Dolly Mecham
West Warwick,RI
Summary
Strategic and mission-driven development professional dedicated to advancing equity-centered philanthropy and driving systems change. Proven track record in operationalizing diverse fundraising initiatives, including institutional, government, and corporate grant management, along with effective donor stewardship and philanthropic earned revenue strategies. Expertise in development operations management, leveraging extensive knowledge of CRM systems, data analysis, and process improvement to enhance donor engagement and broaden access for underrepresented communities affected by systemic inequities. Recognized for building collaborative relationships, leading cross-functional teams, and aligning strategic objectives with long-term impact goals.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Manager, Development Operations
uAspire
11.2023 - Current
- Ownership of the fundraising CRM (Salesforce), ensuring ongoing donor data integrity, accurate record-keeping, contracted confidentiality, and alignment with organizational needs as well as external fundraising compliance.
- Develop and maintain operational dashboards, reports, and metrics to track progress toward fundraising goals; track and segment donors based on giving trends and use data hygiene to drive cultivation and stewardship.
- Serve as a liaison between Finance, Executive, and Development teams to create systems that facilitate efficiency and accuracy in reporting, auditing, and compliance.
- Collaborate with the Chief Finance Officer to reconcile revenue and create processes to ensure alignment between departments.
- Prepare data and finance snapshots and larger briefings for use in meetings with Board Members and other stakeholders.
- Complete landscape analysis of potential expansion efforts into areas identified as needs-based and are in line with the organizations mission.
- Create and implement ongoing prospect research systems to identify new and current fundraising opportunities with a focus on diversifying fundraiser portfolios.
- Maintain the institutional funding pipeline and calendar, and keep the development team abreast of key deadlines using moves management.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design data-driven strategies that improve outreach effectiveness by leveraging analytics tools including AI and backend support of systems.
- Manage relationships with key stakeholders, fostering partnerships that expanded development reach and impact within communities.
- Analyze fundraising performance metrics, identifying areas for growth in team members fundraising pipelines.
- Manage large-scale projects and introduce new systems, tools, and processes to achieve challenging objectives.
Director of Development
Refugee Development Center
04.2023 - 11.2023
- Researched, wrote, and submitted successful grant proposals to foundations, corporations, and government agencies, securing multi-year funding for core programs.
- Developed and executed strategic fundraising plans aligned with organizational goals and the evolving needs of refugee communities.
- Built strong relationships with refugee community members to assess program impact, identify emerging needs, and ensure culturally responsive fundraising narratives.
- Created compelling donor communications, impact reports, and stewardship materials to engage and retain funders.
- Collaborated with program and finance teams to track outcomes and align development strategy with service delivery metrics.
- Oversaw donor database management CRM, tracking donor engagement and analyzing giving trends to inform strategy.
- Supported the Executive Director and Board of Directors in cultivating major donors and expanding the organization’s funding network.
- Managed first year endowment to include liaising between foundation and organization stakeholders.
- Managed development staff and volunteers, fostering a collaborative and mission-driven team culture.
- Represented the organization at public events, community forums, and with external partners to raise visibility and support.
Senior Project Coordinator
Redfin
06.2018 - 04.2023
- Managed end-to-end coordination of transactions, ensuring timely execution of contracts and compliance with organizational policies and legal requirements.
- Oversaw the preparation, review, and tracking of contracts and agreements, maintaining accurate records and renewal timelines.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to align marketing strategies with business goals and contractual obligations.
- Maintained contract databases and CRM systems, ensuring data integrity and supporting reporting needs.
- Supported budget tracking and vendor invoicing related to both marketing initiatives and contractual deliverables.
- Assisted in drafting and proofreading briefings and legal materials to ensure consistency, accuracy, and alignment with company standards.
- Provided administrative support for contract negotiations, including scheduling meetings, preparing documents, and recording decisions.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science And Government
SNHU
Manchester, NHSkills
- CRM Salesforce
- GiveSmart
- Mailchimp
- Google Workspace
- Fluxx Grants Management
- Windfall Wealth Screening
- Double The Donation
- Asana
- Strategic Fundraising Planning
- Revenue Forecasting
- Operations planning and management
- Cross-functional team coordination
- Data analytics
- Documentation and reporting
- Data-driven decision making
- Organizational development
- Reporting management
- Stakeholder engagement
- Logistics management
MILITARY SERVICE
- Intelligence Collector - United States Army
- Department of Defense Top Secret Security Clearance
- Collected intelligence about a situational tactics
- Debriefed and interviewed human intelligence sources
- Analyzed and prepared intelligence reports
Certification
- Advanced Individual Training. Army HUMINT collection, debriefing, intelligence gathering, and analysis.
- Defense Language Aptitude Battery Category IV Arabic
- DOD Top Secret Security Clearance
Timeline
Senior Manager, Development Operations
uAspire
11.2023 - Current
Director of Development
Refugee Development Center
04.2023 - 11.2023
Senior Project Coordinator
Redfin
06.2018 - 04.2023
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science And Government
SNHU