Director of Development & Donor Engagement
What started as a small garden in a vacant lot in this little inner-city neighborhood, quickly turned into the City of Dallas’ first urban farm. The original farm is 1.25 acres boldly situated in the South Dallas community of Bonton, an area ravaged by generational poverty, crime, and classified by the USDA as a food desert. In 2016, a local family, the Treffingers, were inspired by the mission of Bonton Farms and generously donated 20 acres of land located about 10 miles from the original farm. They loved it so much that when another 20 acre plot adjacent to the original one became available, they purchased it and donated it for further expansion of Bonton Farms. That 40 acre site is what we call "The Bonton Farms Extension". It happens to be one of the largest urban farms in the Unites States. In this unlikely setting, we are cultivating a sustainable and vibrant urban farm with the mission to restore lives, create jobs and ignite hope.
- 401(k)
- Competitive salary
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Opportunity for advancement
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
The Bonton Farms Team is seeking a Director of Development & Donor Engagement to support fundraising efforts for mission based programming.
Who Are We:
Bonton Farms is on a mission is to transform lives by disrupting systems of inequity, laying a foundation where health, wholeness, and opportunity are the norm for all people. While many nonprofits work to solve one issue, Bonton Farms focuses on place-based interventions to build community capacity for long-term change. As the ecosystem of community resources improves, the neighbors in Bonton use these resources to build successful, self-sufficient lives, ultimately interrupting the impact of decades of disenfranchisement. Bonton Farms’ programs focus on all the seven human essentials that the community has been denied for so long. We invite you to come and join us in the transformation!
- Develop and implement a strategic fundraising plan tailored to Bonton Farms' goals, focusing on securing funds for mission-driven programs, agriculture, workforce development, and community outreach.
- Lead the execution of major fundraising initiatives, support any capital campaigns, major gifts, annual giving programs, and corporate partnerships.
- Identify and cultivate new fundraising opportunities and networks to grow our donor base and increase revenue.
- Build and nurture relationships with key donors, foundations, corporations, and community partners to deepen engagement and increase financial support for Bonton Farms.
- Build and ensure integrity of Virtuous data with the database manager to track stewardship and cultivation
- Develop and implement a Planned Giving Program
- Create personalized stewardship plans and donor recognition programs to ensure long-term donor retention.
- Engage the community through outreach initiatives, ensuring donors understand the impact of their contributions to Bonton Farms’ mission and community work.
- Lead, mentor, and manage the development team, providing guidance and support to enhance team performance and professional growth.
- Collaborate with other departments (e.g., Marketing, Operations) to ensure fundraising and community engagement efforts are aligned with the broader goals of Bonton Farms.
- Work closely with development staff members and senior leadership to provide guidance and align fundraising efforts with organizational goals and strategic initiatives.
- Strategize, plan, and oversee the execution of key fundraising events, donor appreciation dinners, and community outreach events.
- Coordinate with Marketing and Communications teams to develop promotional materials and ensure event visibility, participation, and successful outcomes.
- Build and manage strategic partnerships with corporate sponsors to support Bonton Farms’ programs, events, and initiatives with the Development Manager
- Develop and manage corporate sponsorship opportunities, ensuring alignment between Bonton Farms’ goals and sponsors’ corporate social responsibility initiatives with the Development Manager
- Manage the fundraising budget, ensuring resources are utilized efficiently and effectively to achieve fundraising goals.
- Track and report on the progress of any fundraising campaigns and donor engagement, making data-driven decisions to adjust strategies and meet targets.
- Lead the development and implementation of Bonton Farms’ planned giving program, including cultivating relationships with potential legacy donors.
- Work closely with financial advisors and legal partners to structure planned gifts that meet the needs of both the donor and Bonton Farms.
Experience: At least 7-10 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, including major gifts, and planned giving, with a demonstrated ability to manage teams and collaborate with senior leadership.
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Skills:
- Strong track record of success in developing and implementing fundraising strategies that secure and meet goals that create significant philanthropic support.
- Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage donors, community leaders, and partners.
- Proven experience in managing fundraising teams to build a high-performing culture.
- Expertise in donor management software and Microsoft Office Suite.
- Ability to think strategically and creatively to align fundraising with organizational goals and community engagement.
- Knowledge of agricultural and community-based nonprofit work is a plus.
- Visionary and strategic thinker.
- Donor focused with a strong commitment to service excellence.
- Results-oriented and proactive.
- Ability to meet or exceed deadline expectations.
- Efficient organizational and time management skills.
- Adaptable and resilient in the face of challenges.
- Ethical and transparent with high integrity.
- Availability to work after-hours and weekend events.
- Passion for the mission and people of Bonton Farms and the Bonton community.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Our Mission
Transform lives by disrupting systems of inequity, laying a foundation where change yields health, wholeness and opportunity as the norm.
Vision
The change in Bonton becomes the change in the World.
Core Principal
Our values are bathed in our Christian faith, born out of a passion for people and guide how we put them into action.
What is Bonton?
For the last 200 years, racial injustice and systemic oppression prevented opportunities in Bonton, a community in South Dallas, that were a given elsewhere. People here experienced higher rates of diabetes, stroke and cancer, and 48% of residents lived in poverty. Residents have been denied access to the seven human essentials that are necessary to survive and thrive - health & wellness, economic stability, safe and affordable housing, transportation, a sense of belonging, education and access to fair credit. Today, the community is transforming, and healing is coming from within.
Who We Are
Bonton Farms is on a mission is to transform lives by disrupting systems of inequity, laying a foundation where health, wholeness, and opportunity are the norm for all people. While many nonprofits work to solve one issue, Bonton Farms focuses on place-based interventions to build community capacity for long-term change. As the ecosystem of community resources improves, the neighbors in Bonton use these resources to build successful, self-sufficient lives, ultimately interrupting the impact of decades of disenfranchisement. Bonton Farms’ programs focus on the all of the seven human essentials that the community has been denied for so long. We invite you to come and join us in the transformation!
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