Development Manager

Field & Fork Network; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Health benefits

Paid time off

401(k) match

Job summary

Field & Fork Network, a fast-growing nonprofit in New York State, seeks a Development Manager to strengthen donor relationships, expand philanthropy, and support long-term mission sustainability. You will lead individual giving, donor engagement, and support institutional and corporate fundraising.

Working closely with the CEO and Director of Communications & Development, you will manage prospect research, stewardship, grant opportunities, and fundraising systems while collaborating across

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience in nonprofit fundraising.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible nonprofit fundraising experience.
• Demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual donors, securing major gifts, and leading fundraising initiatives.
• Experience developing grant proposals and managing submissions and reporting requirements.
• Strong collaboration, communication, research, relationship-building, organizational, and project management skills.
• Experience using donor databases and CRM systems; GiveButter experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategies to grow individual giving, annual giving, and major gifts.
• Build, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of individual and major donors.
• Identify and research prospective donors and funding opportunities.
• Partner with leadership on major gift cultivation and donor meetings.
• Ensure donors receive meaningful stewardship, timely recognition, and personalized engagement.
• Coordinate with the Director of Communications & Development to implement the annual fundraising plan.
• Manage fundraising calendar and campaign timelines; track performance.
• Maintain donor records and prepare reports for leadership and Board.
• Write and edit grant proposals, reports, and fundraising materials.
• Support CEO on larger institutional funding opportunities as needed.

Skills

Donor relations

Fundraising

Grant research

Grant writing

Communication

Project management

CRM systems

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

GiveButter

Job description

Field & Fork Network is a fast-growing New York State food and farming nonprofit that connects communities to innovative solutions that foster a sustainable food system.

We strive to live and advance Field & Fork Network’s Core Values ofbeing:

Fair-Minded – We honor unique identities and perspectives with dignity.

Forward thinking – We turn ideas into long-lasting solutions.

Collaborative – We incorporate diverse voices and ideas.

We are deeply committed to fostering a work environment where people feel supported, listened to, and can do their personal best.

Together, we work toward building a culture of philanthropy that demonstrates to the giving community that we are a responsible investment and proven innovator in driving the future of food access across New York State. This comes to life through consistent training of our staff, partners, board members and other key stakeholders about their role in creating and executing a world-class strategic development plan in support of our long-term organizational sustainability goals.

Position Description:

The Development Manager at Field & Fork Network plays a pivotal role in strengthening donor relationships, expanding philanthropic partnerships, and advancing the long-term sustainability of the organization's mission. This position leads individual giving and donor engagement efforts and supports institutional and corporate philanthropy by cultivating funding opportunities, coordinating donor engagement, and implementing development initiatives that generate sustainable philanthropic support.

Working closely with the CEO and the Director of Communications and Development, the Development Manager oversees prospect research, donor stewardship, corporate partnership cultivation, fundraising events, and a defined portfolio of grant opportunities. The role also manages key development operations, including maintaining donor records, preparing reports and invoices, coordinating donor acknowledgements, and ensuring the accuracy and effectiveness of fundraising systems and processes.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities in a collaborative environment. This position plays a critical role in fostering a culture of philanthropy, strengthening organizational capacity, and supporting the continued growth and impact of Field & Fork Network.

Individual Giving & Donor Relations

• Develop and implement strategies to grow individual giving, annual giving, and major gifts.
• Build, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of individual and major donors.
• Identify and research prospective donors and funding opportunities, including reviewing funder priorities, and conducting outreach to qualified prospects.
• Partner with the Director of Communications & Development on major gift cultivation, donor meetings, and solicitation strategies.
• Ensure donors receive meaningful stewardship, timely recognition, and personalized engagement.
• Partner with the Director of Communications & Development to develop and implement the annual fundraising plan.
• Manage the fundraising calendar and coordinate development priorities and campaign timelines.
• Maintain accurate donor records in GiveButter, track fundraising performance, and prepare reports for leadership and the Board.
• Compile donor, prospect, and funding data to support fundraising strategies, prospect development, , and leadership needs.
• Participate in funder meetings as requested, documenting key discussions and follow-up actions.
• Recommend strategies to strengthen fundraising performance and diversify revenue sources.
• Ensure timely acknowledgment of gifts, including coordinating thank-you letters, stewardship calls, and other donor recognition activities.
• Manage a defined portfolio of corporate and philanthropic foundation grant opportunities, overseeing the full grant lifecycle from prospect research and qualification through proposal development, submission, reporting, and closeout.
• Coordinate with internal teams to gather program outcomes, financial information, and other materials required for proposals and reports.
• Write, coordinate, and edit grant proposals, reports, and other fundraising materials.
• Track grant deadlines, reporting requirements, and funder communications to ensure timely follow-up and compliance.
• Support the CEO on larger, complex, or strategically significant institutional funding opportunities as needed.

Donor Communications & Engagement

• Develop and manage donor communications, including fundraising appeals, stewardship materials, newsletters, and other donor-facing content.
• Partner with the Director of Communications & Development to draft solicitation and stewardship communications for annual campaigns and responsive fundraising efforts.
• Contribute to the production of the organization's annual report.
• Collaborate with program staff to translate program outcomes and impact into compelling donor stories and fundraising materials.
• Plan and execute donor cultivation lunches, gatherings, and community engagement events.
• Coordinate invitations, logistics, follow-up, and stewardship.
• Develop corporate partnerships and sponsorship opportunities that support fundraising goals.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in nonprofit fundraising.
• Demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual donors, securing major gifts, and leading fundraising initiatives, including annual appeals, campaigns, special events, online fundraising, and partnership development.
• Demonstrated experience developing grant proposals and managing grant submissions and reporting requirements.
• Strong collaboration, communication, research, relationship-building, organizational, and project management skills, with the ability to work effectively across teams.
• Experience using donor database and constituent relationship management (CRM) systems; GiveButter experience preferred.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with nonprofit Boards of Directors.
• Experience with major gifts or advancement strategies.

What We Offer:

• Field & Fork Networkoperatesa hybrid model, combining remote and on-site work.
• Your salary is supplemented with a competitive benefits package including health benefits, paid time off, and 401(k) employer match.
• Compensationcommensuratewith experience.