant and WomenStrong.

Salary/Fees: Applicants are requested to outline their usual fee structure for contracts of this nature. Final fee structure and will be agreed between successful applicant and WomenStrong.

Application Deadline: January 15, 2023

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WomenStrong International is a non-profit private operating foundation, based in the United States, that is building a global community of women-led organizations working to advance the rights and wellbeing of women and girls worldwide.

Our grantee partners receive unrestricted funding, access to a tailored program of technical and capacity support, and the opportunity to participate in a peer Learning Lab, where they can share with fellow partners what’s working, and what’s not.

Since our founding, WomenStrong has invested more than $20 million in direct grants to women’s organizations and in supporting these organizations with technical assistance, opportunities to present their work, and other organizational strengthening and learning activities.

Currently, WomenStrong is reliant on limited philanthropic funding.  Following a fundraising audit and assessment, conducted in 2022, and the completion of an ambitious new three-year organizational strategy (2023-2025), we recognize the critical importance of diversifying our donor base and implementing a comprehensive fundraising strategy to ensure our sustainability as an organization. We have an exciting and progressive model, and we believe that there is enormous potential to forge new and sustainable partnerships with a variety of funders interested in supporting women’s and girls’ rights around the world.

We are therefore looking for a highly experienced fundraising consultant/firm who will help us guide our approach to reaching, soliciting, and forging impactful relationships with the donor community. The successful applicant will be an inspirational fundraiser committed to WomenStrong’s goal of providing transformational support for women-led organizations working on women’s empowerment around the world.

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The Role

WomenStrong is looking for a highly experienced fundraising consultant/firm who can help us identify and secure significant donor support, with an emphasis on growth, donor diversity, and sustainability. Specifically, the successful applicant(s) will support WomenStrong in the following areas:

Identifying and building a sustainable donor base for WomenStrong:

  • Advise WomenStrong on the most likely sources of funding for its model and help us to strategically and proactively pursue them.
  • Develop a list of potential funders for WomenStrong, including high net worth individuals, philanthropic advisors, and institutional support through prospecting, networking, research, and, when appropriate, their own introductions.
  • Implement a detailed fundraising strategy, with tailored tactics to reach and engage with each prospect.
  • Assist with cultivating new relationships with potential donors and supporting the Executive Director, senior staff, or Board members to continue those relationships.
  • Advise WomenStrong staff on the appropriate collateral (proposals, budgets, pitch decks, concept notes, etc.) to provide to potential donors.

Communicating WomenStrong’s impact to a donor audience:

  • Provide an objective perspective to WomenStrong, helping it to determine how best to communicate its identity, its value, and its impact to diverse donor audiences.
  • Work closely with WomenStrong’s communications and knowledge and learning teams to create communications materials, metrics, and messages that highlight compelling evidence of WomenStrong’s impact.
  • Engage with the communications team on the development of collateral materials, (briefs, newsletters, pitches, campaign letters, impact reports, social media material, etc.) that best support donor cultivation.
  • Consult with the communications team on the visibility and networking opportunities (conferences, webinars, events, salons, etc.) that WomenStrong should either attend, or host, to raise its visibility and gain greater access to the donor community.
  • Advise WomenStrong’s communications team and the Executive Director on WomenStrong’s strategy to capitalize on Giving Tuesday, End-of-Year giving, and fundraising campaigns attached to specific commemorative days and events (e.g., International Day of the Girl Child, International Women’s Day, etc.).

Supporting WomenStrong’s investment in fundraising:

  • Collaborate with the Executive Director to set specific fundraising goals for the organization within the timeframe of the contract.
  • Support the Executive Director, the Board, and WomenStrong staff as appropriate, to actively and regularly engage with donor networks, affinity groups and conferences, to raise the profile of WomenStrong International across the philanthropic community and confidently build relationships with a progressively growing network of potential donors.
  • Advise the Executive Director on identifying new potential Board members and building a Board of Directors that can support WomenStrong’s fundraising and networking capacities and that will reflect the diversity of the communities we wish to serve.
  • Advise the Executive Director on the long-term fundraising resources that WomenStrong should invest in, such as development staff, collateral, donor database systems, and administrative resources.

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The Requirements

WomenStrong is looking for applications from individuals, teams, or firms with the following attributes:

  • At least 8-10 years working in fundraising and/or philanthropic roles, particularly in the gender and women’s rights sectors. This should be reflected by a strong network within the donor community in the United States, and excellent relationship-building skills.
  • Experience in the implementation of fundraising strategies, preferably with a focus on donor outreach, donor diversification, and/or sustainability.
  • Accustomed to working towards specific fundraising targets.
  • A demonstrable track record of identifying and securing gifts and grants from individuals, foundations, and/or corporate donors, including unrestricted and multi-year funding and recurring donations.
  • A creative thinker with persuasive communication skills that extend to effectively conveying the purpose of the organization and articulating the alignment between a donor’s interests and the WomenStrong model.
  • Experience in training and supporting clients in “making the ask.”
  • Strong knowledge of the philanthropic landscape and current funding trends for international women’s and girls’ rights.
  • A genuine interest in WomenStrong’s mission and knowledge of the areas in which it works: girls’ education, women’s health, violence prevention, and economic security and opportunity for women and girls.
  • Experience in working remotely, with cross-cultural and geographically scattered teams.
  • The ability to work under pressure, independently, and to be responsive to the specific and timely requirements of potential donors.
  • Willingness to travel within the US, as needed.
  • Competence in Google Suite, Microsoft Office suite, and donor management software (e.g., Salesforce, Blackbaud, etc.).

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Application Process

If you are interested in being considered for this consultancy, please send a concept note to WomenStrong International (of no more than three pages) that describes your suitability and qualifications for the role outlined in the Job Description.

Please also outline your proposed fee structure, your suggested timeframe for the contract, and the key deliverables you hope to reach within that timeframe. Please also provide two references that can speak to your experience and qualifications in meeting the expectations of this job description.

Please send your concept note to [email protected] with “Fundraising Consultancy” in the subject line, to arrive no later than January 15th, 2023.

Please note that due to the expected response to this announcement, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. Thank you.

WomenStrong International is an equal employment opportunity for all regardless of race, color, citizenship, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran or reservist status or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.