Lois L. Lindauer Searches Seeking Major Gifts Officer for ACLU Foundation of Massachusetts
November 13, 2017 – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Foundation of Massachusetts has retained Boston-based recruitment firm Lois L. Lindauer Searches to spearhead its hunt for a new major gifts officer. Vice president Maureen Huminik is leading the assignment.
This is an opportunity for a seasoned development professional to join a highly-respected organization in which development plays a critical role. Lois L. Lindauer Searches notes that the organization is poised for considerable growth and transformative success.
ACLU of Massachusetts seeks an entrepreneurial, skilled relationship builder with a proven track record of face-to-face major gifts fundraising. The major gifts officer should be a passionate advocate for the mission of the ACLU of Massachusetts and possess exceptional oral and written communication skills. The firm notes that candidates who are self-starters and team players will thrive in this role, as will individuals who can work effectively across an organization with dynamic leadership, staff, and stakeholders.
Significant experience in nonprofit fundraising, with progressive responsibility and a proven track record of soliciting, closing, and stewarding major gifts in the $10,000 to $100,000 range. Experience soliciting seven-figure gifts is highly desirable, and experience with planned gifts is also preferred.
The Role
The major gifts officer will work closely with the executive director, chief development officer and national ACLU staff to focus efforts on creating new relationships with donors who have turned their support to the ACLU in recent months. The organization’s ambitious fundraising goals are based on programmatic goals on the issues of voting rights, reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, immigrants’ rights, criminal justice reform, open government, digital privacy and free speech.
Why Recruiters Center On Fundraising Skills
Organizations nationwide are under pressure to find leaders who can act as de facto chief fundraisers – and recruiters are in lock step to find talent to satisfy the demand. These leaders need to be strategic thinkers who can motivate the stakeholders whose philanthropy pulls everything together.
| Read More |
Lois L. Lindauer Searches says the gifts officer will spend a majority of time in direct interaction with donors, both in and out of the office, helping donors fulfill their passions and interests through their giving to the ACLU as well as time behind the scenes. They will be assessing next steps for individual donor engagement, deploying other staff, including the executive director and chief development officer, as necessary for building the donor relationship with the ACLU. This position both leads and supports others in leading.
The ACLU of Massachusetts was founded in 1920 as the nation’s first ACLU affiliate, and is one of 50 independent state affiliates operating in the ACLU network across the country. It works at the local, state, and national level to ensure that every person’s rights are protected equally under the law, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, or national origin.
Unique Role, Growing In Prominence
Major gifts are the largest donations an organization receives. Major gift officers lead all major giving areas for non-profits and fundraising organizations. From identification to cultivation to solicitation to stewardship, they build relationships with prospective donors.
Major gift officers at a large non-profit are likely to be part of a team of officers, whereas a smaller organization might have an existing staff member take on the responsibilities.
Hunt Scanlon Top 50 Non-Profit & Higher Education Search Firms
Hunt Scanlon presents its first ever roundup of leading recruiters in the non-profit / higher education sectors. Check out these top 50 trailblazers – ranging from the largest recruiting and talent leadership solutions firms to the leading boutique specialists.
| Top 50 |
Serving Advancement Needs
Lois L. Lindauer Searches serves the development/advancement profession. The firm specializes in recruiting chief development officers and their teams for the education, healthcare, science, arts and culture, advocacy and mission-driven non-profit sectors. It has led development searches for the Boston YMCA, Center for Applied Special Technology, Healthy Minds Innovations/Center for Healthy Minds, the University of Texas at Austin and the Cockrell School of Engineering, among others.
Ms. Huminik has a range of charitable organization experience and a vast network of exceptional talent across every segment of the non-profit sector. She served such clients as City of Hope, Foundation Fighting Blindness, Stanford University, Kansas State University, and Columbia University. Ms. Huminik has also placed numerous leaders including the VP for development for the Archdiocese of Boston, the executive director of development for the Archdiocese of New York, and the vice chancellor for development and alumni affairs at the University of Tennessee.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Will Schatz, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
