Fractional Fundraising and Development Consultant

Fractional Fundraising and Development Consultant

Location: Hybrid / Remote; NYC availability preferred

Engagement: Independent Consultant

Time Commitment: Approximately 5–10 hours per week

About Little Oaks

Little Oaks Center for Neurodevelopment is building a welcoming, community-centered organization where neurodivergent individuals, families, caregivers, and professionals can find trusted resources, meaningful connection, and practical support.

Through our Resource Hub, community programming, partnerships, advocacy, and growing network of supporters, we are working to ensure that no one has to navigate the neurodevelopmental journey alone.

As an early-stage nonprofit, we are building the relationships, infrastructure, and funding needed to grow this work sustainably.

About the Engagement

Little Oaks is seeking Fundraising and Development Consultants to help expand our funding base and build the relationships that will sustain our work.

This is a focused, relationship-driven consulting engagement centered on identifying promising donors and funders, opening doors, cultivating relationships, supporting fundraising conversations and asks, and moving approved opportunities forward.

Consultants will bring their own experience, networks, ideas, and approach to identifying opportunities that align with Little Oaks’ mission and funding priorities. The work may include major gifts, philanthropic giving, foundation funding, corporate giving or sponsorships, strategic partnerships, and other appropriate sources of financial support.

The ideal consultant will be comfortable working independently, initiating conversations, making thoughtful introductions, and building relationships over time. An established network within NYC philanthropy, family foundations, corporate giving, entrepreneurial communities, or related networks is a strong plus.

We are open to working with multiple consultants with complementary networks or areas of expertise rather than expecting one person to have every connection or fundraising specialty.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify and prioritize prospective donors, funders, sponsors, corporate partners, and philanthropic connectors.
• Build and maintain a focused development pipeline with clear priorities, relationship status, and next steps.
• Leverage personal, professional, and community networks to generate appropriate introductions.
• Identify new philanthropic, foundation, corporate, sponsorship, and partnership opportunities aligned with Little Oaks’ mission and priorities.
• Develop thoughtful relationship strategies for high-potential prospects.
• Initiate and support donor, funder, sponsor, and partner conversations.
• Support cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities in coordination with Little Oaks leadership.
• Prepare or contribute to pitches, proposals, talking points, briefing materials, and follow-up communications.
• Research and assess opportunities based on alignment, feasibility, timing, relationship potential, and anticipated impact.
• Help move qualified opportunities from initial introduction through cultivation, proposal, solicitation, and follow-up.
• Maintain accurate records of prospects, conversations, opportunities, proposals, commitments, and next steps.
• Provide concise updates, recommendations, and actionable next steps to Little Oaks leadership.
• Help strengthen practical fundraising processes and systems appropriate for an early-stage nonprofit.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for someone who is relationship-oriented, resourceful, proactive, and comfortable opening doors.

You may be a strong fit if you have:

• Experience in fundraising, development, philanthropy, major gifts, corporate giving/sponsorships, strategic partnerships, business development, or a related relationship-centered field.
• A demonstrated ability to identify opportunities and develop relationships that lead to meaningful support.
• Confidence initiating conversations and supporting or leading fundraising asks.
• An existing network of potential donors, funders, sponsors, philanthropic leaders, executives, entrepreneurs, or community connectors.
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills.
• The ability to assess where there is genuine alignment rather than pursuing opportunities simply for volume.
• Sound judgment and respect for authentic, mission-aligned donor relationships.
• The ability to prioritize high-potential opportunities and manage work independently.
• Strong follow-through and attention to detail.
• Comfort working in an early-stage environment where systems are developing and initiative is valued.
• Commitment to confidentiality, donor privacy, and inclusive community engagement.

Experience with early-stage organizations, neurodevelopmental services, family support, accessibility, education, health, or community-based programs is welcome but not required.

How You’ll Work

This is a focused, autonomous consulting engagement. Little Oaks will provide information about our mission, priorities, existing relationships, approved messaging, and current funding needs.

The consultant will manage their own work methods and schedule while meeting agreed-upon deadlines and deliverables.

Consultants are expected to independently identify and pursue appropriate opportunities within the agreed scope of work. They will coordinate with Little Oaks leadership when leadership participation, organizational context, or approval is needed.

Final approval of solicitations, proposals, gift terms, sponsorship benefits, public representations, and agreements will remain with authorized Little Oaks representatives.

The consultant may not independently bind Little Oaks to a grant, sponsorship, partnership, pledge, gift condition, or other obligation.

Compensation

Compensation will be structured as either a project fee or a fixed fee for agreed-upon services and deliverables, depending on the scope of the engagement.

The fee, scope of work, deliverables, timeline, and payment terms will be negotiated and agreed upon in advance and documented in a written consulting agreement before the engagement begins.

Compensation will not be calculated as a percentage of funds raised, solicited, pledged, awarded, or received, and will not include commissions or finder’s fees.

For project-based engagements, payment may be made upon completion of the agreed-upon project or deliverables, as specified in the consulting agreement. Any work outside the agreed scope must be approved in writing in advance.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this engagement will be reflected in both relationship development and financial support, including:

• High-quality donor, funder, sponsor, and philanthropic relationships being developed.
• Meaningful introductions and new doors being opened.
• Qualified prospects entering and progressing through the development pipeline.
• Promising funding opportunities being thoughtfully evaluated and advanced.
• Strong donor and funder cultivation and follow-up.
• Timely, compelling fundraising materials and communications.
• New financial support and long-term relationships for Little Oaks.
• Stronger fundraising processes, pipeline visibility, and decision-making information for leadership.

No particular level of funding, gift, grant, sponsorship, pledge, or donor commitment is guaranteed.

Engagement Expectations

The consultant will be expected to:

• Protect confidential donor, prospect, family, partner, and organizational information.
• Disclose actual or potential conflicts of interest.
• Use Little Oaks’ name, materials, and information only for approved purposes.
• Maintain accurate records and transfer relevant work product to Little Oaks.
• Follow applicable laws, professional standards, and Little Oaks policies.
• Represent Little Oaks accurately and thoughtfully in external conversations.

Why Little Oaks

Little Oaks is an early-stage organization, which means this is an opportunity to help shape how our development work grows—not simply step into an established fundraising machine.

We are building a community where people come before programs, relationships come before transactions, and community is something we build together.

We’re looking for consultants who can bring their experience, relationships, curiosity, and initiative to that work—and who understand that sustainable fundraising starts with genuine connection and shared purpose.

Little Oaks Center for Neurodevelopment is committed to building an inclusive, welcoming, and accessible community. We encourage people with diverse experiences, perspectives, professional backgrounds, and connections to neurodivergent individuals and families to apply.

Little Oaks Center for Neurodiversity, Inc.

Doing business as Little Oaks Center for Neurodevelopment

501(c)(3) nonprofit organization | EIN: 33-2408150