Director of Philanthropic Partnerships in Denver, Colorado at Colorado Media Project

Position Summary

Colorado Media Project is a statewide philanthropic intermediary and the home of Press Forward Colorado. We pool and direct philanthropic capital to the newsrooms and civic information providers Coloradans rely on, from rural and mountain outlets to ethnic and community media.

Colorado philanthropy already knows CMP. What we need now is the capacity to turn that access into investment. The Director of Philanthropic Partnerships is a new position created for that purpose, and it carries revenue responsibility for the organization. You will build CMP's first major gift portfolio, including donors who recommend grants from their donor advised funds, and you will work with community foundations and regional funders across the state to fund the information needs of their own communities.

You will be building a major gift program for a cause most donors do not yet fund. Local news is an unfamiliar category of funding for many individuals and community foundations, and the first job is often making the case that it belongs in their giving at all. You will not be starting cold. CMP has an established funder table, long-term institutional relationships, and research on what Colorado communities are missing. This is an opportunity for a seasoned development professional to take that foundation and grow it.

The Director of Philanthropic Partnerships is a full-time position supported by an upcoming 24-month institutional grant, anticipated to begin in January 2027. While funding for this position is secured for an initial two-year cycle, the Director will play a critical role in cultivating long-term donor relationships and strategic partnerships to diversify our revenue and sustain this role beyond the initial grant period.

Key Responsibilities

Revenue Planning and Execution

• Fundraising Plan: Develop the annual fundraising plan that delivers the revenue strategy set by the Executive Director, and own execution against it.
• Portfolio Approach: Decide how your own portfolio is worked, including segmentation, cultivation sequence, solicitation timing and ask amounts.
• Analysis and Recommendation: Bring the Executive Director analysis and recommendations on where revenue effort should go across individual, institutional and place-based channels.
• Funder Representation: Represent CMP with funders and in the field, within the strategy and messaging the Executive Director sets.

Major Gifts and Individual Giving

• Portfolio Development: Build and segment a qualified prospect universe across individual donors, donor advised fund advisors, and institutional sources.
• Solicitation: Proactively solicit major gifts of $50,000 and above, including multi-year individual commitments.
• Moves Management: Manage your portfolio in CMP's CRM and moves management system, keeping stage, next actions, and relationship history current.
• Targeted Campaigns: Lead CMP's participation in DAF Day and the annual matching campaign tied to Local News Day, moving donor advised fund dollars toward Colorado local news.

Place-Based Philanthropy

• Community Foundation Table: Convene and manage CMP's community foundation table, a peer space for foundations building local journalism funds of their own.
• Regional Convenings: Lead the funder strategy for CMP's regional convenings across rural and mountain Colorado, from the invitation list through the follow-up that turns attendance into investment.

Institutional Partnerships

• Funder Table Renewal: Co-own CMP's institutional funder relationships with the Executive Director, leading renewal and expansion of commitments from funders engaged with the Press Forward Colorado Funder Table.
• Proposal Management: Own the institutional proposal and reporting calendar and manage CMP's contract grant writer: setting the proposal slate and deadlines, briefing each piece, and reviewing output before it goes to a funder.
• Stewardship: Build and run CMP's stewardship practice, including quarterly funder briefings and the annual contributions report.

Events and Convenings

• Funder Events: Design and lead CMP's funder-facing events, including quarterly Funder Table meetings and donor cultivation events, defining purpose, audience, program and follow-up.
• Campaign Events: Lead the donor-facing side of CMP's campaign moments, including DAF Day and the Local News Day matching campaign.
• Event Execution: Coordinate with operations on venue and vendor contracts, registration systems and event payments.

Field Leadership and Board Engagement

• Revenue Officer Table: Convene a statewide table of newsroom revenue officers and development leads to share practice and surface revenue needs CMP can help address.
• Board Fundraising Committee: Staff the board fundraising committee, report progress against the fundraising plan to the board and prepare board members for cultivation and solicitation.

Travel and Work Environment

This is a hybrid position based in Denver. Candidates must reside in Colorado; relocation assistance is not provided. The role requires in-state travel of up to 10 percent, including overnight travel to rural and mountain communities, and occasional evening and weekend events.

Skills and Qualifications

We recognize that candidates bring a variety of experiences and strengths. We encourage applications from individuals who meet most, but not all, of the qualifications below.

Required

• 7+ years in fundraising, sales, or a comparable revenue-generating role, including ownership of a program or function rather than execution against someone else's plan, with a demonstrated track record of meeting revenue goals.
• A documented history of securing gifts at the $50,000 level and above from individuals, donor advised fund advisors, or institutions, with examples you can speak to.
• Working knowledge of how community foundations and donor advised funds operate, including the geographic and charter restrictions that shape place-based giving.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including the ability to turn research and data into a persuasive funding case.
• Experience setting revenue strategy and defending it, including the discipline to decline opportunities that do not fit.
• Experience managing a portfolio in a donor CRM, with proactive and persistent outreach and follow-up.
• Willingness to travel in state up to 10 percent, including overnight trips to rural and mountain regions and occasional evening or weekend events.

Preferred

• Existing relationships in Colorado philanthropy, particularly outside the Front Range.
• Experience in journalism, media, civic information, or intermediary grantmaking.
• CFRE credential or progress toward it.
• Experience administering a donor CRM.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this full-time, exempt position is $105,000 to $110,000 annually. Final pay will be determined by experience and qualifications within that range.

• Comprehensive Benefits Package: We offer a competitive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance options.
• Retirement: Participation in a 401(k) retirement plan.
• Flexible Paid Time Off: Flexible paid time off, with no fixed accrual cap, plus paid sick leave in accordance with the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA).
• Flexible Schedule: Hybrid work environment with a culture that values focused work and work-life balance.
• Professional Development: Budget and opportunities for skill-building, training, and leadership development.

To Apply

We invite qualified candidates to submit a resume and cover letter.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received. While the position will remain open until filled, preference may be given to applications received by November 17, 2026. We encourage interested candidates to apply promptly.

Final pay will be determined by experience and qualifications within the posted range.

If you need an accommodation in applying, please contact Charlene Emory-Proctor, Associate Director of Operations, at charlene@coloradomediaproject.org.

Colorado Media Project is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.