Royer-Greaves School for Blind opened its doors 100 years ago to give children with visual impairment and an intellectual or developmental disability something they did not have: a place to learn, grow, and attain and enjoy the most independent lives possible.

In the century since, the nonprofit school in Paoli has changed and grown in many ways, all in response to the needs of its students and adults.

In the wake of its centennial, and as it looks to its next 100 years, RGS is looking to hire a Director of Development and Community Outreach (DDCO) to lead the school’s fundraising and marketing efforts.

To help with its search, RGS has enlisted the services of Bob Madonna, the Managing Partner of Diversified Services LLC, which provides advisory, training, and coaching services for businesses, nonprofits, and individuals.

“I am extremely proud and honored to be working on this amazing mission,” he said. “With the right individual, I believe we can help take the school to the next level of success with additional funding.”

“From our founding, Royer-Greaves has created educational, therapeutic, and residential programs to serve children and adults whose needs are not being met elsewhere,” said Vicky Mayer, RGS’s Executive Director. “We also continuously adapt our existing programs so they meet the individual needs of our current students and adults. We know there are more students and adults who would benefit from existing Royer-Greaves programs and new ones.”

Ari Christakis, RGS’s Board Chairman, noted that the highly specialized educational environment and services Royer-Greaves provides requires a staff with a specialized skill set, as well as classrooms and other spaces that are accessible and adaptable for people with varied disabilities and the assistive devices and equipment they use.

“All of it, quite frankly, is expensive,” he said. “We need additional resources to expand and meet the needs of more children and adults.”

The DDCO will become a key member of RGS’s senior leadership team and support its strategic plan. He/she will play a significant role in the success of RGS’s services, overseeing a set of integrated strategies to attract private investment and to enable the growth of the organization and the students it serves.

The DDCO will have the opportunity to evaluate current strategies, consolidate strengths, and develop and implement a plan to expand both grassroots and high-level engagement and revenues and to meet or exceed the annual fundraising goal.

The ideal candidate will possess a bachelor’s degree and will have demonstrated successful experience in the marketing of and raising funds for a nonprofit. He/she will be a person of character, integrity, and passion with a commitment to supporting the community that RGS serves. Personal knowledge of individual donors and donors with capacity throughout the Delaware Valley is preferred, as is grantee knowledge and demonstrated success in human services or education.

Founded by Dr. Jessie Royer-Greaves in 1921 out of frustration with other programs that imposed minimum IQ score requirements for visually impaired students, RGS is committed to the proposition that all children and adults are worthy of care and effort in assisting them to reach their full potential. If you want to make a significant difference in the community and have a passion for improving the lives of children and adults dealing with issues with sight and other physical limitations, consider joining the RGS team.

Learn more about Royer-Greaves School for Blind. If you are interested in the position of Director of Development and Community Outreach, please contact Bob Madonna at bobmadonna@verizon.net.