Development Director

Development Director

Are you a fundraising strategist who still loves the craft of a well-built proposal? Footprint Project is seeking a Development Director to lead (and grow) the resource development side of our organization in both a strategic and hands-on role. As a key member of our senior leadership team reporting to the CEO, you will design and implement a holistic development strategy, covering foundation grants, government funding, corporate sponsorships, earned revenue, in-kind donations and individual gifts. You will drive the work itself: managing the pipeline and calendar, writing and submitting proposals, and stewarding funder relationships.

Since our inception in 2018, our organization has consistently scaled in resources and impact, hitting >50% year over year growth since 2023. We have some excellent funding streams and need someone ready to take us to the next level. Our annual budget is roughly $3,000,000 and we have 18 employees. We remain a start-up-style nonprofit with big goals, so this is a true player-coach role: you'll set the direction, build the team over time, and stay hands-on throughout. If you thrive in a fast-moving environment, are passionate about clean energy and sustainable disaster response, and have a track record of winning and keeping funding, we'd love to meet you!

Footprint Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit disaster service organization headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana. We develop and deploy sustainable response technologies to empower community resilience. Footprint Project works across the disaster management cycle to expand frontline access to mobile microgrids and reduce fossil fuel use. Visit to learn more.

Development Strategy & Leadership

• Design, implement, and lead a comprehensive development strategy spanning our three primary revenue streams - foundation grants, government grants/contracts, and corporate partnerships/sponsorships - including how we prioritize and position each for sustainable growth
• Serve on the senior leadership team and participate in executive-level decision-making as appropriate, contributing a development perspective to organization-wide strategy and planning
• Set annual revenue and funder engagement goals in partnership with the CEO; track progress and report regularly to leadership
• Supervise the Communications Coordinator, aligning storytelling, digital presence, and donor-facing communications with development goals
• Help build the development team as the organization grows, including hiring and supervising future development staff

Grants: Foundations & Government

• Own the foundation grants portfolio end-to-end: prospect research, cultivation, LOIs, proposal writing and submission (approximately 1-3 proposals per month), renewals, and funder relationships
• Manage the organization-wide grants calendar of deadlines and deliverables across an active portfolio of 15-20 grants
• Support existing government grants/contracts and own new government funding opportunities end-to-end
• Collaborate closely with the Grants Accounting Manager on grant budgets, restricted-spending compliance, and timely submission of financial reports
• Coordinate the cross-team grant reporting effort (Programs, Communications, and executive staff) as capacity allows, in advance of a dedicated reporting hire

Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorships

• Own corporate partnerships and sponsorships end-to-end: identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward corporate funders and sponsors
• Play a lead development role in events involving corporate sponsors and partners

Earned Revenue & Blended Finance

• Support fee-for-service revenue development
• Support CEO in securing social impact loans, PRIs and other blended finance solutions to grow our enterprise model

Donors & Giving

• Partner with the CEO on strategy and outreach for high-net-worth donors
• Develop the organization's first individual giving strategy
• Support in-kind equipment donation
• Oversee timely donation receipts and thank-you communications
• Support impact measurement (M&E) systems and reporting that demonstrate our results to funders and donors
• Fill gaps and perform other job-related duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• At least 3 years of nonprofit development experience with a demonstrated track record of securing funding, including success winning five- and six-figure grants from foundations, corporations, and/or government sources
• Experience supervising and developing staff
• Budget literacy: comfortable building, reading, and managing grant and program budgets
• Exceptional writing and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce persuasive proposals and high-impact funder materials
• Strong project management skills and adept at working within CRM systems
• Skilled in critical thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving
• Proactive, organized, adaptable, and detail-oriented
• Associate's or Bachelor's degree

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with federal, state, or local government grants and contracts
• Experience building or managing corporate partnership or sponsorship programs
• Experience with individual giving or major donor programs
• Salesforce or other CRM software proficiency
• Experience in disaster response, climate, clean energy, or related sectors

Attributes

• Player-coach. You're equally at home setting strategy with leadership and rolling up your sleeves to research a funder, draft a proposal, or polish a budget. In our startup phase, no one is above the doing (and you like it that way!)
• Excited to join a small, nimble, and innovative organization. You don't just want to work here; you want to build something cool together.
• Adaptable. You can pivot and problem-solve under pressure.
• Strong interpersonal communication and training skills. You're patient and respectful while assisting people of all skill levels and comfortable working with diverse groups of people.
• Ask questions to clarify tasks and priorities. You can readily say "I don't know" or "What the heck are you talking about?" or "I need help with this."
• Self-starter. You are able to work independently and remotely without needing handholding.
• Proactive. You don't need to be nudged to do your work, and you take the initiative.
• On board with decolonizing disaster relief, decarbonizing our planet, and working towards a just, equitable energy transition. You share our values.

Application Process

Please send (via BambooHR) a cover letter, your resume, and a writing sample, ideally a grant proposal or letter of inquiry excerpt (2-3 pages; redact confidential details as needed). For selected candidates, our hiring process consists of an initial screening, at least one interview, and professional reference/employment history review.

Applications without a cover letter, resume, and writing sample will not be considered.

No one candidate will fit all the requirements, so everyone who fits at least some of the skills and has a willingness to learn is encouraged to apply.

Footprint Project is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. Footprint Project makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time. We expect all Footprint Project employees uphold and demonstrate these same values, wherever we go and with whomever we work.