Who We Are
Founded in 1978, Mingei International Museum collects, preserves and exhibits “art of the world, art of the people,” including folk art, craft, and design from all eras and cultures. Located in San Diego’s iconic Balboa Park, our highly respected Museum offers stunning exhibitions and diverse educational programs to more than 200,000 visitors each year. The Museum is a nonprofit organization.
Mingei has a deep commitment to creating a space where people are inspired to see their own world through new eyes and, in turn, rediscover, embrace and nurture their own creativity. The Museum is a place where all are welcome, where the community can gather, and where individuals can rest and find creative inspiration.
Position Summary
Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer and working closely with the Development Manager, this position will play a key fundraising role working with individual, foundation, corporate, and government donors, including face to face meetings, funding requests, research, cultivation, proposal development, writing, reporting, events, and other stewardship and cultivation activities. The person filling this role will be an experienced fundraiser and will support the growth of a robust funding pipeline for new and increased donor involvement, playing a key role as part of a fast-paced Advancement team. The position will also serve as a key public interface between the Museum and its supporters.
Primary Responsibilities
Fundraising and Cultivation Activities
- Oversees an individual donor portfolio. Actions to include: in person meetings, preparing and sending a range of follow-up requests and reports (as appropriate), and serving as a key team member growing a pipeline to aid new and increased individual donor support
- Writes foundation and government grant requests and reports, as well as acting as the liaison between the Museum and various foundation representatives
- Solicits corporate membership and sponsorship support, as well as follow up, including coordinating any stewardship activities, such as small group events
- Organizes various Advancement events and activities, including prospect and cultivation events at the Museum or offsite
- Acts as a key public interface between the museum and its existing individual supporters, to ensure proper donor cultivation, including communicating via phone, email and in person
- Works with education and curatorial staff (and others) at Mingei to collate information, create requests and further the mission of the Museum through its fundraising efforts
- Cultivates relationships with various local government representatives to include funding requests, ensuring awareness of Mingei and its work in the community
- Works with Development Manager on direct mail and email fundraising campaigns, and other campaigns, as needed
- Provides highest level of customer service to Mingei’s constituencies
Administrative and Research Support
- Works with Advancement department to assist moves management activities, including tracking
- Assists in researching and identifying public and private grant agencies, foundations, family foundations, corporations, and individuals to identify potential sources of funding for specific projects and/or ongoing operational support
- Actively update donor records in the Museum’s database (ALTRU) with current interactions and monitor appropriate development reports
- Miscellaneous additional tasks, as needed
Key Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
- Four + years of development/fundraising experience in a non-profit environment
- Demonstrated experience with Altru, other Blackbaud products or similar software applications a plus
- Experienced user in Microsoft Word, Excel, Google Suite, and other tools
- Motivated, goal-oriented, resourceful, organized and able to work independently.
- Attentive to detail and accuracy
- Good oral and written communication skills, service oriented approach
- Ability and flexibility to work on multiple projects simultaneously and to thrive in an open work environment.
- Team player, with a sense of humor
- Discretion with sensitive information
Terms and Compensation
This is a full-time (37 ½ hours/week), exempt position with generous benefits, including employer paid medical, dental, vision (for employee), 401k with match and an annual salary of $70,000.