Fund Development Consultant

Fund Development Consultant

Project Overview

Be Present seeks an experienced fundraising consultant to create and lead the implementation of a comprehensive development plan in close partnership with organizational staff. This engagement emphasizes internal capacity building, foundation relationship cultivation, DAF (Donor Advised Funds) strategy, and integrated communications to strengthen revenue diversification and support Be Present’s transformative leadership development work. The ideal consultant should demonstrate a proven track record of successfully securing foundation grants specifically for social justice organizations.

Consultant Responsibilities

• Development Planning & Strategy
  • Conduct an organizational assessment of current development capacity, practices, and revenue streams.
  • Create a comprehensive 18–24-month development plan aligned with Be Present’s mission, values, and Integrate our Vision-Based approach that establish clear revenue targets, diversification goals, and success metrics across all streams.
  • Develop and oversee integrated fundraising strategies including foundation grants, institutional giving, donor-advised fund (DAF) cultivation, and Be Present’s five-year initiative, to drive sustainable revenue growth through coordinated, multi-channel efforts.

• Foundation Relations & Grant Development
  • Develop cultivation strategies for priority foundation relationships that align with Be Present’s theory of transformation and programmatic focus.
  • Build and maintain program officer relationships through strategic outreach and stewardship.
  • Lead grant proposal development and coordinate grant reporting processes through deadline tracking, aligning requirements, ensuring timely high-quality submissions, and maintaining key relationship.

• Donor-Advised Funds Strategy
  • Develop comprehensive DAF prospecting and solicitation strategy to include specific messaging, targeting approaches, and solicitation materials.
  • Create cultivation pathways for DAF donors that align with Be Present's relationship-centered approach to include giving patterns and stewardship opportunities.

• Special Project Implementation
  • Lead strategic implementation of Be Present's five-year fundraising initiative.
  • Coordinate activities that exemplify transformative fundraising, including collective leadership development, wealth redistribution discussions, and relationship-based revenue generation.
  • Design cultivation and engagement strategies that embody Be Presents core values.
  • Create feedback/assessment loops between Be Present’s relationship-building activities and foundation/DAF solicitation efforts.

• Staff Capacity Building & Team Development
  • Assess current staff development skills and identify growth opportunities.
  • Provide hands-on training in grant writing, donor cultivation, and relationship management across foundation, DAF, and major donor contexts.
  • Mentor Be Present leaders and designated network in fundraising best practices and building confidence and capacity to manage interconnected development strategies.
  • Strengthen Be Present leaders’ skill and use of current fund development systems.

• Communications Integration & Collateral Development
  • Partner with leaders and communication consultants to align messaging across fundraising materials to ensure consistent, compelling storytelling through proposals, appeals, and donor communications that can flex across multiple audiences.
  • Support development of foundation-specific materials and tailored messaging.
  • Advise on digital communications strategy as it relates to donor engagement.

• Systems & Processes
  • Establish or refine donor database management practices (using GiveButter) with capacity to track multiple touchpoints across foundation, DAF, and donor portfolios.
  • Develop tracking systems for prospect research, cultivation activities, and proposal pipeline.
  • Implement stewardship protocols and donor acknowledgment processes appropriate to different giving vehicles and relationship types.
  • Document processes to ensure organizational knowledge retention.

Deliverables

• Comprehensive development plan with implementation roadmap showing interconnections.
• Foundation prioritization matrix.
• DAF strategy document with prospect lists and cultivation plans.
• Fund development special project implementation framework and activity calendar.
• Grant proposals and reports, as needed, throughout engagement.
• Collateral templates and audience adaptable writing guides.
• Progress reports to leadership tracking progress across all strategies, with recommendations for sustainability of fundraising success across campa.
• Documented processes and training for donor tracking and multi-channel fundraising.

Preferred Consultant Qualifications

• Proven track record securing foundation grants for social justice organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to design and manage complex, fundraising strategies with interconnected activities.
• Experience with donor-advised funds and major donor cultivation.
• Experience in capacity building and staff development.
• Strong understanding of foundation landscape and established program officer relations.
• Excellent grant writing and storytelling skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in values-based, equity-centered, and fast-paced environments.

Working Relationship

The consultant will work in close partnership with Be Present’s Co-Leaders of Transformative Action and interface regularly with communications consultants and Be Present network leaders. This role requires collaborative, iterative engagement that models Be Present’s values of conscious listening, working across differences, and regarding relationships as central to organizational effectiveness.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

This is a remote part-time contract consultant role with a compensation rate of $75/hr for approximately 80 hours per month.

Please submit your letter of interest and resume to info@bepresent.org with the subject of: Fund Development Consultant. We will prioritize applications received by March 22,2026.