Rita Murray Email & Phone Number

Port Chester, New York, United States

221 East 71St St., New York City

The Nature Conservancy/Eastern New York Chapter, Mt. Kisco, New York 11/05-12/09 Director of Philanthropy• Raised annual contributions to over $1,000,000, an increase of 30%.• Managed trustee solicitations and increased their support to over 40% of total contributions from 20%.• Collaborated with Executive Director on fundraising strategy in the Hudson Valley region.• Developed trustee-sponsored events to cultivate and identify new donors and perspective trustees. • As Senior Staff member participated in planning 4 million dollar chapter budgets including communication strategies and staffing. • Prepared Chapter’s annual contributions budget. • Partnered with local & international philanthropy staff to identify and solicit new and current donors for national and international conservation programs.• Worked with various staff on drafting proposals for needed conservation projects.• Organized relevant events with conservation staff to inform and cultivate donors in support of local and international programs.• Learned and mastered FMS, a more complex database program.• Supervised communications between Westchester, Albany and New York City philanthropy staff.

• Increased annual major gifts contributions to $825,000, an increase of 18%.• Developed identification strategies for potential donors to grow a Major Gifts Program.• Cultivated and solicited major donors.• Drafted, managed and ensured timely production of all donor-related correspondence, including proposals, reports and acknowledgements.• Managed the Library and Horticulture Committees and developed programs for each designed to engage major donors.• Customized various Garden events to steward major donors and Garden Patrons (as perspective upgraded donors).• Revived and revamped of Garden Bench Program and increased sales by 20%.• Improved previously unsuccessful relationships with donors into successful contributors.• Developed further knowledge of Raisers Edge database program and Microsoft Office.

• Designed and implemented an alumnae fundraising program and increased giving dollars by 30% over a 4-year period.• Managed and directed leadership and annual gift training to hundreds of alumnae volunteers, increasing alumnae participation in some years by as much as 29%.• Developed and solicited major gifts from alumnae for a $1.65 million annual fund and helped launch a $20 million capital campaign.• Organized and managed an Alumnae Board of up to 25 members; planned meetings and formed committees to improve the organization and involvement of a wider volunteer base. • Created “current” and appealing events to engage a wide variety of alumnae including: Author’s Night (started in 1996 and still held annually), Career Networking Night and high profile Speaker’s Night. • Introduced highly successful events to engage “young” alumnae; Breakfast with Santa (most become sold out), Young Alums Cocktail Night, Collage-age Thanksgiving Lunch.• Designed senior class events to introduce and foster a connection to the alumnae association.• Worked with publisher to improve and expand annual alumnae publication to include class notes and relevant articles written by alumnae. • Learned Raiser’s Edge and Micro Office.• Developed strong relationship skills and a dynamic presentation style.