My role as Gravatt’s Development Director is a new position at Gravatt. As Gravatt Camp and Conference Center continues to grow, securing donated funds becomes a greater need to foster that growth. As a development director, cultivating existing and new relationships, making connections in the community and the Diocese, and stewarding donor relations are a major part of my work at Gravatt. My role entails developing and implementing a comprehensive fundraising campaign that includes annual fundraising, donor development and stewardship, partnering with marketing and communications staff on stakeholder communications, donor recognition and collateral, supporting special projects and events, managing the grants and foundation submissions and awards to fund needs such as camper scholarships, expanding Gravatt’s planned giving, and capital projects to support to growing needs at Gravatt.

Administrative responsibilities include strategic planning, event planning, implementing fundraising and donor development best practices and business systems. My responsibilities go beyond the traditional scope of development director to include project management and occasional community outreach.  Recent development supported events and programs include Gravatt’s annual military Christmas Retreat, which is offered at no cost, fully funding the $65,000+ rehabilitation of the Westmoreland Director’s Cabin, and raising $30,000+ money to construct the two new camp cabins with costs offset from construction labor from the Advent Mission Team.

I enjoy stepping in to assist other departments which may include things like working in the kitchen or sourcing plants and shrubs for a donor funded beautification project. It is an exciting time to be a part of Gravatt as we work collectively to create the infrastructure and business systems to support our growth to best serve the needs of our camp, conference and environmental education programs.

Wendi Spratt, Development Director