Purpose
You will lead Lwala’s individual giving efforts, with a particular focus on major donor cultivation and stewardship, strengthening the systems and capacity that support individual giving, and advancing fundraising for the Lwala Community Hospital Endowment. In this role, you will also lead planning for Lwala’s 20th anniversary celebration in 2027. You will work closely with Lwala’s Co-CEOs, US-based staff, Communications team, Kenya-based leadership, and Board, bringing both fundraising expertise and a strong understanding of Lwala’s history and donor community.

Scope of Work

1. Individual Giving Strategy, Systems, and Oversight

• Lead strategy and execution of Lwala’s individual giving program, with responsibility for strengthening individual donor engagement and retention.
• Assess Lwala’s current individual giving strategy, systems, processes, tools, data, and workflows.
• Recommend and support practical improvements to strengthen individual giving performance and donor experience.
• Identify and implement creative strategies to expand Lwala’s major gifts donor base and tap new markets.
• Help establish clear priorities, roles, workflows, and systems to support a strong and sustainable individual giving program.
• Track individual giving performance and identify opportunities, challenges, and priorities requiring leadership attention.
• Advise Lwala leadership on the longer-term infrastructure needed to support individual giving

2. Major Donor Cultivation and Stewardship

• Lead cultivation and stewardship of major individual donors and prospects.
• Build and maintain relationships through phone calls, in-person meetings, personalized outreach, and other meaningful engagement.
• Develop individualized cultivation and stewardship strategies for priority donors and prospects.
• Coordinate donor touchpoints involving Lwala leadership, staff, founders, and Board members as appropriate.
• Identify opportunities to deepen existing relationships, re-engage long-standing members of the Lwala community, and cultivate prospective major donors.
• Ensure timely and thoughtful follow-up with donors and prospects.
• Support planning and execution of trips to Kenya for priority donors.

3. Individual Giving Campaigns and Donor Engagement

• Oversee individual giving campaigns and broader engagement opportunities that strengthen Lwala’s donor community.
• Oversee Lwala’s direct mail program from strategy through execution
  Work with Lwala’s Communications team on campaign content and materials.
• Coordinate and delegate agreed-upon responsibilities across Lwala’s US and Communications staff.
• Identify and engage outside contractors or vendors when additional expertise or capacity is required.
• Support planning and engagement with Harpeth Hall as part of Lwala’s broader donor and community engagement strategy.

4. Lwala Community Hospital Endowment

• Oversee fundraising strategy and donor engagement for the Lwala Community Hospital Endowment.
• Support stewardship and continued engagement of existing endowment donors.
• Integrate endowment asks within the wider Individual Giving Strategy.
• Develop strategies to expand the endowment donor base and identify new fundraising opportunities.
• Coordinate engagement of Lwala leadership, Board members, founders, and other champions in endowment fundraising.

5. 20th Anniversary Planning

• Lead planning for Lwala’s 20th anniversary celebration, anticipated for Q3 2027.
• Develop the overall concept, engagement strategy, and fundraising objectives for the anniversary.
• Develop strategies to engage donors, alumni, founders, Board members, and other long-standing members of the Lwala community.
• Identify fundraising and sponsorship opportunities associated with the anniversary.
• Develop and manage the planning timeline and key milestones.
• Coordinate staff, Board, external partners, vendors, or contractors involved in planning and execution.
• Oversee execution of the anniversary celebration in partnership with relevant Lwala staff.

Key Deliverables

• Assessment of Lwala’s current individual giving systems, processes, and capacity, with prioritized recommendations for improvement.
• Active cultivation and stewardship of an agreed portfolio of major donors and prospects.
• Successful planning and execution of individual giving and direct mail campaigns.
• Active endowment fundraising strategy and management of priority donor opportunities.
• 20th anniversary engagement, fundraising, and event strategy, followed by oversight of implementation toward Q3 2027.