Religions for Peace seeks a strategic, visionary, and mission-driven Director of Philanthropy and Fundraising to significantly grow philanthropy in support of its global mission and vital programs.
Religions for Peace is a global not-for-profit organization of all faiths comprising 90 national and six regional Interreligious Councils with vast influence and resources of all faith traditions.
Religions for Peace is a worldwide movement to help change the world and challenge the status quo through a mutual conviction that religions are more powerful, inspiring, and impactful when they work together. The organization sees the world’s challenges and understands the benefits of an interfaith, innovative, and inclusive response. As a movement, Religions for Peace works at local, national, regional and global levels as changemakers, responding to human challenges—from violence and discrimination to environmental degradation—with bold solutions that ensure the advancement of humanity, leaving no one behind.
Through more than five decades of learning from its interreligious platforms and multi-religious collaboration, Religions for Peace has experienced religion contributing to solutions, but has also witnessed “religion” being responsible, in diverse ways, for contemporary challenges that all too often disproportionately affect the vulnerable, including the poor, refugees, internally displaced persons and minorities. Of special concern is the fact that religion is misused in support of violent conflict and extremism – exacerbated by the rising tide of hostility among social groups, including religious communities. Space for civil society has been shrinking, eroding the foundations of democracy and respect for human dignity. Therefore, it is critical to ensure that religions (actors and institutions) are engaged through multi-religious collaboration in all processes of development, human rights, and peace and security.
Bearing in mind these challenges and the urgent need for a strong global network of interreligious bodies to lead efforts advancing effective multi-religious cooperation, in 2020, Religions for Peace launched its current Strategic Plan. The plan reflects the priorities of the world’s faith communities and its alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The six priorities outlined in the plan that guide the work of Religions for Peace are:
Philanthropy at Religions for Peace has been growing steadily to its current annual budget of approximately $3-5 million. Given the current and critical state of a world still emerging from years in the pandemic and amid ongoing political turmoil, there is tremendous opportunity and urgency to build and grow resources to drive the impactful programmatic and advocacy work of Religions for Peace.
Since its establishment in 1970, the organization has been guided by a vision of a world where faith communities cooperate effectively for peace and harmony. Religions for Peace advances common action so the world can hear unheard voices. In times of need and crisis, Religions for Peace can often be more present and effective through specific organized programs across the globe. The organization provides a space for people of faith living side by side to work together.
In response to the pandemic and guided by its strategic priorities, Religions for Peace gathered the resources needed to equip and spearhead multi-faith responses to the crisis by launching the first Multi-religious Humanitarian Fund. This fund brought religious actors together—multi-religiously—to work side by side in humanitarian service.
THE FUND IN ACTION
On a cloudless day in northern Albania, a small delivery truck came to a halt in a dusty field. It had arrived just in time and with much needed supplies – the country had been struck by a catastrophic earthquake, leaving broken homes, destroyed families, and orphaned children in its wake. Following closely on
its heels was the COVID-19 outbreak. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder in that field that day was a Muslim schoolteacher and a Catholic nun. Together, they hoisted boxes off the back of the truck, surrounded by the orphaned children and widowed parents those supplies were meant to help.
From behind the dim glow of a computer screen, a young Muslim student in the Philippines began her own fight against COVID-19. Enlisting the help of her Christian and Buddhist friends, they messaged houses of worship, working with religious leaders identified families struggling to provide for themselves, and organized the delivery of hundreds of emergency food boxes.
Though forged during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Multi-religious Humanitarian Fund was built from the start to outlast the pandemic. The Fund—one example of the tangible impact of Religions for Peace—is intended to support diverse religious communities to work together in their frontline efforts to respond to communities facing humanitarian crises.
Reporting to the Secretary General, the Director of Philanthropy and Fundraising will serve as a visible and important contributing member of the Senior Management Team.
Working in close partnership with the Secretary General, a diverse and international Board, and highly accomplished colleagues, the Director of Philanthropy and Fundraising will strategically build a robust fundraising program with a thriving major and transformational gifts program at the core and fully leverage funding opportunities from institutional donors (government, corporations, and foundations).
Strategic Leadership and Staff Management
Fundraising
If you are interested in being considered for this search, please email your cover letter and resume in confidence to: religionsforpeace@developmentguild.com
Tracy Marshall
Senior Vice President
Development Guild DDI