Director of Philanthropy

Director of Philanthropy

Reports to: CEO Location: Hybrid/ Tahoe Fund offices in Incline Village, NV Status: Full-time, exempt Travel: Regular travel within the Tahoe area, Sacramento, San Francisco Bay Area, and other locations as needed Benefits: Full benefits package including health insurance, 401(k) match, and generous vacation policy.

COMPENSATION $110,000 to $150,000 annually Commensurate with experience

The Tahoe Fund is an impact-driven nonprofit using the power of philanthropy to improve the Lake Tahoe environment for all to enjoy. We envision a Lake Tahoe where the natural and human environments are in balance, supported by a growing community that cherishes this mountain treasure.

Since 2010, we have raised more than $35 million in philanthropic dollars, which have been leveraged to secure $220 million in public dollars, supporting 250+ projects that reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfire, improve the health of the lake, and make it easier to get around, enjoy, and take care of Tahoe. We do all of this work in partnership with more than 50 agencies and organizations.

We are an energetic, forward-thinking, and nimble team that plays four roles for the Tahoe Basin: funder, convener, catalyst, and communicator. We are passionate about our impact; we lead with kindness; we recognize the power of a strong, committed team; and we believe work can be joyful. Tahoe Fund team members are committed to achieving exceptional outcomes that improve the Lake Tahoe environment for all to enjoy.

Strategy and Leadership

• Develop and maintain an annual fundraising plan in partnership with the CEO and COO, with clear revenue targets, donor segments, and accountability milestones.
• Build a sustainable revenue portfolio across individual giving, corporate partnerships, institutional foundations, planned giving, and digital giving to support a broad and diversified donor base.
• Contribute to an organization-wide culture of philanthropy, engaging staff and Board in meaningful donor work.

Major Gifts and Mid-Tier Cultivation

• Own and manage a portfolio of mid-tier donors and prospects with a structured upgrade pathway to Stewardship Circle leadership tiers.
• Partner with the CEO on transformational donors, providing strategy, briefings, prospect research, and follow-through so the CEO can focus on the highest-impact relationships.
• Use prospect research tools to identify capacity among existing donors and surface qualified new prospects.

Corporate Partnerships and Institutional Giving

• Expand the Tahoe Fund's corporate partnership program to reach new supporters.
• Provide strategic oversight and continued growth of the Dollar for Tahoe program.
• Develop a structured institutional foundation outreach program, including proposals, site visits, reporting, and multi-year cultivation for family, community, and corporate foundations.

Emerging Audiences and Digital Giving

• Lead engagement with emerging supporter demographics.
• Partner with the Senior Director of Communications on strategy, messaging, and audience for all annual fundraising appeals.

Planned and Legacy Giving

• Grow the Tahoe Fund's existing Legacy Circle, including case development, legacy society structure, and prospect identification among long-tenured donors.
• Advance the Tahoe Fund Endowment and the Tahoe Trails Endowment as a meaningful vehicle for legacy support, with a documented outreach plan and stewardship cadence.

Events as Cultivation

• Ownership of all Tahoe Fund events (Founders Circle Dinner, Boat Parade, Pre-Summit Cocktail Party, and others): guest list curation, theme development, prospect pipeline integration, and follow-through.
• Work with the contracted event planner and Tahoe Fund team to ensure events serve as cultivation and stewardship moments.

Board and Team

• Staff the Board Development Committee: set agendas, track introductions, build annual goals by constituent audience, and equip members to activate their networks effectively.
• Coordinate closely with the Operations Coordinator on CRM pipeline data, stewardship cadence, acknowledgment workflow, and list management.
• Partner with the CEO and COO on Board and leadership reporting, including progress against the fundraising plan, pipeline status, and donor engagement metrics.

What You Bring

Essential

• A genuine and personal love for Lake Tahoe. High emotional intelligence and a natural ease with people across very different backgrounds, ages, and giving levels. You read a room well, remember what matters to people, and follow up as it counts. Because it does.
• A concierge mindset. Supporters of Tahoe Fund are treated like trusted friends, not records in a database. You take pride in being thoughtful, responsive, and personal in every interaction.
• Energy for being out in the community. You like events, dinners, hikes, lift lines, and casual run-ins with donors. You see public visibility as part of the job.
• A natural communicator and storyteller. You can talk about the Tahoe Fund's work with warmth and conviction, in a coffee shop or at a podium, without sounding scripted.
• Curiosity, drive, and ownership. You want to know how things work, you finish what you start, and you do not need to be managed into momentum.
• A strong sense of professionalism paired with genuine humility. This is a small team where everyone pitches in, and the best fit is someone who takes the work seriously without taking themselves too seriously.
• Willingness to travel regularly within the Tahoe Basin and to the San Francisco Bay Area to meet supporters where they are.
• This is a management position that requires a seasoned professional with 7-10 years of experience.

Helpful, Not Required

• Experience in fundraising, philanthropy, sales, private client services, or another relationship-driven field where trust and follow-through are the product.
• Familiarity with donor databases or CRM systems (Salesforce, Bloomerang, or similar). Comfort learning new tools matters more than mastery of any specific one.
• A background or active interest in conservation, outdoor recreation, or place-based work in mountain communities.
• Existing relationships in the Tahoe, Reno, or Bay Area communities.
• A bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.

Tahoe Fund is an energetic, forward-thinking, and nimble organization focused on getting great things done for Lake Tahoe. Supported by a dedicated donor base, the Tahoe Fund serves as a consistent source of private funding to match, secure, and leverage public dollars for environmental improvement projects across the Tahoe Basin. Learn more at tahoefund.org.

Please email your resume and cover letter describing your interest, relevant fundraising or relationship-driven accomplishments, and connection to the mission to View email address on click.appcast.io. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Tahoe Fund is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive team.