Director of Development

Position Summary

Fort Greene Park Conservancy (FGPC) seeks a collaborative, community-minded, and externally-engaged Director of Development (a new position) to join our senior leadership team in advance of our 25th anniversary celebration. Reporting to the Executive Director and working closely with the Board of Directors, the Director will be responsible for all aspects of fundraising—currently $1.5 million in contributed revenue— to support FGPC’s mission of stewardship, community-building, and equity in Fort Greene Park. This role will supervise the development staff, currently a Senior Development Associate and interns, and serve as a key thought partner to the Executive Director in shaping the organization’s strategic direction and financial sustainability.

FGPC provides an incredible opportunity to work at an organization that prioritizes putting its mission and values into practice and fostering a culture of learning, internally and externally.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy

Contribute to FGPC’s long-term strategic direction and priorities by developing a community-driven, collaborative multi-year fundraising plan and calendar, developing, assessing and evolving FGPC’s fundraising across income streams

Develop and track strategic fundraising metrics, sharing key data points regularly with the Executive Director and Board

Contribute to overall organizational planning, budgeting and decision-making as part of FGPC’s senior leadership team

Board Management, Thought Leadership and External Affairs

Facilitate the Development Committee, engaging the Chair and its members in fostering a culture of philanthropy, while ensuring strong composition and active member engagement

Represent FGPC in key parks and open space fundraising groups/coalitions, and at public events and with external stakeholders, including funders, community partners, and peer organizations

Individual Giving and Events

Cultivate and steward donor relationships across all levels to achieve fundraising goals, engaging and advising the Executive Director and Board on philanthropic strategy to develop and maintain long-term relationships and major donor pipelines; develop a menu of cultivation opportunities/events, aligned to our organizational values

Lead annual giving campaigns to achieve fundraising goals, including seasonal appeals and year-end giving, with a focus on segmentation, donor retention, and campaign performance

Lead FGPC’s 25th anniversary campaign and other special initiatives in collaboration with leadership, board, and consultants, including the potential for a major donor event in the spring of 2027

Oversee the Senior Development Associate in their management of FGPC’s annual benefit to achieve fundraising goals, The Fling, as well as our annual Step Up for the Park fitness event

Foundation & Government Giving

Oversee the full lifecycle of government (City/State/Federal) and foundation grants to achieve fundraising goals, delegating government grants to the Senior Development Associate

Manage grant compliance and impact tracking systems, ensuring funder requirements are met and communicated effectively

Corporate Sponsorship

Provide strategic direction for corporate sponsorships, aligning partnerships with FGPC’s mission and long-term goals

Supervise the Senior Development Associate’s management of FGPC’s corporate sponsorships and corporate volunteering program to achieve fundraising goals

Team Leadership & Collaboration

Supervise and support the Senior Development Associate and interns (and future development staff), fostering a collaborative, accountable, and equity-centered team culture with an emphasis on mentorship and professional growth

Partner with program and communications staff to align fundraising efforts with mission delivery and impact

Oversee development-related communications, including campaign materials, and annual reports

Donor Systems, Data Management, and Fundraising Assessment

Oversee the Senior Development Associate in gift processing, donor acknowledgment, and recognition systems to ensure timely and consistent stewardship

Coordinate with the Director of Operations and Park Projects on their upkeep and evolution of FGPC’s Salesforce database

Qualifications

The following are the suggested qualifications. All are encouraged to apply.

Minimum of 5-7+ years’ experience in a fundraising management position at a comparable non-profit organization (experience in parks and open space is highly valued)

Success in growing individual giving and diversifying donor bases, with an interest and affinity for forging and cultivating new relationships

Success in securing six-figure grants and contributions

Exceptional writing skills

Excellent project management and organizational skills

Ability to work independently and proactively, and as a team player who productively engages with others within and outside the organization.

Experience in interacting with diverse stakeholders with cultural competency and humility

Proficiency with Salesforce CRM, G-Suite Apps

Familiarity with iWave, Monday, Gemini other platforms preferred

Knowledge of parks and open space issues, environmental justice work, or community-based cultural programming is preferred

Familiarity with Fort Greene and the surrounding neighborhoods is a plus

Individuals from marginalized/historically underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to submit their qualifications.

Contact:

Applicants should prepare a cover letter, resume, and 1-3 page writing sample (grant LOI, donor letter etc). Due to the volume of applications, only those who proceed to interviews will be contacted.

A strong cover letter should explain (1) how this opportunity at the Fort Greene Park Conservancy is aligned with your experience; (2) how you have addressed equity and/or facilitated belonging in your fundraising work.

Cover letters, resumes, and writing samples should be emailed as a single pdf to:
Fort Greene Park Conservancy
info@fortgreenepark.org
www.fortgreenepark.org

Compensation:

The Director of Development is a full-time staff position at Fort Greene Park Conservancy. The salary range for the position is $90,000-$110,000 salary plus benefits.

Benefits include: Health benefits (medical/vision/dental) with no-to low employee contribution; 20 days PTO, 10 days sick leave, 13 holidays and 3 floating holidays, bereavement leave; IRA retirement plan with 3% match on contributions.