Deborah Edison Email & Phone Number

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Victory Programs (Boston, MA) February 2020 – February 2023 Chief Development Officer A $23 million nonprofit with 20-plus housing, health, and recovery programs for individuals and families in crisis, the majority of whom are homeless, struggling with substance use and mental health issues, and living with chronic illness. Note: I started here just 2 weeks before the pandemic. All in-person fundraising events were cancelled and had accounted for 1/3 of development revenue. Nonetheless, we exceeded our annual fundraising goals each year, replacing lost event revenue with individual gifts and foundation grants. -Responsible for raising all private revenue, all external communications, and the volunteer program. -Established a major donor program. With strategic messaging and a dynamic moves management system, grew this program through carefully personalized communication and exclusive major donor opportunities (online events and intimate brunches at our Boston Living Center featuring “celebrity” chefs). Created the Years of Victory Society for donors who have given for 10-plus years. Reengaged lapsed major donors and brought new ones on board. -Created powerful messaging emphasizing that our clients are people who, with the right support, can and do achieve stability and bright futures. -Increased email open rates from 11% to an average of 35% to our general email list. Achieved steady 50% open rates for emails to our major donor list. -Led the creation and launch of a new Victory Programs website. Transitioned the organization from Raisers Edge to CharityProud, saving the organization significant money and using this as an opportunity to clean out 9,000 “dead” records. Put systems in place to ensure accuracy of information, tracking of all donor “touchpoints,” updated personal information, etc. Conducted foundation prospecting, secured new grants, and served as the main point of contact with some of our largest private foundation funders.

Greater Boston Area

Strategies for Youth (Cambridge, MA)August 2019 – presentDevelopment and Communications ConsultantA national organization working to change policies and to provide training for both law enforcement and youth that improves police/youth interactions, thereby reducing contentious youth/police encounters and unnecessary youth arrests.• Research and recommend new foundation prospects, along with providing framework and language for specific RFPs.• Review, edit, and write copy for grant proposals, donor and board communications, website, and other collateral.• Identify, strategize, and guide talking points for meetings with potential new major individual donors.• Serve as first point of contact with foundation program officers to assess fit.• Formulate strategies around increasing board engagement and giving.

Greater Boston Area

Nationally recognized as a leader in the building and management of affordable senior housing in the Boston area, and known for the support programs and services it provides to its 1,500 residentsResponsible for securing private revenue to supplement construction costs and to support programs, as well as for external communications and volunteerism. • Led the rebranding of the 54-year-old “Jewish Community Housing for the Elderly” as 2Life Communities. Planned and executed internal and external roll-out, gaining buy-in from board, donors, staff, residents, and other stakeholders. Oversaw development of new website. • Strategized and led execution of external communications across all channels and purposes, including PR, media campaigns, and donor outreach. Grew Facebook followers from just over 400 to close to 4,000, increased Twitter profile visits by 269%. Conceptualized and wrote direct mail and other fundraising pieces. Created “Loneliness Kills—Community Revives” campaign for local radio, transit, and Boston Globe Online advertising.• In 2017, oversaw implementation of first organization-wide volunteer program. At the close of 2018, the organization had hosted over 1,000 unique individuals, with many representing groups from corporations such as Tufts Health Plan, Adobe, and Bose.• In FY 2018, exceeded annual fundraising goal of $1.5 million by $234,000. Produced most successful gala to date, raising close to $800,000, exceeding goal by $150,000. • An unanticipated need of capital funds for a new building necessitated quick implementation of a $5 million capital campaign in February 2018. Raised $4.7 million in nine months.• Grew fundraising and communications staff from zero to six hires over first eight months.

Boston, Ma

Thompson Island Outward Bound Education Center provides adventurous and challenging experiential learning programs that improve academic performance and social emotional growth. Responsible for growing all private revenue for this $5 million nonprofit and for all external communications to promote the Island’s free programs for low-income Boston Public School students.• Exceeded annual private revenue goal for FY 2015 by more than $200,000.• Strategized and implemented “Island Hoppers” program to persuade current donors of $1,000 and more to increase giving by a minimum of 25%. Thirty percent of those donors “Island Hopped.”• Launched an active young professionals group. Inaugural event in 2015 drew 100 attendees.• Strategically grew Development and Communications Team to meet aggressive 2016–2017 private revenue goals. Supervised team of eight full- and part-time employees.• Successfully reengaged board of trustees and board development committee in fundraising activities while simultaneously increasing many members’ personal financial commitment. Launched the first “Clambake Challenge,” in which six board members brought 25 new prospects to this point-of-entry event.

Somerville, Ma

National $35 million nonprofit providing training, oversight, and standards for 264 local programs in 46 states. Each year, 10,000 low-income young people earn their GEDs/high school diplomas, receive training in construction trades, and build affordable housing.• Met an aggressively targeted 30% year-over-year increase in individual contributions through strategized communications and face-to-face asks.• Produced YouthBuild’s 35th anniversary celebration at the Ford Foundation in New York City, hosting over 100 major donors and corporate and foundation partners. • Strategized, wrote, and edited content for and implemented YouthBuild USA’s participation in the Skoll Social Entrepreneurs CrowdRise Challenge, quadrupling revenue from previous year.• Led the creation of a new website for YouthBuild USA and wrote all new copy for the site. Created a series of filmed YouthBuild student profiles, personally conducting all interviews and working closely with filmmaker on postproduction.

Seattle, Wa

$10 million nonprofit serving homeless children and youth with a continuum-of-care service model that includes basic needs, shelter, counseling, case management, transitional housing, and education and employment training.Responsible for raising all private revenue, communications, and volunteer program.• Grew total private revenue by more than 250% in four years. In first year, increased last quarter revenue by 56% over previous year.• Grew the number of volunteers by a factor of ten, with accompanying rise in volunteer hours. Significantly increased the number of volunteer groups from the business community.• Led agency rebranding, including adoption of new logo and tagline. Oversaw vision for and creation of new agency website and agency video.• Grew Development and Marketing Department from 1.5 FTEs to a full-time staff of seven.

Seattle, Wa

National nonprofit which provides financial, technical, and training support for over 1,000 state and local programs serving abused and neglected children through 70,000 volunteer advocates.Responsible for annual fund, major gifts, and foundation support. Secured the largest foundation grant to date ($1.6 million) and the largest single major gift to date. Provided tools, guidance, and support to local CASA programs across the country.

Seattle, Wa

Seattle/King County’s leading provider of education and enrichment services to foster children.• Increased annual fund (direct mail, newsletter, online) revenue by 140% in three years.• Raised $1 million through ticket sales ($10,000 per couple) and corporate sponsorship for a 2006 gala dinner and concert hosted by Sheri and Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, and featuring John Legend. Oversaw every aspect of event conceptualization, strategies, and production. • Increased income from annual fundraising event from $100,000 in 2004 to $575,000 in 2007.

New York, Ny

A national nonprofit that draws upon the performing arts community to fund HIV/AIDS services. It became a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS in 1996. Responsible for raising funds primarily through the production of large events at renowned venues in major cities and house concerts at some of the most exclusive residences in the country. Worked with such artists and celebrities as Jessye Norman, James Galway, Andre Watts, Lily Tomlin, Elton John, and Whoopi Goldberg. Secured major donor support and corporate sponsorship.