Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance

Appel Farm Arts & Music Center, a $3.5M non-profit arts education organization located in Elmer, NJ, seeks a dynamic, strategic, collaborative and experienced Development Director.

Position Overview

The Development Director is responsible for leading the day-to-day fundraising efforts while envisioning and building a long-term, sustainable culture of philanthropy in partnership with the Executive Director. They will also play a critical role in Board of Directors growth and engagement. The Development Director should have experience with individual donor campaigns; corporate and private foundations; and government grants. This person should be an excellent writer and researcher who is able to think outside the box, with the capacity to energize existing supporters and engage with new possibilities, generating excitement for the many programs Appel Farm has to offer.

Primary Responsibilities

Contribute vision and strategic ideas for on-going growth and reach of Appel Farm.
Act as a liaison to the community promoting Appel Farm to varying groups such as donors (individual and corporate), community organizations, and government agencies.
Be current with trending information in development and community relations. Explore new memberships in development research database systems.
Manage ongoing donor engagement opportunities, including visits, solicitations, and targeted donor events.
Coordinate on marketing and promotion opportunities to engage donors and supporters
Identify, qualify, cultivate, and solicit corporate and foundation prospects with support from the Executive Director and program staff.
Actively lead the grant management process including research, proposal writing, and reporting requirements with the assistance of applicable staff.
Direct annual fund campaigns and other individual fundraising opportunities, in collaboration with the Executive director, including direct mail, online, event, and other initiatives.
Provide support for Board of Directors expansion and development, with a focus on DEI.
Lead the successful planning and execution of fundraising special events.
Manage the development database, including establishing appropriate policies and procedures to maintain data integrity and provide timely and accurate reporting.

Qualifications of the ideal candidate

They are passionate about arts education and committed to building strong community engagement through arts and culture.
They are interested in broad-based thinking about the interdisciplinary nature of Appel Farm’s programs, including the incorporation of environmental sustainability, health and wellness, DEI, and social advocacy into arts-focused learning and engagement.
They are a collaborative, friendly individual who enjoys working with people of all ages and backgrounds and interfaces comfortably with others.
They have the ability to work independently and collaboratively, and be comfortable with complexity and ambiguity.
They possess the ability to set clear, results-oriented goals that are relevant, realistic, attainable, and measurable.
They have a minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible development and fundraising experience, and a demonstrable understanding of marketing and communications.
They have a proven ability to develop budgets and manage financial resources effectively.
They are highly organized and able to effectively communicate and share information in a virtual platform.
They have capacity to master fundraising database systems. Familiarity with Salsa is a plus.
They value empathy, personal growth, and possess a sense of humor.

Special Requirements

Applicant must pass a background check.
Applicant must have valid driver’s license.
Applicant must be able to lift up to 40 pounds.

Salary, Benefits, and Terms of Employment

Full-time, exempt position. Salary is $64,000.
This position will work primarily remotely with one regular day in the office each week.
This position will be required on site on occasional weeknights, evenings, and for other specific meetings and events as mutually scheduled.
Other benefits of employment include single coverage health plan (with dental and vision), summer camp tuition, paid holidays, paid vacation.

About Appel Farm Arts & Music Center

Appel Farm was founded by Albert and Clare Appel in 1960 as a private summer arts camp for children. The Appels, both professional musicians and music educators, believed that the arts play a crucial role in developing a child’s learning skills, encouraging personal growth, and instilling a sense of community and responsibility. They believed that all children have artistic talent, thus the camp was intended to promote a supportive environment in which the individual child can learn, experience and grow in a wide variety of artistic media.

Appel Farm Arts & Music Center was incorporated in 1978 as a non-profit, charitable and educational organization with tax-exempt status, professional staff and volunteer Board of Directors. Its stated mission is to provide people of all ages, cultures and economic backgrounds with a supportive environment in which they can appreciate, study and actively participate in the visual and performing arts.

Now in its seventh decade, Appel Farm has evolved into a multidisciplinary regional arts center serving audiences, artists, and students through local, regional, national, and international programs. Our programs build on the Appels’ founding principles, providing opportunities for arts education, arts appreciation, and creative expression to more than 35,000 children and adults. We actively engage in residency and community programs throughout the South Jersey region, and operate in partnership with the Creativity CoLaboratory Charter School and Meals on Wheels of Salem County. Learn more about our many programs at http://www.appelfarm.org/programs/.

Appel Farm is an EOE, with an ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and creating safer spaces.