MISSION
Our mission is to support strong children, strong families, and strong communities.
VISION
At Martha’s Table, we believe that every Washingtonian deserves the opportunity to stay and thrive.
ABOUT MARTHA’S TABLE
At Martha’s Table, we believe that every Washingtonian deserves the opportunity to thrive. For over forty years, we have worked to support strong children, strong families, and strong communities by increasing access to quality education, health and wellness, and family resources.
Together, we are “One MT.” This means we work across all three of our locations to support our shared mission. In all that we do, we exemplify our four core values of respect, compassion, teamwork, and accountability. These values -- and our commitment to “the MT Experience” -- guide how we engage with the communities we stand alongside and how we work together as a team. When you come to Martha’s Table -- as a guest or as a team member -- you are valued and you deserve our very best.
In order to be the best version of MT, we are deeply committed to equitable practices. We apply the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in providing programming and services; in creating our Board; in partnerships and procurement; and in hiring, training, and advancing our team members.
We invest in our team members’ personal and professional goals through our “STEP” program, which includes tuition for continuing education, certifications, and professional development; funding to unlock financially held transcripts; and flexible leave options.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Director of Institutional Development leads Martha's Table's institutional fundraising program by securing and sustaining more than $4.5 million in philanthropic support annually through strategic partnerships with foundations, corporations, and government agencies ensuring the resources needed to advance the organization's mission and long-term strategic priorities.
POSITION DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Institutional Fundraising Strategy & Portfolio Growth
Develop and execute a comprehensive institutional fundraising strategy that secures and sustains more than $4 million annually from foundations, corporations, government agencies, community organizations, and workplace giving initiatives.
Lead annual fundraising planning by establishing revenue projections, funding priorities, prospect strategies, and measurable goals that advance Martha's Table's strategic priorities.
Oversee the institutional fundraising pipeline, ensuring thoughtful cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and renewal strategies that strengthen long-term philanthropic partnerships.
Identify new funding opportunities and emerging philanthropic trends to expand institutional support and diversify revenue.
Lead the strategy, fundraising expectations, member recruitment, and long-term growth of the Business Advisory Council while partnering with the Corporate Partnerships & Giving Manager to coordinate member engagement, communications, and implementation activities.
Establish annual corporate fundraising goals and oversee performance toward corporate partnership revenue targets in collaboration with the Corporate Partnerships & Giving Manager.
Institutional Partnerships, Donor Engagement & Stewardship
Cultivate meaningful relationships with current and prospective institutional funders by developing engagement strategies that reflect Martha's Table's mission, values, and long-term priorities.
Lead institutional donor meetings, site visits, and executive briefings that deepen understanding of Martha's Table's work and inspire continued investment.
Design personalized stewardship strategies that recognize the impact of philanthropic support and strengthen long-term partnerships.
Represent Martha's Table at meetings, convenings, networking events, and sector gatherings to expand institutional relationships and increase philanthropic investment.
Advance workplace giving initiatives, including the Combined Federal Campaign and DC One Fund, by strengthening relationships with public sector partners and employee giving programs.
Proposal Development & Strategic Communications
Direct the development of compelling proposals, letters of inquiry, sponsorship opportunities, reports, presentations, stewardship communications, and other donor-facing materials that inspire institutional investment.
Translate complex programmatic, financial, and organizational information into clear, compelling narratives that demonstrate impact and align with funder priorities.
Partner with Programs, Finance, Communications, and executive leadership to develop competitive funding opportunities, grant budgets, and stewardship reports.
Ensure timely, accurate, and high-quality submissions that reflect Martha's Table's commitment to excellence and responsible stewardship.
Team Leadership, Operations & Performance Management
Supervise and develop the Corporate Partnerships and Giving Manager through ongoing coaching, goal setting, and professional development.
Manage institutional fundraising systems, timelines, and workflows to ensure timely proposal submissions, reporting, stewardship, and donor engagement.
Monitor fundraising performance by preparing dashboards, pipeline reports, and revenue forecasts that inform strategic decision-making.
Maintain comprehensive donor records, funding histories, and institutional knowledge that strengthen relationship management and organizational continuity.
Cross-Department Collaboration & Organizational Partnership
Partner with colleagues across Programs, Communications, Finance, Development, and Executive Leadership to align institutional fundraising strategies with organizational priorities.
Facilitate collaboration that strengthens proposal development, donor stewardship, reporting, and funding opportunities across the organization.
Prepare internal partners and organizational leaders for meetings, presentations, and engagement opportunities with institutional funders.
