Development Manager

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.

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.

• 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 Give Butter, 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…