We are hiring a part-time Development Director!

Friends of the Kaw – Development Director

October 1, 2018

Friends of the Kaw (FOK), a 501(c)(3) organization, is seeking an ambitious individual with strong interpersonal skills to help grow our organization’s capacity to advocate for and protect the Kansas River. This individual will establish a development plan and lead the organization’s fundraising activities and will report directly to the Kansas Riverkeeper & Executive Director.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The position will develop and oversee the fundraising program to secure the long-term financial future of FOK and the Kansas Riverkeeper program. In that capacity, the individual will:

• Assist Kansas Riverkeeper and the Board of Directors to establish a development plan and strategy for the organization in relation to fundraising
• Collaborate with the Riverkeeper and the Board on the management and planning of fundraising and membership events
• Collaborate with the Riverkeeper and the Board to identify prospective individual and corporate donors and develop and execute strategies to establish and cultivate those relationships
• Maintain ongoing communications with private and corporate donors to increase engagement and appreciation of FOK’s mission
• Ensure timely and accurate report and gift acknowledgement deliveries to funders
• Design and implement strategies for fundraising with individuals and organizations (matching funds, buckets of funds, estate giving)

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS AND QUALITIES:

• Proven interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate effectively and concisely (both in writing and orally) with a variety of audiences
• Personal characteristics associated with successful fundraising professionals, including a vigorous work ethic, sound judgment, impeccable integrity, demonstrated initiative, intellectual curiosity, personal and professional stamina, and the temperament to work effectively and productively with colleagues, donors, and volunteers
• Experience with and commitment to using computer-based donor/member management systems in support of fundraising efforts
• Experience working with non-profit boards is a plus
• Passion for the Kansas River a big plus!

The position is part time with potential growth to full time.  Some night and weekend work will be required, particularly during membership and fundraiser events, so schedule flexibility is required.  The candidate must have a personal computer, phone, and transportation available for business use, with the expectation of a negotiated stipend towards these costs. Salary offered will be commensurate with experience.

Interested individuals should submit a resume and cover letter to info@kansasriver.org. Please include “Development Director” in the subject line of your application package. All questions or inquiries should also be sent to info@kansasriver.org with a different subject line. 

Review of applications will begin 31 October 2018, but will continue until a suitable candidate is identified. Anticipated start date is negotiable, but the ideal candidate will be available to start working by January 2019.

FRIENDS OF THE KAW
AWARDED
2018 DOUGLAS COUNTY NATURAL & CULTURAL HERITAGE GRANT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FRIENDS OF THE KAW AWARDED 2018 DOUGLAS COUNTY NATURAL & CULTURAL HERITAGE GRANT

LAWRENCE, KS (June 27, 2018) – Friends of the Kaw is pleased to announce it has been awarded the 2018 Douglas County Natural & Cultural Heritage Grant for its project “Protecting the Watershed of Douglas County through History, Education and Action”.

“Despite many successes in restoring the Kaw, the most neglected piece of the Kansas River’s ecosystem is the connection between the riparian buffer and the water quality of the river”, said Dawn Buehler, Kansas Riverkeeper with Friends of the Kaw.  “The riparian buffer is the last line of defense to filter out pollutants.”

Along with our partners, including local ecologist Courtney Masterson, the work will include removing invasive plants and then planting natives using history as a guide on Kansas Riverfront property owned by the City of Lawrence and managed by Lawrence Parks & Recreation and the Lawrence Mountain Biking Club. Tree saplings will be provided by Kansas Forest Service and the project will include a kiosk to be designed by Westar Energy’s Green Team to educate about the effectiveness of native plants and their benefit to water quality in the Kansas River.

In combination with this project, the team will involve the residents of Douglas County by hosting community educational paddle trips on the Kansas River to discuss the importance of riparian buffers to water quality, as well as bring Friends of the Kaw’s program Kids About Water (KAW) to schools in the county.  The KAW Project is a five-lesson water quality issues and actions curriculum that targets students in grades 6-12. Each lesson is aligned with the Kansas Next Generation Science Standards.  The community has the opportunity to be engaged and involved in the restoration process through hands-on volunteer opportunities. The work days will be educational and open to the public, allowing for transparency and communication throughout the project.

Project Partners:  Courtney Masterson, Botanist and Ecologist with Native Lands, LLC, City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation, Lawrence Mountain Bike Club, Westar Energy’s Green Team, and the Kansas Forest Service.

Thank you to the Heritage Conservation Council of Douglas County for the funding and support for this important project to restore the riparian and protect the Kansas River.

For over 27 years, Friends of the Kaw has been the only non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the Kansas River.  Our mission is to advocate, promote, educate and engage the Kansas River.

Protect. Advocate. Discover.  #Kansas River.

For Media Inquiries Please Contact:
Dawn Buehler
Kansas Riverkeeper
Friends of the Kaw
785.312.7200
riverkeeper@kansasriver.org

DeSoto Boat Ramp – 4th of July Closure

Please make note the DeSoto boat ramp at Riverfest will close on Tuesday evening, July 3rd, at 9:00 p.m. for Wald Fireworks to begin their display set up for the City’s annual 4th of July at Riverfest. The boat ramp will reopen on Thursday, July 5th, at 8:00 a.m. Please share this with your family and friends who use the boat ramp.