Director Of Annual Giving and Events

Company: YMCA
Location: Evanston
Posted on: January 13, 2026

Job Description:

The McGaw YMCA in Evanston Illinois is looking for a Director of Annual Giving and Events. Job Description The Director of Annual Giving and Events provides strategic leadership in fund development to advance the McGaw YMCAs mission through annual giving, special events, and donor engagement. This position drives the Development and execution of the annual giving plan, cultivates donor and volunteer engagement, leads the strategy and implementation of events, and ensures strong stewardship and donor relations practices. Working closely with the Chief Development Officer and development team, the Director serves as the lead for the organizations annual fundraising campaigns and all fundraising-related events, ensuring they align with McGaws strategic priorities. Division of time will be: 60% Development and implementation of the Annual Giving plan and strategies. 20% Manage a donor portfolio. 10% Support Special Event execution, focusing on securing sponsorships as needed. 10% cross-departmental and organizational meetings. The position will require some evening and weekend meetings, donor interaction, and other duties as assigned. Qualifications A bachelor’s degree is required. Five or more years of professional experience with a background in fundraising. Ability to relate to top community leaders and diverse groups of people from all social and economic segments of the community. Working knowledge of giving and charitable vehicles. Ability to create interpretive materials to help potential donors understand the YMCA and how they can contribute to achieving its mission. Outstanding oral and written communication skills with the ability to produce creative and effective Development and public relations materials. Extensive knowledge of Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Excel, Word). Understanding of the McGaw YMCAs vision and desire to advance our mission. Must be proficient and able to master Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge and Raiser’s Edge NXT, including reporting, gift receipting, and acknowledgment processes. Self-motivated team player with strong organizational and communication skills. Flexibility and ability to adapt to shifting priorities. Highly dependable, extremely organized, and detail-oriented. Discretion with confidential donor and institutional information. Essential Functions Develop and implement a comprehensive year-round Annual Giving Campaign plan, including case development, internal campaigns, and leading special events. Establish strategies to increase volunteer involvement and relationship development. Actively involved in identifying, cultivating, and soliciting donor prospects and managing a personal portfolio of donor relationships. Collaborate with Development team members to maintain accurate donor database records, produce timely gift acknowledgments, and capture important relationship information on donors, prospects, and community leaders. Partner with Development team members to produce any necessary reports to track key fundraising metrics. Assist in identifying grant and foundation funding opportunities and writing associated proposals. Work with operations and program directors to ensure all grant-funded programs have strong programmatic and outcome-based monitoring systems. Monitor and ensure timely reporting on outcomes for grant and contract-funded programs as required on a case-by-case basis. Serve on the Development Committee and other ad-hoc committees as required. Educate, motivate, and provide feedback to individuals regarding best practices in the fundraising process. Provide fundraising training for staff and volunteers. Contribute to the Development of communications and public relations, and ensure members, participants, and the community understand the case for support for the McGaw YMCA. Lead the strategy, planning, and execution of McGaw YMCA fundraising events (e.g., annual gala and other cultivation or stewardship events). Create and manage event timelines, budgets, sponsorship strategies, and follow-up plans. Partner with staff, board, and volunteers to maximize engagement and fundraising outcomes. Oversee event logistics, collateral, guest lists, vendor coordination, and post-event reporting. Ensure all events reflect the McGaw YMCAs mission and philanthropic priorities. Perform other duties as assigned. The position will require some evening and weekend meetings, as well as other relationship management duties as assigned.

Keywords: YMCA, Waukesha , Director Of Annual Giving and Events, PR / Public Relations , Evanston, Wisconsin