The Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence Selects Lindauer for CDO Search 

June 8, 2021 – Lindauer has been called in by The Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence (AI2) to lead the search for its inaugural chief development officer.  Leading the assignment is senior consultant Terri Rutter. “AI2 has just recently diverged from its parent, Vulcan Inc., to become an independent 501(c)(3) organization,” said Lindauer. “The first AI2 CDO will build and grow a pipeline of funding sources, both from foundations and individual donors. This is an extraordinary opportunity to break new ground at one of most recognized and respected research centers in the world.”

AI2’s CDO will be expected to lead, develop and direct a comprehensive and integrated fund development plan to secure unrestricted and restricted contributed income to advance the vision, mission, business plan and annual goals of AI2, said the search firm. The individual will be part of the senior leadership team and report to the chief operating officer with an active dotted line to the CEO. The CDO will work with leaders and program directors to identify strategic areas for support; develop compelling cases for that support; identify, cultivate and solicit prospective funders and donors; and develop successful stewardship and engagement programs to grow and retain philanthropic sponsored research and government support for AI2’s mission.

Fundraising Strategies

The new CDO will be charged with developing short- and long-term fundraising strategies aimed at maximizing contributed income from individuals, foundations, corporations and government agencies, as appropriate, said Lindauer. He or she will also be expected to execute a robust prospect development and engagement strategy. Developing donor solicitation and donor stewardship materials and approaches will be critical. The individual must also develop and implement progress reporting.

It is essential that the new CDO ensure the highest standards of fiscal responsibility, data integrity, and fundraising best practices, standards, and ethics. He or she must work with leadership, program directors and other stakeholders to build a culture of philanthropy within AI2; work closely with the CEO and COO and other leaders to set high standards of philanthropy within AI2 and identify prospects to support high priority strategic program initiatives and projects; and prepare with the CEO and COO the annual income plan for unrestricted and temporarily restricted funds.

Key Requirements

Candidates should have 10 or more years of experience, or equivalent, in diversified fundraising with demonstrated experience in strategic philanthropy, marketing, major and capital gifts solicitation, donor stewardship, long-range fund development planning, and proposal development and presentation, said Lindauer. Strong interpersonal and leadership skills, with the ability to create and sustain strong working relationships with funders and donors, board members and other future volunteers and colleagues is essential.

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It is also important that prospects possess demonstrated professional success and the ability to serve as a compelling, effective spokesperson for the organization. They must also have a passion for AI2’s mission. Excellent communications and writing skills and the ability to be persuasive in supporting and promoting AI2’s work is vital. Candidates should further have experience writing or editing foundation grants that have led to successful gifts. They must also be familiar with fundraising administration (best practices, legal/regulatory policies, protocols, procedures, ethics, and record/data management).

The Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence is a non-profit research institute in Seattle founded in 2014 by Paul Allen and headed by professor Oren Etzioni. The core mission of AI2 is to contribute to humanity through high-impact research in artificial intelligence. AI2 works on a wide variety of challenges in the AI space, from fundamental research to user-focused applications that apply cutting-edge AI techniques to real-world problems. AI2 has undertaken several ambitious projects to drive fundamental advances in science and medicine through AI. Among them are the Aristo Project, which aims to build systems that demonstrate a deep understanding of the world, integrating technologies for reading, learning, reasoning and explanation; Mosaic, which is a team-building machine with common-sense intelligence; and a project that builds on AI2’s expertise in natural language processing, computer vision, and engineering to deliver a tangible positive impact on fairness.

Serving Non-Profits 

Lindauer serves higher and secondary education, hospitals and academic research centers, think tanks, research facilities and foundations, as well as advocacy, public service, social justice and other mission-driven non-profits. It has led 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. Rutter brings a wide array of non-profit, advancement, and communications and marketing expertise to Lindauer, excelling in placing top leaders and executing team builds in multiple sectors. Having served in various senior advancement and management roles, she is well-versed in the responsibilities of leadership. Ms. Rutter is experienced in recruiting executive directors, SVPs and VPs, national directors, and high-level frontline fundraisers and marketing and communications professionals for a broad range of world-class educational and medical institutions and national non-profits. Past and current clients include Boston Children’s Hospital, City of Hope, George Washington University, George Washington University Medical and Health Sciences, Colby College, Phillips Academy, JDRF, Massachusetts General Hospital, American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Climate Central, Chautauqua Institution, Institute for Advanced Study, Life University, Washington State University and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

Related: Allen Institute Taps Christopher Group for Top HR Search

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media