Development Director

Submit your application here: https://airtable.com/shrFkMfE4dFWSL5C3

Deadline: March 31, 2021

About us

Documented is a nonprofit news site that produces reporting for and about immigrant New Yorkers. We provide original news stories on the ground-level impact of shifts in labor policy, law–enforcement practices and bureaucratic requirements, and on the effects of new federal directives as well as Q&As and instructional guides that inform New Yorkers about food, health and financial aid and legal issues. We have won awards from the EPPYs, the Online News Association and Local Independent Online News Publishers. Our work has been mentioned by The New York Times, The Washington Post, in federal lawsuits, at the New York City Council and many other places.

The role

Documented seeks a full-time Development Director to execute a fundraising strategy alongside the Co-Executive Directors. This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of a young, growing organization in a sector that many believe is the future of journalism.

Previous experience in media is not required. We will encourage the director to become immersed in the world of nonprofit journalism by building relationships with other organizations and attending (virtual) journalism conferences.

To date, Documented has received funding from the Ford Foundation, Borealis Philanthropy, the American Journalism Project and the Emerson Collective, among other organizations.

Deadline for Applications: March 31, 2021

Submit your application here: https://airtable.com/shrFkMfE4dFWSL5C3

Specific responsibilities:

The Director of Development will be expected to create and execute on a development plan that builds upon our previous efforts with foundations and membership while developing a major gifts program.

Major Gifts

The Development Director will help build a major gifts program through identifying prospects with the leadership and managing the outreach and solicitation.

- Manage a comprehensive, strategic, donor-centered fundraising program that includes specific fundraising goals and targets, with a focus on cultivating major donors.

- Manage relationships with individuals in a robust portfolio, including a significant personal portfolio of major gift donors and prospects as well as those assigned to the leadership

- Support the Co-Executive Director’s donor engagement and carry out face-to-face solicitations and other direct engagement with donors and prospects

- Develop goals, strategies, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans for each donor, ensuring that each one receives frequent personalized contact

- Identify new prospects for the major gifts portfolio and opportunities for increased giving by current donors. Oversee prospect research and actively lead identification of major gift prospects to bring new supporters into the organization

- Draft donor correspondence and maintain primary responsibility for developing messages, strategy memos, talking points, and donor materials

- Generate and analyze data to ensure that fundraising is done in the most efficient and effective ways. Utilize Salesforce and other systems to track, evaluate, and report on the performance

Foundation / Grants

Build on the organization’s work in this area by maximizing existing relationships while identifying new opportunities, and managing the grant writing process.

- Maintain and expand a portfolio of additional foundation/grant prospects and collaborate with the leadership on the submission of grants

- Maintain a foundation grants calendar of submissions and reporting cycles

- Identify and cultivate strategic partnerships with businesses in coordination with the leadership

Membership

Work with the Documented team to expand our membership program, which is currently focused on events.

Management

- Supervise grant writers and potentially other consultants and track their progress towards departmental goals

- Oversee gift processing and acknowledgment distribution

- Maintain accurate records using Salesforce

- Ensure development activities conform to organizational policies and financial accounting practices

- Refresh and implement an annual development plan that incorporates short- and long-range goals

- Maintain accurate, confidential records of progress and activity reports for the leadership and the Board of Directors

- Attend Board meetings as requested by the leadership; work with Board members to identify and connect with new donors

- Participate in the budgeting process, monitor development expenditures

- Maintain working knowledge of national and state priorities and issues, including major breaking news stories that are of interest to our supporters

Deadline: March 31, 2021

Submit your application here: https://airtable.com/shrFkMfE4dFWSL5C3

Compensation and Benefits

The salary for this role is $125,000. Health and dental benefits and four weeks paid time off are provided. Eventually, we hope to be able to return to our office in Brooklyn full-time, but as of now, the position will be largely remote. We highly value lived experiences in the issues we cover as a news organization. We also understand the difficult work realities due to the pandemic and are open to accommodating people with different work requirements.

We highly value lived experiences in the issues we cover as a news organization. We also understand the difficult work realities due to the pandemic and are open to accommodating people with different work requirements.

We are dedicated to improving our newsroom, by working with people with backgrounds that reflect the population of New York City. We are committed to diversity and building an inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and ages. We encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, LGBTQ people and people with disabilities.