Chief Development Public Relations

GENETTE COMFORT, CFRM, MBA

Chief Development Professional - Metropolitan Washington, DC 571-***-**** ********@*****.*** linkedin.com/in/genette-comfort- Certified Fundraiser • Philanthropic Strategist • Board Development and Community Engagement With a rich background spanning over a decade, I am an accomplished and people-oriented executive skilled in strategically influencing and building consensus in creating strategic growth and securing major donors for mission-driven nonprofit organizations. My expertise lies in effectively engaging with corporate and community leaders, donors, volunteers, prospects, and the public. As a humble yet dynamic leader, I navigated national nonprofit partnerships, contributing significantly as a member of the Washington DC Chamber of Commerce, Independent Sector, and Board of Trade. My role involves leveraging media communications, public relations, and content creation expertise to propel top-notch initiatives and solidify the organization’s identity. I am dedicated to driving continuous improvement through fundraising campaigns and stakeholder management to fulfill the organization’s vision and mission. ACHIEVEMENTS

$56 Million Annual Budget

Demonstrate a flexible and adaptable leadership style to foster a culture of philanthropy and support a $56 million annual budget. Develop and maintain strong relationships within the local community to engage potential sponsors, individual donors, and private grantors. Implement fundraising campaigns and activities to cultivate strategic partnerships. Established a nationwide strategy to highlight NeighborWorks’ fundraising initiatives. Deliver high energy and passion in overseeing a $120 million portfolio to support the organization's network members. Optimize a growth mindset to create and maintain high performance and accountability standards while fostering innovation, continuous learning, and improvement. Diversified corporate and foundation support.

One of my key achievements is securing an annual $2 million operations budget through major gifts, unique events, and corporate and foundation support. This success is a testament to my strong networking abilities, which I have demonstrated in my interactions with major organizations and the government, as well as in panel discussions.

CORE EXPERTISE

Executive Leadership and Fundraising Strategist Community & Stakeholder Engagement Budget Controls Project Management Grant Writing & Research Grassroots Campaign Design Networking and Fundraising Business Development Strategic Direction Change Management People Skills

Strong Communication Skills Financial Budgeting & Forecasting Reporting & Presentation Coaching & Mentorship Collaboration Internal Controls

State & Federal Funding Acquisition

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Chief Development & Communications Consultant

United Community – Alexandria, VA 09/2024 – Present Created and implemented an FY2024-2025 development and communications strategy to meet the organization’s annual $10 million fundraising goal. The strategy focused on key areas: strategic donor segmentation & engagement for an aging population, planned giving, major gifts, new donor acquisition and & geographic focus, events & peer-to-peer fundraising, board development & capacity building, corporate engagement & partnerships, and employee giving campaigns. communication strategy and rebranding, innovative fundraising Initiatives, collaborative fundraising, and data-driven decision marketing. YMCA of Metropolitan Washington – Washington, DC 05/2017 – May 2024 Successfully executed fund development strategies to bolster the organization's charitable services in alignment with its strategic plan. This involved cultivating relationships with key donors and enhancing visibility in various avenues such as annual campaigns, grant management, unique events, capital campaigns, estate planning, community partnerships, and corporate social responsibility initiatives. I Optimized philanthropic opportunities for ten (10) YMCA Branches and Program Centers across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. This entailed overseeing board development, recruitment, and retention.

Moreover, I led and collaborated on fund development plans with a team comprising branch executives and program directors. Through these efforts, I achieved significant milestones in major philanthropic endeavors while working closely with a team of forty (40) YMCA staff members and served as the Philanthropy staff liaison for the Association's Board of Directors. I formulated strategies, policies, and processes to champion the cause of the foundation. Duly, I evaluated reports and provided guidance to key stakeholders on change approaches aimed at research and monitoring donations. VICE PRESIDENT FOR NATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS

NeighborWorks America – Washington, DC 05/2016 – 05/2017

Established solid relationships with local businesses, community, and government agencies, creating an inclusive space to inspire staff and leaders and to connect/develop networks for the foundation. Genette Comfort

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Streamlined organizational planning, development, and strategy, cultivating solid public relations and goal attainment.

Increased mission awareness by counseling on philanthropic opportunities and expanding and diversifying financial partnerships in the corporate, foundation, and public sectors. Oversaw a $120M portfolio to support network members. CHIEF DEVELOPMENT/COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

Capital Partners for Education – Washington, DC 12/2013 – 05/2016

Optimized resources in building and expanding foundations, individuals, and corporate partnerships to expand the number of students and volunteers served—delivered oversight on social media, related marketing, and fundraising.

Created new business opportunities that built organizational visibility that impacted systemic changes to secure an annual $2 million operations budget through major gifts, unique events, and corporate and foundation support.

Delivered efficiencies as the chief marketing and communications leader. Diversified donor base through corporate engagement by creating a Corporate Advisory Council to support funding initiatives and existing programs. EARLIER CAREERS

MAJOR GIFTS OFFICER Tuskegee University – Washington, DC Oversaw major donor prospects for the Tuskegee Alumni, including corporations, foundations, and individuals, resulting in a fund pool 40%+ of a comprehensive capital campaign goal. Built a wide range of foundations and corporate relationships in the North Central Region, soliciting major gifts of $25K+ with the assistance of volunteers.

CHIEF ALUMNI AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICER INROADS, Inc. – Atlanta, GA Established the infrastructure for a resource development department while creating a philanthropic culture. Engaged with over 23,000 alums in regional cultivation and annual giving events.

SENIOR DIRECTOR National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) – Washington, DC Maximized fundraising and communications strategies to manage an annual fundraising gala. Raised mission awareness through cause-related marketing and community partnerships.

SENIOR DIRECTOR Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (CBCF) – Washington, DC Spearheaded a five-member development team to raise $12 million by implementing fundraising strategies that generated over $5 million during the annual conference and special events. Secured $1M for the CBCF Student Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP), including $700K+ in health initiatives. Collaborated with government lobbyists to secure future funding and raised over $5 million for an annual gala for five (5) consecutive years. EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Trinity Washington University BACHELOR OF ARTS IN NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT/PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS Trinity Washington University Certified Fundraising Manager (CFRM) School of Philanthropy – Indiana University - 2002 Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) Candidate; Non-Profit Management Program - 2022 PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS & AFFILIATIONS

Association of Fundraising Professionals, Washington, DC Chapter TECHNICAL SKILLS

Various Donor Tracking Systems Salesforce.com Social Media Platforms Wealth Engine Donor Search Raisers' Edge MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

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