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DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Dignity and Power Now (DPN) is a grassroots organization based in Los Angeles that fights for the dignity and power of incarcerated people, their families, and communities. Our work is rooted in the belief that every person deserves dignity, healing, and the ability to shape their own future. We organize with those most impacted by incarceration, policing, and systemic violence to dismantle the structures that harm us and to build liberatory futures grounded in justice and care. Because the prison industrial complex limits our collective imagination of what true freedom looks like, our fight for the most marginalized becomes a fight for everyone. Guided by the values of abolition, transformative justice, healing justice, community power, and liberation, we engage in organizing, advocacy, leadership development, and healing work to challenge oppressive systems and transform how we work together in community.

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POSITION SUMMARY

Dignity and Power Now seeks a strategic, passionate, and mission-aligned Director of Development to lead our fundraising and resource mobilization efforts. This is a key leadership role responsible for strengthening existing funding relationships, forging new ones, and building and implementing a comprehensive development strategy that fuels DPN’s vision for justice and liberation. The ideal candidate is a skilled fundraiser and a movement-minded relationship-builder who understands how resource generation can be a tool for collective freedom. They will bring experience in grant writing, donor cultivation, major gifts, corporate and foundation partnerships, and fundraising events; while honoring our communities and amplifying the stories that drive our work. The Director of Development reports to the Executive Director and collaborates closely with staff to advance a development strategy that is bold, relational, and grounded in equity.

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KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic Fundraising and Vision

• Design and implement a comprehensive, multi-channel fundraising strategy including major gifts, foundation and corporate giving, individual donors, public funding, planned giving, and earned revenue.
• Monitor trends in philanthropy and proactively position DPN to respond to new funding opportunities and shifts in the funding landscape.
• Lead the creation and execution of compelling fundraising campaigns that align with DPN’s programs, campaigns, and events.
• Develop and track annual fundraising goals, ensuring alignment with organizational budgets and strategic priorities.
• Provide regular fundraising reports and dashboards to the Executive Director, including data analysis and projections.
• Partner with leadership to explore and launch new fundraising initiatives that are innovative, community-centered and aligns with organizational strategy.
• Support and train staff and member leaders in fundraising best practices and relationship-building.

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Grant Writing and Institutional Fundraising

• Lead and manage the grant lifecycle including research, proposal development, submission, compliance, and reporting.
• Develop a grant calendar to ensure timely submission and stewardship of funder relationships.
• Ensure grant proposals reflect DPN’s values and are shared with the Executive Director for accuracy and alignment.
• Maintain accurate donor records, ensuring compliance and data integrity in CRM systems.

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Individual and Major Donor Engagement

• Build and manage a robust donor portfolio, with a focus on identifying, cultivating, and stewarding mid-level and major donors.
• Design and implement a comprehensive donor stewardship plan to support growth and retention including acknowledgments, updates, events, and impact reporting.
• Develop systems to document, track, and analyze donor information using DPN’s CRM or fundraising software (e.g. Raiser’s Edge).
• Cultivate relationships with foundation officers and program officers.
• Respond to donor inquiries and ensure a warm, relational donor experience that centers transparency and respect.
• Develop messaging and campaigns that center DPN’s mission and amplify the voices of impacted communities especially during key giving moments like Giving Tuesday and other philanthropic observances.

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Organizational Leadership and Collaboration

• Collaborate with the Communications team to develop digital fundraising campaigns, donor storytelling content, and social media strategy.
• Ensure fundraising communications, public materials, and appeals are consistent with DPN’s values, voice, and brand.
• Support production of donor-facing materials including annual reports, newsletters, one-pagers, and event collateral.

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Events and Community-Based Fundraising

• Coordinate fundraising events, both grassroots and high-impact, to engage donors, build visibility, and raise funds.
• Work with DPN’s program and operations teams to wrap fundraising strategies around key organizational moments and campaigns.

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Other Support

• Special project as assigned by the Executive Director

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Qualifications

• Minimum of 5–7 years of nonprofit fundraising experience and/or business development, with demonstrated success in major gifts, institutional fundraising, grant management, and donor stewardship.
• Deep alignment with DPN’s abolitionist and justice-centered mission, and commitment to resource mobilization as a tool for liberation.
• Strong track record of securing institutional and individual gifts, and meeting or exceeding fundraising goals in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including storytelling and proposal writing for a variety of audiences.
• Experience working with diverse donors and communities, and building long-term relationships based on trust and mutual investment.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, managing multiple deadlines, systems, and priorities.
• Proficiency in CRM and fundraising platforms (e.g., Raiser’s Edge), and comfort analyzing donor data to drive strategy.
• Strategic thinking and strong organizational skills, including budget forecasting and performance tracking.
• Strong racial justice analysis and understanding of grassroots fundraising principles.

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Preferred

• Lived experience with incarceration, policing, or systems of oppression, or strong proximity to impacted communities.
• Experience fundraising for grassroots, movement-based, or abolitionist organizations.
• Familiarity with donor-advised funds, social justice philanthropy, and/or participatory grantmaking models.

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Compensation and Benefits

• Salary Range: $100,000–$110,000 annually, based on experience and qualifications.
• Generous benefits package including medical, dental, vision insurance, paid vacation and sick time, wellness stipends, and professional development opportunities.
• Flexible work environment, including hybrid in-office and remote work.
• Opportunity to be part of a visionary, community-rooted organization working toward transformative social change.

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To Apply:

Please submit a copy of your cover letter, and resume through indeed. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

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Dignity and Power Now is an equal opportunity employer.We actively seek applicants with lived experience in the justice system and from communities most impacted by incarceration and state violence. We comply with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring (LA Ord. 184652). We welcome Black, Indigenous, people of color, LGBTQIA+ people, people with disabilities, and those historically excluded from nonprofit leadership to apply.

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Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $100,000.00 - $110,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

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Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

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People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Application Question(s):

• Do you have experience working in a nonprofit?
• Do you have experience designing and implement a multi-channel fundraising strategy ?

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Ability to Commute:

• Los Angeles, CA 90007 (Preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Los Angeles, CA 90007

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