Jennifer Olson

Background

About Jennifer Olson

As the Senior Director of Finance and Development at YouthBuild Lake County, I have over six years of experience in leading strategic initiatives, fundraising and development, and board of directors management for a nonprofit organization that empowers young adults to rebuild their lives and communities. I am passionate about creating and implementing innovative solutions that enhance the quality and impact of our programs and services, while securing the financial sustainability and growth of our agency. In my current role, I am working alongside the Executive Director to draft a business plan and launch a capital campaign to build a new facility for our agency. I led the implementation of a development study to determine the feasibility of the campaign, and I am managing the early stages of its development. I also supervise all fundraising activities, including major gifts, special events, grant writing, and annual appeals, for a team of four. Under my leadership, we have increased the revenue from private donors by 66% over a three-year period. Additionally, I co-manage the Board of Directors and the Development and Governance subcommittees, leading fundraising initiatives that generated a 68% increase in board-driven fundraising.