Support additional departmental and organizational initiatives as assigned.
EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, AND SKILLS REQUIREMENTS
- Demonstrated ability to develop and lead comprehensive institutional fundraising strategies that strengthen partnerships with foundations, corporations, government agencies, and community organizations while securing sustainable philanthropic support that advances Martha's Table's mission and strategic priorities.
- Exceptional ability to build, cultivate, and sustain authentic relationships with institutional funders, community leaders, and philanthropic partners. Demonstrated success in engaging diverse stakeholders through thoughtful stewardship, shared purpose, and a deep understanding of organizational and funder priorities.
- Demonstrated strategic vision for annual long-term revenue growth along with the strong supervisory experience needed to build, mentor, and lead a high-performing development team.
- Utilize high emotional intelligence to foster a supportive internal team culture while applying keen financial acumen to optimize internal systems and ensure rigorous grant compliance.
- Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to translate complex programmatic, financial, and organizational information into compelling proposals, reports, presentations, and stewardship communications that inspire confidence, deepen partnerships, and demonstrate impact through strengths-based storytelling.
- Demonstrated ability to build strong partnerships across Development, Programs, Communications, Finance, and executive leadership to develop competitive funding opportunities, strengthen donor engagement, and align institutional fundraising efforts with organizational priorities.
- Strong analytical and decision-making skills with the ability to evaluate funding opportunities, interpret financial and programmatic information, manage institutional fundraising performance, and exercise sound judgment while serving as a responsible steward of philanthropic investments.
- Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships across departments and with external partners, fostering collaboration, shared accountability, and alignment in support of Martha's Table's mission and fundraising goals.
- A proactive, solutions-oriented leader who anticipates needs, takes ownership of priorities, and follows through with integrity, sound judgment, and a commitment to achieving high-quality results.
- Commitment to delivering thoughtful, accurate, and high-quality work while embracing feedback, strengthening systems and processes, and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, respond thoughtfully to changing needs, and demonstrate flexibility to support organizational priorities, including occasional evening or weekend events and meetings.
- Ability to develop creative fundraising strategies, compelling donor communications, and meaningful engagement opportunities that strengthen institutional partnerships and inspire philanthropic investment.
- Demonstrated commitment to Martha's Table's mission, values, and community co-design approach, with the ability to communicate using strengths-based language and build authentic partnerships that honor the experiences and leadership of the communities we serve.
Proven track record of successfully meeting or exceeding fundraising goals, preferably in a non-profit setting.
Strong leadership and team management skills, with experience supervising staff and fostering a collaborative work environment.
Excellent communication skills, including the ability to articulate a compelling case for support and engage donors effectively across various channels.
Knowledge of the Washington, D.C., philanthropic landscape, fundraising certifications are a plus.
- Proficient in verbal/written Spanish, preferred but not required
EDUCATION AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
- Bachelor’s degree plus 5 years of experience in development, demonstrating a successful track record in managing and growing portfolios from institutional donors or 10 years of professional experience in fundraising, sales, marketing, or nonprofit communications.
- Training in fundraising best practices, project management, database/CRM administration, and fundraising data analytics would greatly enhance this job's performance.
WORKING CONDITIONS
While performing the duties of this job, the team member is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop; kneel; talk or hear; taste or smell. The team member must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.
COVID-19
Martha's Table requires all team members to have:
2 doses of either Pfizer or Moderna administered before April 18, 2023;
1 dose of Johnson & Johnson's Janssen administered before May 22, 2023;
2 doses of Novavax COVID-19 vaccine, Adjuvinated; or
1 updated dose of either Pfizer or Moderna administered after April 18, 2023
Martha's Table will consider waiving the vaccination requirement for:
Candidates who object in good faith and in writing, pursuant to procedures established by the City Administrator or his/her designee, that the employee's vaccination would violate their sincerely held religious beliefs; and
Candidates who have obtained and submitted written certification from a physician or other licensed health professional who may order an immunization, that being vaccinated for COVID-19 is medically inadvisable because of the employee's medical condition.
Marha's Table is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants who are unable to be vaccinated for religious or medical reasons should contact Human Resources ([email protected]) as soon as possible to engage in the interactive process and explore what, if any, reasonable accommodations Martha's Table is able to offer.
This position requires the completion of a satisfactory background check. Martha's table is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. Martha's table is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for the employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion or belief, age, sex (including pregnancy), national, social or ethnic origin, disability status, HIV status, family medical history or genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, family or parental status or any other characteristic protected by federal state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Martha's table will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at 202-328-6608 or via e-mail at [email protected].