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Bread for the World
Vice President for Development and Membership
 

Bread for the World, a nonprofit organization, is seeking to recruit a Vice President for Development and Membership.

Bread for the World

Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s political leaders to end hunger in our country and worldwide. Over the last decade, Bread for the World played an essential role in tripling U.S. funding for poverty-focused assistance to poor countries and in doubling nutrition assistance to poor families in this country. Bread for the World has also worked to improve the effectiveness of both sets of programs. Increased development assistance clearly contributed to progress against global poverty, notably in Africa, and the national nutrition programs have been a lifeline for many struggling families in this country, especially during this period of high unemployment. These achievements were recognized with the award of the World Food Prize in 2010.

In this year’s negotiations over the deficit and national priorities, Bread for the World has campaigned for a circle of protection around funding for poor and hungry people in this country and around the world. Bread for the World has met with top leaders from both parties, mobilized the faith community, activated its grassroots network across the country, and projected its message through the media. This work has moderated threatened budget cuts and won some protections for poor people in the Budget Control Act of 2011.

Bread for the World is a 501(c)4 organization that lobbies Congress for hungry people. It does more outright lobbying on poverty issues than any other organization in the country. Its grassroots network is active in every congressional district and mobilizes hundreds of thousands of thoughtful constituent contacts with Congress each year. Bread plays a significant role in U.S. church life, often leading the engagement of diverse religious bodies on public policy issues that are important to poor people. Bread’s staff includes strong teams for lobbying and policy analysis, media and communications, grassroots organizing, administration, and fundraising, and the enlistment of other organizations in advocacy.

Bread for the World Institute, a 501(c)3 affiliate, does analysis on hunger and how to solve it. It provides education on faith, policies, and advocacy methods throughout Bread’s network and beyond. The Institute’s fundraising advantages make it a powerful partner for Bread for the World.

The Alliance to End Hunger, another 501(c)3 affiliate, reaches out beyond Bread’s church network to engage diverse institutions – Jewish and Muslim groups, charities, corporations, universities and others – in building the political will to overcome hunger and poverty. Bread for the World launched the Alliance to help build a stronger movement to get the United States to provide leadership in ending hunger in our country and around the world. The Alliance now has 100 member organizations.

The strengths of Bread for the World and Bread for the World Institute include:

• A nationwide network of active and knowledgeable members and churches;

• Substantial capacity for lobbying;

• Strong connections to 50 diverse Christian denominations and 5,000 congregations;

• Credibility earned through decades of servant leadership, bipartisanship, accurate analysis, and financial independence from government;

• Leadership on both international and domestic poverty issues;

• Motivation and moral authority grounded in religious faith;

• A committed staff and influential board; and

• A diverse, reliable, and steadily growing base of members and other funding sources.

The push to reduce the federal deficit is likely to preoccupy Congress throughout 2012, so Bread for the World will continue to defend funding for programs focused on poor and hungry people, notably international development assistance, domestic nutrition programs, and tax credits for the working poor. Bread for the World and the Institute will also be working on foreign assistance reform, a drive to reduce child malnutrition in poor countries, and immigration policy. As always, Bread for the World and the Institute will continue to educate people about the connections between Jesus and justice and how to be effective advocates.

Bread for the World and its affiliates are growing and innovating rapidly, especially in the areas of grassroots organizing, communication, and diversity. They are going through an important transition in management structure and personnel. Bread’s 10-year vision emphasizes grassroots capacity-building, fresh ways to draw strength from the core of Christian faith, and fundraising to build financial reserves and long-term organizational sustainability.

Bread’s Development Work

Bread for the World and Bread for the World Institute have been able to increase revenue by an average of about 6 percent a year for many years. This growth has continued through the recent economic crisis.

Bread for the World’s fundraising is grounded in its 75,000 members. Membership revenue is expected to raise $3.8 million of the $13.3 million total of Bread for the World and the Institute revenue in 2011. Most Bread members make 501(c)4 gifts and are also active in writing Congress on Bread for the World issues. Most say that Bread is a way they can live out the social-justice dimension of Christian faith. Bread for the World recruits and retains its members by mail, web-based communication, and grassroots activities. Bread for the World’s membership is growing by about 2,500 each year.

