ANNUAL FUND, STEWARDSHIP AND MEMORIAL GIVING MANAGER

Job Description

Help grow philanthropy that keeps one of Virginia’s most beautiful public gardens thriving.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is seeking an experienced and relationship-driven Annual Fund, Stewardship & Memorial Giving Manager to help cultivate a culture of generosity that supports our mission to connect people through plants. This role is ideal for a fundraising professional who enjoys building meaningful donor relationships, using data to drive strategy, and creating memorable stewardship experiences that inspire continued giving.

Working closely with the Director of Advancement, you will lead the Garden’s Annual Fund strategy, strengthen donor engagement, oversee stewardship initiatives, and manage the Memorial Giving Program while helping identify and cultivate future major gift donors.

About Us

Founded in 1984, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is a nonprofit garden located in Richmond, Virginia’s Lakeside neighborhood. The Garden encompasses 82 acres, four lakes, 5,500 unique taxa of plants within 15 distinct outdoor gardens, 11 major buildings including a conservatory and greenhouse, plus an 80-acre branch site, the Lewis Ginter Nature Reserve. Annually, Lewis Ginter engages over 17,000 students in innovative and exciting education programs. This cadre of identified learners is just a fraction of the more than 400,000 annual visitors to the Garden. In recent years, the Garden has been honored with inclusion in several top ten lists for botanical gardens in North America.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability or national origin in the hiring, retention, or promotion of employees. We support the diversity and inclusion policy adopted by The American Public Gardens Association: to create an equitable, diverse and inclusive culture where the contributions of all community members are valued, respected and appreciated.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategies that grow Annual Fund participation and revenue.
• Build meaningful relationships with donors through personalized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Manage a portfolio of Annual Fund donors and prospects, focusing on gifts of $500 and above.
• Utilize moves management strategies to guide donors through every stage of engagement.
• Collaborate with Advancement and Membership teams to identify and cultivate new donors.
• Analyze fundraising data to identify trends, evaluate results, and inform future strategies.
• Help identify and prepare prospective major gift donors.
• Plan and execute donor stewardship activities, including recognition events, communications, and outreach.
• Manage the Garden’s Memorial Giving Program, including memorial installations, replacements, database maintenance, and long-term planning.
• Support Advancement events, including occasional evening and weekend activities.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Two to three years of successful fundraising experience, preferably including Annual Fund management.
• Demonstrated success building donor relationships and increasing philanthropic support.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, and storytelling skills.
• Experience using donor databases and fundraising analytics to inform strategy. Tessitura experience is a plus.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• A collaborative mindset, sound judgment, and commitment to ethical fundraising practices.

Additional Information

This position requires frequent walking throughout the Garden campus in a variety of weather conditions. Occasional lifting and event setup are required. Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and special events—including GardenFest and donor events—is expected.

We Offer
• Competitive salary commensurate with experience.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits.
• Retirement savings plan with employer contribution.
• Generous paid time off and paid holidays.
• Professional development and continuing education opportunities.
• A beautiful, inspiring workplace where your work has visible impact every day.
• A collaborative, supportive team that values work-life balance.
• Flexible hybrid work schedule available, with opportunities to work remotely when business needs allow while maintaining an on-site presence for donor meetings, events, and collaborative work.

Application Instructions

For a complete job description, please visit the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden career website.

To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to hr@lewisginter.org