Chief Development Officer

Department: Development
Reports to: Founder & CEO 
Hours: Full-time - exempt
Salary: $140,000 - $170,000

Mission
Free Arts NYC empowers youth from underserved communities through art and mentoring programs to develop their creativity, confidence, and skills to succeed.

For 27 years, we have strived to level the playing field and create equity in the creative space by providing high-quality arts and 1:1 mentorship programs for the next generation. Every year, we partner with over 30 schools, community centers, and transitional housing facilities to provide free programming for 1,600 young people through 2 core programs. The team consists of 13 (FT and PT), and the 2.8 million dollar annual budget is raised through corporate engagement opportunities, foundation grants, individual giving campaigns, unique partnerships, and an Annual Art Auction honoring major figures in the contemporary art world, including Christopher Wool, Futura, KAWS, Julia Chiang, Eddie Martinez, Sam Moyer and Lawrence Weiner.

Job Summary
Free Arts NYC is at an exciting crossroads. With a powerful mission, strong foundation, and programs that transform lives, the organization is poised for growth and the next stage requires bold, strategic leadership in development.

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) will be a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, working with the Founder & CEO to shape the organization’s financial future. The CDO will design and drive a comprehensive fundraising strategy that strengthens operations, grows contributed revenue across all streams, builds the development team, and engages the Board in deeper philanthropic leadership.

This is a role for a builder. The CDO will expand and diversify Free Arts NYC’s base of support, cultivate the next generation of donors and partners, and align fundraising with program impact to ensure long-term sustainability.

The ideal candidate is a creative strategist and proven fundraiser with experience securing major philanthropic investment. They are a collaborative leader who thrives on building systems, developing teams, and fostering a culture of philanthropy. Above all, they will bring passion and vision to ensure Free Arts NYC has the resources to deepen its impact and reach more young people across the city.

Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy & Leadership

• Design and implement a comprehensive, multi-year fundraising strategy to grow and diversify revenue across major gifts, individual giving, foundations, corporations, government funding, and special events.

• Partner with the CEO and Board to set annual and long-term revenue goals, establish clear metrics, and regularly monitor progress to ensure financial sustainability.

• Foster a culture of philanthropy across the organization, empowering staff, leadership, and board members to actively engage in fundraising.

• Align fundraising strategies with program impact, equity, and organizational values.

Donor Cultivation & Stewardship

• Manage, retain, and expand a portfolio of major donors in collaboration with the CEO. 

• Lead donor engagement and recognition efforts, ensuring all supporters feel valued, informed, and connected to the mission.

• Create and maintain compelling fundraising materials, including cases for support, reports, presentations, and digital campaigns.

• Represent Free Arts NYC at donor, partner, and community events, serving as a visible ambassador for the mission.

Institutional & Corporate Giving

• Oversee the grant cycle, including prospect research, proposal development, submissions, reporting, and compliance.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with foundation, corporate, and government funders, aligning proposals with organizational priorities.

• Partner with program and finance staff to ensure accurate reporting and demonstrate impact.

• Cultivate and steward corporate partnerships, securing sponsorships and identifying opportunities for deeper and diversified engagement.

Events & Campaigns

• Lead planning and execution of donor cultivation events, fundraising campaigns and communication across multiple platforms, and the Annual Art Auction.

• Ensure events advance donor relationships, enhance visibility, and contribute meaningfully to revenue goals.

• Manage external consultants, vendors, and volunteer committees as needed.

Board & Leadership Engagement

• Serve as a trusted advisor to the CEO and Board on fundraising strategy and best practices.

• Engage Board members in fundraising activities, leveraging their expertise and networks to expand donor pipelines.

• Provide regular updates, reports, and analysis to the Board on fundraising progress and opportunities.

Team Leadership & Development Operations

• Build, manage, and mentor a development team, fostering collaboration, accountability, and growth.

• Oversee accurate and timely use of the donor database (Salesforce), ensuring effective tracking of gifts, prospects, and donor communications.

• Leverage data and analytics to inform strategy, optimize performance, and forecast revenue.

• Ensure compliance with ethical fundraising standards, IRS regulations, and best practices in gift processing and acknowledgment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of fundraising experience, including demonstrated success in raising $1M+ annually across multiple revenue streams (major gifts, foundations, corporations, events, and annual giving).

• At least 3 years in a senior leadership role with proven ability to manage and mentor a team, set goals, and drive accountability.

• Strong track record of cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding significant gifts from individuals and institutions with persistence and creativity.

• Ability to take initiative, prioritize, ideate, and implement multiple projects effectively and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.

• Experience in grant writing and proposal development; ability to translate program impact into compelling cases for support.

• Expertise in fundraising operations, including donor databases (Salesforce preferred), data analysis, prospect research, and performance metrics.

• Skilled communicator with exceptional written, oral, and interpersonal skills; able to represent the organization with confidence, authenticity, and cultural competency.

• Strong technology skills, with fluency in tools such as Salesforce, Google Workspace, PowerPoint, Asana, Excel, and donor management systems.

• Collaborative leadership style rooted in humility, adaptability, and relationship-building; able to foster a culture of philanthropy across staff and board.

• Knowledge of the New York City arts and philanthropic landscape; experience in nonprofit arts, culture, or youth development is highly valued.

• Commitment to ethical, inclusive fundraising practices and to advancing principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

• A deep belief in the power of the arts to build creativity, confidence, and strong communities.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Free Arts NYC is committed to building equity within the arts and creative professions, and we recognize that oppression and discrimination have resulted in ongoing disparities for the communities that we work alongside. We believe in being intentional that everyone, regardless of economic circumstances, race, gender, sexuality, national origin, or any other difference, feels they can obtain the benefits of meaningful participation in the arts.

Free Arts NYC must amplify diversity within the arts by connecting youth to a variety of opportunities that build their social capital. Inequity is an ongoing issue, and we will meet it with ongoing and evolving efforts. Through strength-based, intentional curriculum design and the development of our staff and board’s cultural competency, we will more effectively address the needs of those we serve.

How to Apply
Please address resume, cover letter and salary requirements to Liz Hopfan, CEO. Email jobs@freeartsnyc.org with “Chief Development Officer” in the subject line.