Contract Major Gifts Strategist

Position Title: Contract Major Gifts Strategist

Reports to: Executive Director

Location: Hybrid, meetings as-required in NYC

Compensation: $75–$125/hour or fixed rate project based on deliverables, commensurate with experience

Hours: Appx. 10 hours/week (flexible schedule)

Duration: 6–9 months, with potential for renewal or transition to a full-time role

Application Deadline: July 25, 2025

Position Summary

826NYC is seeking an experienced fundraising consultant to design and implement a sustainable individual giving and major gifts program to support our $1.2M annual budget. This fractional contract role will lay the groundwork for a long-term fundraising strategy focused on securing five- and six-figure gifts.

You’ll work directly with the Executive Director and Board to develop a donor pipeline, create systems for donor engagement, and establish practices that will shape the foundation of a future full-time fundraising hire. This is a rare opportunity to build something mission-critical at a beloved NYC-based youth writing nonprofit.

See the full proposal overview here: 826NYC – Contract Major Gifts Strategy Proposal Overview

Key Responsibilities

Program Design & Implementation

• Assess current individual giving landscape and identify opportunities for growth
• Design and document a major gifts strategy tailored to 826NYC’s mission and structure
• Establish sustainable systems for prospecting, solicitation, and stewardship

Portfolio & Donor Engagement

• Build and prioritize a portfolio of 25–50 individual donor prospects
• Draft customized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans
• Advise and support board and leadership with donor engagement efforts

Fundraising Tools & Collateral

• Develop a compelling case for support and tailored donor proposals
• Create templates for donor communications, acknowledgments, and follow-up
• Recommend donor management tools and support improvements to existing CRM practices

Capacity Building & Transition Planning

• Provide coaching to board and staff around major gift conversations
• Deliver a roadmap for transitioning to a full-time individual giving staff role
• Present strategic updates and final deliverables to board and senior staff

Support for Existing Major Gift Cultivation

• Advise and support executive director on any major gift cultivation in progress

What Success Looks Like

By the end of the engagement, we expect to have:

• A fully documented individual giving and major gifts strategy
• A pipeline of qualified donor prospects, segmented by giving level and affinity
• Active cultivation and stewardship underway with high-capacity donors
• Templates and tools to identify prospects, sustain donor engagement and reporting
• A clear staffing and infrastructure recommendation for future growth

Ideal Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in nonprofit development, including major gifts
• Demonstrated ability to close and steward five- and six-figure gifts
• Knowledge of individual giving strategy, prospect research, and donor behavior
• Exceptional communication skills (written, interpersonal, and strategic)
• Experience with CRM tools (Salesforce, LGL, or similar) and donor screening platforms
• Strong coaching and facilitation skills; comfortable working with boards and executives
• Familiarity with the NYC philanthropic landscape preferred
• Passion for equitable education and youth development strongly preferred

Project Outcomes

By the end of the contract, 826NYC expects:

• A documented major gifts strategy and giving pyramid with standard operating procedures (SOPs) to execute
• A qualified donor pipeline segmented by capacity and affinity
• Key donor materials (case for support, proposals, thank-you templates)
• Top of funnel cultivation report templates created
• Training provided to staff and board
• A clear transition plan to a full-time major gifts staff position