Chief Development Officer (Fundraising)

Who We Are

Unruled Masses (UM) is a New York-based 501(c)(3), nonpartisan, public education and civic empowerment organization. Our mission is to research and expose abuses of power by public and private entities, educate the public on corruption and related harms, empower people to counter corruption through nonviolent and lawful civic action, and inspire hope through community.

We believe democracy is non-negotiable, and that hope lives in those who fight for a better tomorrow. We envision a time when individuals and organizations across the country have the knowledge, tools, and resolve to prevent and mitigate the impacts of corruption and hold power accountable in their communities. We are evidence-driven and partner-focused, and we share our research, tools, and trainings in plain language with ordinary people, partner organizations, journalists, researchers, and policymakers.

Who You Are

You are a strategic architect of resources who understands that a movement is only as strong as the engine that powers it. You have 7–10 or more years of progressively responsible development experience and a proven record of standing up fundraising operations from the ground up. You don't just "ask for money": you build trusted relationships, tell compelling stories, and design the systems that turn shared values into sustainable impact.

You are a builder and a leader. You recognize that UM's mission requires a diversified funding model that blends institutional grants, major gifts, and grassroots support. You are ready to lead a volunteer team of grant writers and fundraisers, and to translate our research, civic action programs, and technology into a clear "case for support" that resonates with philanthropists and foundations that care about democracy and accountable public institutions.

This is a volunteer role, and it is also a critical one. Funding is what will allow UM to hire the staff our mission requires, and we expect this position to become a paid role for the right candidate as that funding grows.

What You'll Do as Chief Development Officer

• Fundraising Strategy & Design: Stand up the initial fundraising infrastructure for UM and lead our Development function, which manages grants, donor relations, and revenue diversification. Create and carry out a comprehensive 12-month development plan covering annual giving, major gifts, and institutional grants.
• Donor Cultivation and Tracking Processes: Develop and implement the donor cultivation process, the grant management process, and the development strategy and tracking process called for in our 2026–2028 Strategic Plan.
• Campaign Development: Lead specialized fundraising campaigns that support our research and civic action work, including the Corruption Intelligence File, Action Playbooks, Community Action Trainings, and future programs such as the Civic Materials Exchange and Unruled Kids.
• Team Leadership: Manage and mentor a growing team of volunteer fundraisers and grant writers, with clear goals, accountability, and alignment with UM's mission.
• Donor Relationship Management: Serve as UM's primary philanthropic liaison for individual donors and foundations. Develop personal stewardship plans that move prospects from first interest to lasting, transformational giving.
• Grant Oversight: Supervise the full grant lifecycle, from identifying opportunities to reviewing proposals and managing reporting requirements, working with our Finance function on grant reporting and 501(c)(3) compliance.
• Systems & Accountability: Put "moves management" in place within our CRM, a step-by-step way to track each donor relationship, so we can follow donor activity, projections, and results with high data integrity.
• Board and Partner Engagement: Engage our Board of Directors in fundraising, and work with partner organizations on joint funding opportunities.
• Clear, Consistent Funder Messaging: Work with our Communications and Corruption Research teams to prepare accurate, consistent information that can be shared with funders and used in grant applications.
• Impact Reporting: Work with our Monitoring & Evaluation function to report results to funders transparently, so they can see what their support makes possible.
• Ethical Stewardship: Ensure all fundraising meets the highest ethical standards, protecting the confidentiality of our researchers and the integrity of our nonpartisan stance, and treating every dollar as a responsibility.

Exceptional volunteers may:

• Advise the Board of Directors on long-term financial sustainability and endowment strategies.
• Represent UM at human rights, civic technology, and democracy-focused events to build awareness among donors and partners.
• Help shape the plan for converting this role into a paid executive position as funding grows, including the hiring of additional development staff.
• Lead joint fundraising efforts with partner organizations.

Ideal Qualifications

• Experience: 5–10 or more years in nonprofit development, with specific success in major gifts ($10k+) or foundation relations.
• Leadership: Proven ability to lead and inspire a remote, volunteer-based team.
• Strategic Thinking: Experience building a development department or fundraising plan from scratch.
• Communication: Exceptional storytelling skills and the ability to explain our research, technology, and civic action work in plain language to donors who are not specialists.
• Mission Alignment: A deep, nonpartisan commitment to democracy, transparency, and the belief that ordinary people can hold power accountable and reclaim public institutions through organized, peaceful action.
• Self-Directed: Comfortable working in a growing nonprofit where you must be both a strategist and a doer.

Nice to have:

• Experience fundraising for civic technology, human rights, democracy-building, or investigative journalism organizations.
• Familiarity with institutional donors and foundations that support democracy and accountable government, and with 501(c)(3) funding options.
• Knowledge of CRM tools (for example Salesforce, DonorBox, or HubSpot) for donor tracking.
• Experience working with a board of directors on fundraising.

The Organizational Context

Our research and civic action work is underway: we are building the Corruption Intelligence File, developing research products and Action Playbooks, and preparing to deliver Community Action Trainings. Your role is a critical piece of the puzzle: securing the resources to scale this work. You will report to the Executive Director and work in close partnership with the Corruption Research Program, the Civic Action Program, Communications, Technology, Finance, and Monitoring & Evaluation, so that our funding strategy stays aligned with our operational needs and program milestones. You will also work with our Board of Directors, which meets monthly and holds UM accountable to its mission.

Compensation & Commitment

This is an unpaid volunteer role, and it is a critical position for UM. Our plan is for this role to become a paid position for the right candidate as our funding grows, and the person who builds our fundraising engine will be well placed to be considered. We are flexible on hours and can work around your schedule, but ask for a meaningful initial commitment (roughly 5–10 hours a week for 3–4 months) to stand up our core fundraising efforts, followed by lighter ongoing leadership support. Conversion to a paid role depends on available funding and Board approval and is not guaranteed.

Benefits of Volunteering with Unruled Masses

• Founding Architect Status: Build the financial engine of a first-of-its-kind public education and civic empowerment organization, working directly with UM leadership.
• Executive Leadership: Gain high-level experience leading a multifaceted fundraising function and shaping the trajectory of a growing organization.
• A Path to a Paid Role: As funding grows, this position is intended to become a paid role, and your work will help make that possible.
• Real-World Impact: Your work directly enables the research, education, and civic action that help ordinary people counter corruption and defend democracy.
• A Diverse, Dedicated Team: Collaborate with volunteers and partners from fields including human rights, intelligence, law, technology, and communications.