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City of Fremont

Senior Philanthropy Officer

 

THE ORGANIZATION

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Overview

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With a population of 230,000, Fremont is a vibrant, culturally diverse city in southern Alameda County. As the fourth largest city in the Bay Area, Fremont continues to attract residents to the area because of its quality of life, including a highly rated public education system and a low crime rate. Fremont’s diversity is reflected in the fact that 47% of its population is foreign born and 57% speak a language other than English at home. While Fremont’s two largest population groups are Chinese and East Indian, it also has one of the largest Afghan populations in the United States, many of whom have come to this country as refugees. As a result, a high incidence of PTSD exists among this population impacting both health and mental health needs. In many situations, aging adults have immigrated with their children and live with them in extended family arrangements; many have limited English skills.

 

Increasing housing costs have proven challenging for many middle class families who have considered Fremont their home for decades. Forty-two percent of renters in the area are rent burdened, i.e., paying more than 30% of their income in rent each month. One in five families are at or below the sustainability index for what it takes to meet basic family needs in Alameda County. These families often make difficult economic choices, juggling rent, food, child care and health costs. Committed to creating more affordable housing, Fremont currently has 900+ affordable housing units in the pipeline for development. However, like other communities in the Bay Area, its homeless population continues to grow. Finding ways to better serve and house this group has become a key focus for the city.  

 

Fremont’s Human Services Department

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Fremont’s Human Services Department supports the community by providing services that help those most vulnerable, empower individuals, strengthen families, enhance neighborhoods and foster a high-quality of life for all residents. Its programs support thousands of residents throughout their lives, from infants to elders. For example, Fremont’s Community Ambassador Program, developed with a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation start-up grant, educates and trains volunteers from the city’s faith and cultural-based communities to assist elders in problem solving and to connect them to community resources that assist them in languages that they speak and in places where they are most comfortable receiving assistance. In October 2018, the program received the Diversity Award from Grant Maker’s in Aging (GIA). Fremont’s Caregiver Support Program, Family Service Team, and Senior Peer Counseling Program have also received regional and national recognition.

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With a staff of 70 employees and an operating budget of $16M, the Department works with over 150 community volunteers and interns who contribute over 30,000 hours annually to deliver social services throughout the community. For every general fund dollar the department receives from the city, three dollars are generated from outside funding sources, primarily government and foundation funding. The Department has been recognized for its innovation and its ability to build community partnerships. It is especially proud of its $12M, 55,000 square foot Family Resource Center. The Center, which is celebrating its 20th year, has been given 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. It co-locates 25 state, county, city, and nonprofit agencies that provide a more integrated way of working with and delivering services to families that have complex needs, including housing support, disability and vocational services, immigration and legal services, mental health support and counseling, and veteran services. In 2001, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recognized the Center as one of the top 100 projects of its kind nationwide (out of 2,800 applicants) and awarded it a "Best of the Best" recognition. 

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A department initiative currently underway is the development of a new Wellness Center for older adults in the Warm Springs area of the city. While capital funding for the construction of the facility has been secured, the city will need to raise private support to fixtures and furniture, including a commercial kitchen. Ground-breaking for the new facility will take place in the spring of 2019.

 

THE POSITION

 

To support the increasing demand for its human service programs, the City of Fremont is seeking a Senior Philanthropy Officer (SPO) to build relationships with and raise support from institutional and individual donors. S/he will have responsibility for planning and overseeing a relatively young development program designed to raise revenues to sustain and grow Fremont’s human service programs and initiatives. S/he will develop a fundraising strategy that will include annual appeals, corporate, foundation and government support, major gifts, events, and planned giving as well as donor relations and development operations.

 

Reporting to the Director of Human Services, the SPO will work collaboratively with department program heads and other colleagues to build a culture of philanthropy at the organization, educating colleagues about fundraising best practices, working with leadership to identify fundraising priorities and developing strategies to make the case for and secure external funding that will enable the city to build and sustain its human service programs.

 

Responsibilities:

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  • Develop and manage a comprehensive fundraising program to support the development priorities of the Human Services Department

  • Create and implement constituent engagement opportunities to give the city greater traction in its fundraising efforts. Help with event strategy and oversee event consultants

  • Implement strategies to acquire and steward individual donors, primarily through an annual appeal and other donor acquisition programs  

  • Oversee a corporate and foundation relations program, identifying funders, developing strategies, and preparing proposals for institutional and select government funders

  • Foster a culture of philanthropy within the organization. Guide staff on implementing activities and strategies for donor cultivation, solicitation and relationship-building

  • Develop a program to market and secure planned gifts from members of the community

  • Review program needs and assess feasibility of obtaining external funding for projects

  • Maintain proactive relationships with and provide counsel to department colleagues in planning, writing, and developing proposals

  • Create systems to support development programs and operations, including donor database, online giving, gift acknowledgement and donor recognition/stewardship. The department has purchased Donor Perfect and is in the early stages of implementation.  

  • Attend community events and professional meetings both as a department representative and as a meeting leader

  • Explore and utilize social media and crowdsourcing methods for fundraising

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CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE

 

Education: 

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A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education or any combination of education and/or experience that has provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for satisfactory job performance.

 

Experience:

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  • A minimum of five to seven years of progressively responsible fundraising experience

  • Demonstrated ability to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward prospects/donors leading to financial support  

  • Demonstrable experience raising support from corporate, foundation and/or government funders and writing successful grant applications

  • Experience identifying giving opportunities and thinking creatively to establish matches between programs and funding priorities and potential donors

  • Experience researching and successfully identifying funding sources using a variety of individual and reference sources

  • Experience managing or contributing to strategic cultivation or fundraising events

  • Experience designing strategic approaches to funders using organizational and volunteer leadership as appropriate

  • Experience with MS Office Suite; Donor Perfect experience helpful

  • An understanding of and experience in gift management, reporting and stewardship

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COMPETENCIES/ATTRIBUTES

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The successful professional will have or be:

 

  • A self-starter with the ability to take initiative and be flexible in a variety of circumstances

  • Knowledge of Bay Area institutional funding sources and experience with development research databases and grant management principles

  • Outstanding interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively with colleagues, volunteers, and other representatives of the community

  • Unquestionable integrity and commitment to professional ethics, and the ability to responsibly handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion

  • Strong computer literacy and experience utilizing fundraising database programs

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills

  • Strong organizational skills and the ability to set priorities and track data

  • Commitment to the agency’s mission, goals, and objectives

  • Ability to provide accurate and timely reports as required by funders

 

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

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A competitive salary and employee benefits package will be offered. For additional information on this opportunity, please contact:

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David N. Randall, Principal

Randall Search Associates

415 767 3814

david@randallsearchassociates.com

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