Bridget Hawes

Bridget Hawes joined the Cleveland Foundation in January 2023 as a Philanthropic Advisor, primarily focusing on fostering and strengthening relationships with individuals, families, organizations and corporations to help them fulfill their charitable giving goals.

Bridget brings nearly 20 years of fundraising and nonprofit experience to the Cleveland Foundation, most recently serving as Development Director at Cuyahoga County Public Library with a primary focus on major gifts and capital development.

From 2011-2018, Bridget served as a major gift consultant with Cuyahoga County Public Library, leading CCPL’s first major capital campaign. Of the $110 million capital development program, Bridget reached the fundraising goal of raising $10 million from Cleveland area individual donors, foundations and corporations, resulting in the renovation/new construction of 18 of CCPL’s 27 branches.

In 2019, Bridget was hired as Senior Development Specialist at CCPL and within six months was promoted to Development Director. During that time, Bridget expanded the development department to a team of five, responsible for fundraising in support of the CCPL Foundation, Library operations and programs through donations, grants, events, planned giving and capital donations from individuals, corporations, foundations and government supporters.

Bridget graduated from Ohio University with a B.S. in Health Services Administration and a minor in Business Administration. In addition, she is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, board of trustees for the Bay Village Foundation, and member of the Bay Village Anti-Racism Network.