Church bodies and local congregations provide about $1 million a year, mostly 501(c)4 funding. The Church Relations department plays an active role in this line of fundraising.

About 200 major donors give $2,500 or more each year. Major-donor revenue is expected to be $2.5 million in 2011. Our biggest donors give $50,000 to as much as $350,000 each year. Most major donors have emerged from Bread’s membership, but some have been recruited through a growing program of major-donor events. The President, the Vice President for Development, and four major-donor representatives around the country cultivate major donors. Bread has great potential for increased revenue from major donors, including planned gifts.

Foundations have recently become an important source of revenue - $5.8 million in 2011. The bulk of this funding is coming from the Gates and Hewlett foundations. Foundation grants are restricted to 501(c)3 purposes, often to particular purposes, and we are wary of relying too heavily on two major foundations. Yet Gates, Hewlett, and some other grant-making organizations have demonstrated loyalty to Bread and considerable flexibility in their funding. Staff who work in Bread for the World Institute play a major role in foundation fundraising.

The Alliance to End Hunger has its own board and raises its own funds, mainly from its members (including corporations) and from grants. But Bread and the Alliance sometimes approach foundations and major donors together.

The board of Bread for the World and Bread for the World Institute has decided to proceed in 2012 with the readiness study for a capital campaign. This is Bread’s first ever capital campaign and will entail a major increase in our investment in development. The goal is to finance continued growth and innovation and, at the same time, establish reserves (both operating reserves and endowment) that will assure that Bread for the World and the Institute are a strong voice for poor people for many decades to come.

Vice President for Development and Membership

The Vice President for Development and Membership is expected to lead Bread for the World and the Institute to a new level of fundraising. The Vice President will be responsible for growing the membership of Bread for the World and securing the financial resources to achieve the ambitious goals of Bread for the World and the Institute. The President has delegated virtually all organizational management to the Managing Director in order to focus mainly on fundraising and other external representation, so the Vice President will work closely with the President but report to the Managing Director.

The responsibilities and activities of the Vice President include:

• Provides strategic leadership, inspiration, planning, and oversight for all the fundraising and membership recruitment efforts of Bread for the World and the Institute;

• Expands major-donor contributions by directly cultivating gifts from a portfolio of donors and managing the fundraising work of the President and a team of major-donor representatives. The Vice President is expected to devote at least 40 percent of his or her time to travel to visit major donors and another 20 percent to major-donor work based in the office.

• Leads (with consultant support) in the planning and execution of the capital campaign;

• Works (together with the President) with the Board, its Development Committee, and a planned Campaign Committee;

• Manages the Development and Membership Department, including the management of staff and external vendors;

• Oversees fundraising and membership recruitment activities in other departments, including the President, the Communications and Church Relations departments, and Bread for the World Institute;

• Works closely with the other members of the executive team and other managers to provide overall leadership for Bread for the World, the Institute, and the Alliance; and

• Coordinates with the Executive Director of the Alliance to support Alliance fundraising and collaboration between the development efforts of Bread and the Alliance.

Professional Qualifications and Personal Attributes

The Vice President should ideally possess the following set of professional qualifications and personal attributes:

• Commitment to the mission and faith basis of Bread for the World and ability to communicate the case for supporting Bread;

• Demonstrated ability to develop relationships with and raise funds from major donors, and to coach and lead others (staff and volunteers) in major donor work.

• A record of success in developing and sustaining a comprehensive fundraising program, preferably including major donors, direct mail, e-philanthropy, foundations, churches, and corporations;

• Experience with capital campaigns;

• Effective management and leadership ability, including the ability to manage people and to work together with other parts of the organization; and

• A Bachelor’s degree; Master’s degree preferred.

This position is based in Washington, DC.

Compensation

Compensation for the Vice President for Development and Marketing includes a base salary plus a full package of employee and health benefits.

Interested candidates should send their resume to resumes@explorecompany.com. Please refer to Bread for the World/VPDM in the subject line. No phone calls please.

Daniel Sherman
President
Explore Company
Fax 301.933.8990

Bread for the World is an equal opportunity employer.
Minority candidates are encouraged to apply.

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