Director of Development

Director of Development

About TAP

Founded in 2012, The Acceleration Project (TAP) empowers under-resourced small business owners with high-impact strategic, financial, operational, and marketing support. We have served over 11,000 small business owners and touched more than 100,000 lives nationwide, unlocking economic mobility, job creation, and long-term growth.

About the Role

TAP is seeking an experienced, relationship-driven, and entrepreneurial Director of Development to help lead the next phase of our organizational growth. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of a rapidly scaling nonprofit, expand our national funding footprint, and build deep partnerships with foundations, corporations, and major donors who care about economic inclusion.

The Director of Development will report to the Chief Development Officer and work closely with senior leadership and TAP’s Board. The role is ideal for a strategic fundraiser who loves building something, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and wants their work to directly influence the trajectory of the organization.

This is a full-time, remote-first NYC metro-area position with 2 monthly in-person leadership meetings and periodic travel for donor meetings, conferences, and fundraising events.

What You’ll Gain

• A leadership seat within a high-growth nonprofit shaping economic mobility nationwide
• Hands-on involvement in strategy, fundraising innovation, and revenue expansion
• High visibility with TAP’s Board, major donors, national partners, and foundations
• Meaningful opportunities for career growth as TAP scales, with expanding responsibility and the chance to help shape the future of the development function
• Professional development, mentorship from seasoned executives, and opportunities to innovate and pilot new fundraising models
• A culture that values flexibility, autonomy, learning, and collaboration

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising & Revenue Growth (50%)

• Partner with the CDO to develop and execute an annual fundraising strategy across foundations, corporations, major donors, and campaigns
• Identify and secure new funding sources while strengthening relationships with existing supporters
• Lead or support grant prospecting, proposal development, reporting, and funder stewardship
• Track and analyze fundraising performance, forecasting, and ROI
• Stay current on donor trends and emerging opportunities to strengthen TAP’s competitive edge

Donor & Partner Development (25%)

• Build and manage a robust pipeline of new donors, including foundations, corporations, and high-net-worth individuals
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward donors through personalized communication and engagement
• Develop stewardship strategies that deepen donor loyalty and increase investment over time
• Leverage LinkedIn, leadership networks, and board connections to expand warm-introduction pathways

Campaigns & Events (15%)

• Lead end-to-end execution of TAP’s annual campaigns and fundraising events (Annual Appeal, Fall for Small Business®, Spring Benefit)
• Collaborate with marketing, technology, and operations to drive campaign success
• Oversee event logistics, donor/sponsor deliverables, and registration systems

Board & Leadership Engagement (5%)

• Partner with the CDO to engage and mobilize the Board and Advisory Board
• Prepare donor briefings, materials, and follow-up communications

Development Operations (5%)

• Ensure accurate CRM documentation in Salesforce
• Manage information flow from tools such as LinkedIn Sales Navigator
• Support organization-wide goals in a collaborative, high-growth environment

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in fundraising, development, or business development
• Proven track record in major gift cultivation, donor acquisition, and campaign leadership
• Exceptional relationship-building, writing, and communication skills
• Strong strategic thinking, project management, and follow-through
• Experience with CRM systems (Salesforce preferred)
• Passion for TAP’s mission and supporting under-resourced small business owners
• Ability to attend events/meetings outside business hours as needed

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $90,000–$100,000, commensurate with experience
• Discretionary, performance-based bonuses may be offered
• Generous PTO + 10 holidays + 2 floating holidays + office closure between Christmas and New Year’s
• Health & dental insurance
• 403(b) retirement plan

How to Apply

Submit your resume and cover letter to careers@theaccelerationproject.org with subject line: Director of Development.

In your cover letter, please respond to:

1. Describe a time when you significantly expanded your organization’s donor base. How did you identify new prospects, build relationships, and convert them into committed supporters?
2. Tell us about a fundraising campaign you led from strategy through execution and closeout. What were the goals, what challenges did you encounter, and what were the results?

Deadline: January 16, 2026

Diversity & Inclusion

TAP is an equal opportunity employer committed to equity, inclusion, and expanding opportunities for historically under-resourced communities. We strongly encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds.

• Salary: $90,000–$100,000, commensurate with experience
• Discretionary, performance-based bonuses may be offered
• Generous PTO + 10 holidays + 2 floating holidays + office closure between Christmas and New Year’s
• Health & dental insurance
• 403(b) retirement plan

Fluency in English.