Zach Sparks

About Zach Sparks

I’m a Vice President of Philanthropy, with over 15 years of experience in creating strategic vision, building and leading high-performance teams, driving organizational development, and cultivating long-term relationships across the philanthropic sector. My approach to retaining and acquiring donors has led to YoY revenue growth, and my expertise in aligning donor giving priorities with key charitable initiatives around the world has led to numerous successful fundraising campaigns.WHY IT WORKS: As a results-driven leader, I’ve successfully defined, developed and executed several revenue-generating initiatives in high-pressure, multinational contexts. I’m particularly well-known for my ability to advise donors and foundations on the most impactful investment strategies for their charitable dollars, as well as adapting strategy to accommodate major changes like COVID-19.KEY AREAS OF EXPERTISE:• Fundraising & Donor Engagement• Strategic Organization Development• High-Performance Team Leadership• Global Philanthropy & Nonprofit Management• Public Speaking & Technical WritingWHO I WORK WITH: High net worth donors, foundation principals, grant-makers, and fellow executive nonprofit leaders.WHAT MAKES ME DIFFERENT: I presently manage a team of over 70 FTE while working closely with our global executive team to refine strategy, secure large donations, and cultivate long-term funding relationships. My approach has delivered exceptional fundraising outcomes for organizations I work with.BEYOND THE OFFICE: I enjoy reading, hiking, camping, and snowboarding.WANT TO TALK? Connect with me here on LinkedIn.

Experience

1. Vice President, Usa Philanthropy

   Compassion International

   Jan 2024 — Present

   In this executive leadership role, I develop comprehensive fundraising strategies for donors, foundations, and corporations across the US. While leading a team of over 75 FTE, I oversee a multi-layered fundraising operation involving multiple strategies and teams: principal gifts, major gifts, mid-level gifts, planned and legacy gifts, foundation and corporate relations, professional athlete engagement, live events, and campaign management. This role involves extensive domestic and international travel to interact with donors, grantors, and executive leadership.KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:• Oversee an $200M+ revenue target (23% 5-year CAGR). • Producing an industry-leading growth rate for this $1B+ multinational NGO• Helping achieve the #5 rank on “America’s Favorite Charities” list (Chronicle of Philanthropy)• Developing and executing a $1.3B global fundraising campaign for the organization’s expansion into new and existing program implementing countries.

Education

• University of Denver

  MA, International Affairs

• University of Colorado Boulder

  BA, College of Arts & Sciences

• Boston University

  Professional Fundraising Certificate

Skills

• Fundraising
• Marketing Strategy
• Social Media
• Technical Writing
• Community Outreach
• Organizational Development
• Event Planning
• Public Speaking
• Non-Profits
• Leadership
• Grant Writing
• Research
• Leadership Development
• Project Management
• Nonprofits
• Advertising
• Program Management
• Strategic Planning
• Volunteer Management
• New Business Development
• Management