Kathleen Sykes
Dover,NH
Summary
Results-driven fundraising professional with solid track record in securing major donations through strategic donor engagement and stewardship. Adept at developing and executing targeted fundraising campaigns, generating substantial contributions. Known for exceptional collaboration skills and results-oriented approach, ensuring seamless team integration and goal attainment.
Overview
34
34
years of professional experience
Work History
Leadership Gifts Officer
Bowdoin College
08.2022 - Current
- Manage a portfolio of over 200 alumni and parents, cultivating relationships to secure six- and seven-figure gifts, including commitments of up to $1M.
- Consistently meet and exceed fundraising metrics, identifying new prospects and cultivating existing donors to drive major gift commitments.
- Conduct high-level donor visits, personalized solicitations, and stewardship strategies to enhance long-term philanthropic partnerships.
- Create and execute engagement strategies to inspire philanthropic support, collaborating with institutional leaders, faculty, and volunteers
- Develop cross-campus partnerships with key departments to align fundraising efforts with institutional priorities.
- Leverage data analytics and prospect research to inform solicitation strategies and drive donor pipeline growth.
- Develop and lead Bowdoin Network of Women (BNOW), the College's women’s engagement and philanthropy initiative, including:
- Assembling and managing a 33-alumnae advisory committee, convening three times per year.
- Launching the Women’s Philanthropy Circle, a giving program for leadership-level donors.
- Overseeing large- and small-scale events including Presidential level events to strengthen alumnae connections and donor engagement
- Represent Bowdoin at conferences, alumni reunions, and networking events, including presenting at MAGIC (Major Gifts Officers Conference).
- Support Bowdoin’s Common Good Grant Program, leading a grant-writing workshop to for local nonprofits
- Member of the 2024 internship review committee that awarded 187 grants that allowed students to pursue unpaid internships
- Coordinating large on campus women's leadership event with the Office of Leadership Development and the Sexuality, Women and Gender Center
Director of Development and Communications
The Food Project
03.2020 - Current
- Design and implement strategy to successfully raise $3.5M+ per year, yielded surpluses in both FY20 and FY21
- Cultivate strong and authentic relationships with donors, funders and community members
- Define and integrate roles for Development and Communications team, doubling number of staff in 2 years
- Lead new team (80% of members came on board in 2020) and foster inter-team camaraderie with human centered leadership approach
- Member Executive Leadership Team responsible for organizational policy and oversight; played integral role in creating five year strategic plan
- Work collaboratively with organizational staff and community to ensure messaging is consistent with and promotes organizational mission and not extractive
- Member of Justice, Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Committee
- Revamp systems, create efficiencies, including managing build out of Salesforce to collect fundraising and organizational data
- Work with grants team on strategy and proposal writing, doubling grant revenue
- Design and supervise execution of in person and virtual events, including annual fundraising gala
- Lead Board of Trustees Development Committee; achieve 100% board giving
- Oversee organizational marketing and communications including social media, website, e-communications,
- Support Executive Leadership Team with sensitive internal communications
Director of Development
Commonwealth Kitchen
10.2019 - 03.2020
- Member of Senior Leadership Team, contributed to organizational strategy and development of three year strategic plan
- Built strong relationships with corporate and institutional funders and drafted compelling proposals that lead to 40% increase in funding ($1.5M/year grant portfolio)
- Created comprehensive fundraising plan focused on major donor cultivation
- Developed strategy for and execute annual end of year appeal (2019 appeal yielded 37% new donor rate)
- Systematized fundraising processes, including donor/grant acknowledgements, grant tracking and donor outreach, and revenue tracking and projections
- Worked closely with Director of Communications to create content for key fundraising materials (direct mail appeal letter, case for support, impact report), e-blasts and other communications
- Led team responsible for executing large and small events, including signature, annual, community event (450+ attendees in 2019)
- Set up and managed donor database
Principal
Kathleen Sykes Consulting
04.2016 - 10.2019
- Consulting practice focused on organizational strategy, program outcomes, grant writing and management, data collection and events
- Advised on organizational strategy, identifying systems to streamline operation and mission fit program development
- Led strategic planning process for large, Boston social service organization
- Worked with program teams to identify outcomes and create measurement tools
- Advised on CRM integration and document sharing
- Supported and managed annual budgeting process
- Consulted on staffing and managed process for new hires
- Created strategy for donor cultivation, including special events, and direct mail solicitation
- Conducted prospect research and created grants action plan with funder details
- Refined messaging and drafted nuanced, persuasive proposals that had 75+% success rate
- Secured more than $5M in corporate, foundation and government grants
- Project managed events such as 200+ attendee anniversary gala
- Clients included Castle Square Tenants Organization, CommonWealth Kitchen, Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute, Third Sector New England, The Fatherhood Project, Farrington Nature Link
Development Associate and Foundation Liaison
Future Chefs
03.2013 - 03.2016
- Member of Leadership Team
- Developed and maintained relationships with key funders and donors that resulted in 60% increase in revenue
- Created detailed program and organizational budgets
- Oversaw development of logic model, outcome measurement protocol and implementation of Salesforce for collection of development and program data
- Lead hiring process for several development staff positions
Grants Coordinator
South Sudanese Enrichment For Families
01.2011 - 03.2013
- Established grants program that ultimately funded 25% of organization’s primary program
- Researched and identified grant opportunities and built solid relationships with funders
- Wrote compelling proposals and created budgets
- Drafted sponsorship forms and cover letters for fundraising event
Development Coordinator
Fitness Forward
10.2009 - 12.2010
- Identified potential funders; researched and wrote grant templates
- Assisted contract grant writer in submitting proposals
- Developed strategic plan that included program and organizational goals
Senior Associate
Robins, Kaplan
08.1991 - 03.1999
- Managed multi-million dollar lawsuits for large, national law firm
- Supervised attorneys and paralegals and oversaw firm’s hiring program
- Researched, wrote and submitted legal memoranda and briefs
- Argued before state and federal courts
- Coordinated thousands of documents and other materials related to litigation
Education
J.D. -
Suffolk University Law School
Boston MABachelor of Science - Biology
Bates College
Lewiston, MESkills
- Major gifts solicitation
- Portfolio Management
- Versatile communicator and relationship builder
- Human centered leader
- Strong, persuasive writer
- Resourceful, analytical problem solver
- Spreadsheet and database super fan
- Skilled, detail oriented researcher
- Proficient in Salesforce, Asana, Slack, Microsoft, Raisers Edge and Google Suite
Timeline
Leadership Gifts Officer
Bowdoin College
08.2022 - Current
Director of Development and Communications
The Food Project
03.2020 - Current
Director of Development
Commonwealth Kitchen
10.2019 - 03.2020
Principal
Kathleen Sykes Consulting
04.2016 - 10.2019
Development Associate and Foundation Liaison
Future Chefs
03.2013 - 03.2016
Grants Coordinator
South Sudanese Enrichment For Families
01.2011 - 03.2013
Development Coordinator
Fitness Forward
10.2009 - 12.2010
Senior Associate
Robins, Kaplan
08.1991 - 03.1999
J.D. -
Suffolk University Law School
Bachelor of Science - Biology
Bates College
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