Philanthropy Officer

About Us

Harlem Grown’s mission is to inspire youth to live healthy and ambitious lives through mentorship and hands-on education in urban farming, sustainability, and nutrition.

Harlem Grown operates 13 urban agricultural sites featuring 5 soil-based urban farms, 4 school gardens, 3 hydroponic greenhouses, and a mushroom chamber. All of our sites are located between 122 and 152 Streets in Central Harlem, Manhattan.

Since 2021, our programming has served over 10,000 youth in Harlem, we've produced and distributed over 100,000 servings of food, and diverted over 50,000 pounds of food scraps into local compost operations.

Our Programs

Harlem Grown provides youth and community development programs focused on urban farming, wellness, and sustainability through the lens of racial justice, food justice, social justice, and equity. Our youth focused programs include intensive school partnerships, educational farm tours, a summer camp, a Saturday enrichment program, monthly community events, an afterschool program, and our Mobile Teaching Kitchen. Our community development programs open to all ages include wellness workshops, special events, food scrap collection for composting, and fresh produce distribution to participants, volunteers, and neighborhood residents.

Location: Harlem, New York (On-Site)

Summary: The Philanthropy Officer will play a crucial role in securing financial support from individuals and family foundations to advance the mission and programs of Harlem Grown. The Officer advances three strategic objectives: (1) growing sustainable, predictable revenue for the mission, (2) increasing the number of $10,000+ philanthropic donors who invest in our mission, and (3) cultivating a culture of philanthropy across the organization.

The Officer develops and implements strategies to secure funding from a targeted portfolio of individuals and family foundations with the capacity to give $10,000+ per year. Through personalized relationship management, the Officer annually grows the revenue potential from the portfolio. The Officer provides each portfolio donor a meaningful, fulfilling giving experience, proactively learning about personal philanthropic passions, and soliciting support for mission areas of interest. They engage each prospective donor in the mission through personalized conversations, leadership/research engagement, and other experiences.

The Officer also leads the cultivation of a culture of philanthropy among donors, volunteers, and staff through strategic communication and collaboration.

Key Responsibilities:

• Identify, proactively cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of 150 individuals and family foundations, with a focus on those with the potential capacity to invest $10,000 or more per year.
• Exceed growing individual fundraising goals, contributing to the collective development department fundraising efforts, currently at $6M+ annually with intention for accelerated growth.
• Achieve activity metrics that serve as a roadmap to the revenue goal.
• Use Salesforce as a strategic tool for portfolio, pipeline, metrics, and moves management. Uncover alignment between donor interests and Harlem Grown’s vision and secure investment in organizational priorities.
• Demonstrate to each portfolio donor the impact of their philanthropy.
• Collaborate with leadership, volunteers, and colleagues to engage portfolio donors in a personally meaningful way—ensuring a seamless donor experience and maximizes every opportunity for engagement.
• Attend organization events and use the opportunity to proactively deepen relationships and secure follow-up meetings.
• Participate in regular strategy sessions and team meetings to share insights and contribute to the overall success of the fundraising program.
• Collaborate with team members across the organization to develop and advance strategies designed to retain, engage, and grow a diverse donor base. Support and attend all major site events, including fundraisers, service days, and trainings.
• Keep abreast of relevant industry trends and best practices in major giving, annual giving, and youth development.

Qualifications:

• 5 years of experience in relationship-based fundraising, with track record of growing portfolio revenue year-over-year and securing $10,000+ gifts.
• Experience securing $100,000+ gifts from individuals and/or family foundations preferred.
• Proven ability to effectively communicate complex ideas to high-level stakeholders in a persuasive manner.
• Exceptional attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
• Familiarity with Salesforce or fundraising databases and tools.
• Capacity to handle multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 50% for donor events, engagements, and meetings.
• Proven ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality.
• A passion for Harlem Grown’s mission, values, and accomplishments.