Brent Mason Email & Phone Number

Tacoma, Washington

Seattle, Washington

Selected as DECA’s first dedicated fundraising leader, establishing formal fundraising operations and strategic fundraising plan, serving as a key spokesperson, and introducing best practices. Co-guide 500+ volunteers. Present at board of director meetings and liaison to board fundraising committee. Hired/lead contract grant writer. Expanded donor stewardship. Energized previously limited fundraising efforts and stagnant results. Secured awards totaling $66K by expanding grant program; achieved 40% success on proposals submitted by educating and closely guiding grant writer on sourcing and writing techniques.  Realized greater efficiency, easier information access, and more accurate reporting while reducing expenditures/redundancies by leading smooth conversion of donor database from DonorPerfect to Little Green Light.  Strong emphasis on collaboration and education internally and externally, including boards, staff, and 192 educators statewide on raising funds to support programs, services, and scholarships.

Tacoma, Washington

Served as a change leader, taking revenue to new heights while leading membership and individual giving. Introduced best practices. Controlled revenue budget of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Created year-round, direct-mail membership calendar: acquisition, additional gift, renewal, and lapsed campaigns. Managed fundraising, customer service and volunteers. Bolstered overall giving by bringing clarity and direction to efforts, improving tracking, and expanding marketing platforms, adding online and on-air to existing direct mail and launched vehicle donation.  Instituted sustaining-membership program with great success, enabling improved revenue tracking. Implemented cross-channel individual giving campaigns, creating written appeals and designing fundraising materials  Planned ~6 major member/viewer events annually to steward and engage members, including attracting up to 500 attendees for highly popular screening of Downton Abbey.

Seattle, Washington

Promoted from MGO after 2 months, playing essential role in converting station from commercial to public radio. Fostered team success, taking leadership of membership and growing donor portfolio while retaining major gifts ($1000+). Presented at board of director’s meetings and speaking engagements. Managed operating budget.  Partnered with board/GM to define vision. Developed comprehensive fundraising plan and strategy and oversaw marketing, and donor events; membership skyrocketed.  Strategized as part of executive team and implemented programs/procedures aligned with station’s new growth strategy.  Stewarded multi-year capital campaign pledges towards successful completion. Played key role in refining fundraising campaign analysis and financial reporting for the board, GM, and finance director. Contributed to higher ROI based on analysis that led to outsourcing renewals; enabled staff to focus on priority items.  Promoted station’s unique music selection as a valued community treasure on-air, online, and through direct mail.

Seattle, Washington

Demonstrated experience in managing relationships and securing support from donors who were capable of making gifts of $1,000 + in support of the station's mission and operations. Prospects included a mix of individuals and family foundations that were capable of making major donations as annual, planned, capital, and/or project gifts. Nurtured relationships from the station's capital campaign, cultivated new relationships and created and implemented a variety of major donor special events.> Converted over 95% of the major donors who participated in the station's capital campaign into annual fund contributors ($1,000+);> Successfully stewarded multi-year capital campaign pledges towards completion;> Designed, developed and implemented the station's major giving club, i.e. Performance Circle.

Tacoma, Washington

Developed and executed WWEE's annual fundraising plan, which focused on securing financial support from a combination of individuals, foundations and corporations; oversaw the staff person who was responsible for data entry and gift processing; developed and maintained ongoing relationships with major donors; created and executed a strategy for a large sustained base of annual individual donors; and oversaw the planning and implementation of (2) annual special events.> Increased WWEE's visibility amongst the Puget Sound business community, which resulted in a modest 7% increase in event sponsorship revenue;> Through a combination of event revenue, grants and individual giving increased fundraising revenue by 11% versus the previous year;> Collaborated with the CEO and board in the identification of new major donor prospects.

Tacoma, Washington

Responsible for the growth and expansion of the station's existing mid and major donor programs. This included the identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of major gift prospects; the development and implementation of donor engagement and stewardship plans; developing and writing funding requests and proposals, donor reports, solicitation letters, etc.; and planned and coordinated a variety of donor-centric special events.  Secured several estate planning gifts and collaborated with university’s estate-planning professional to ensure compliance.  Drafted compelling, informative communications, such as monthly e-newsletters to engage donor base/maximize loyalty. Partnered with NPR development staff of major donor prospects as joint public-media initiative.

Tacoma, Washington

Established and grew high-ROI corporate relations program exponentially from ground up and expanded minimal awareness through strategic planning/ partnerships, leading to multi million-dollars in giving for events, educational programs, and exhibits. Managed corporate relations budget. Presented to board. Thought strategically to strengthen partnerships and identify high-opportunity prospects. Supported organization’s vision, securing various in-kind gifts, such as transport services of rescued polar bears and baby muskox by FedEx/Alaska Airlines and dental services for tigers.  Teamed with internal events team in developing high-visibility and highly-attended society and zoo-sponsored events, including Fashion Tea, Zoobilee, ZooCinema, ZooBoo and Zoolights. Boosted national profile for The Zoo Society as committee chair/member of Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA).