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Quick Question:

Which best describes your total Philanthropy Leadership experience?
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Quick Question:

Do you have a VERIFIABLE Bachelors or higher degree?
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Quick Question:

Do you live within a reasonable commuting distance from New Haven, Connecticut?
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Quick Question:

Within the last 5 years, what role did the following play in your job:
Working with volunteer boards and making major gift solicitations.
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Quick Question:

Within the last 5 years, what role did the following play in your job:
Developing annual philanthropy action plans, revenue and expense budgets, and long-range (3-5 years) fundraising goals.
Please note that this position is no longer available.
If you would like to be considered for similar opportunities now or in the future, feel free to apply and/or set up a notifier for yourself.
Director of Philanthropy
CT - New Haven


Opportunity Snapshot
This unique fundraising role supports a mission you can be passionate about and offers a balance of challenge and opportunity that will keep you driven and engaged.
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Drive Philanthropy Activities in Support of Our Land for People Mission in Connecticut

Your efforts will help ensure healthy, livable communities for generations to come.

If you're a skilled fundraiser with the drive, vision and passion to get out in the field daily, paint a strong picture for the future and engage large donors in our mission to improve community wellbeing through parks and open spaces that will connect people throughout Connecticut to the outdoors, you can thrive, excel and make an impact as the Director of Philanthropy at The Trust for Public Land. Consider, you will:
  • Take ownership of a solid portfolio which you will refine, broaden and cultivate, focusing primarily on major gifts, but also on some smaller giving.
  • While there is a strategy and a good deal of research in place, you'll have the opportunity to take that strategy to the next level by leveraging the data to create a 3-5 year plan and shaping the philanthropic vision for the state.
  • We are proud of our unique organizational culture where we promote collaboration and teamwork in an environment of positive change. In Connecticut, you will work with a small, impactful team that fights above its weight.
  • Enjoy wide visibility along with autonomy and support. While you'll take ownership of your state role, you'll also interface with national priorities and have the support of your immediate team and supervisor, as well as Directors of Philanthropy across New York.
  • Earn competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits, while also making a difference that you can see in the outdoor spaces we develop throughout the state.
The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Since 1972, The Trust for Public Land has preserved more than 3.6 million acres, created or transformed close to 5,000 parks, playgrounds, and gardens, and developed more than 2,000 miles of trails across the United States. The Trust for Public Land has also helped states and local communities generate over $74 billion in new public funds for parks and open space. With over thirty offices across the country, The Trust for Public Land’s vision is an America where every community can connect with nature near and far. For cities throughout the United States, the organization’s goal is to ensure that everyone in urban America has access to a quality park within a 10-minute walk of home.

Video: America's open spaces are disappearing at a rate of 6,000 acres a day. Together, we can change that. Join The Trust for Public Land as we work with communities nationwide to conserve the land, water, and resources that keep us healthy and inspired.
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In Connecticut, the Land for People Mission is Improving Community Connectedness and Wellbeing

The Requirements
Self-motivation, leadership talent and strong fundraising experience are a must.
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This is an ideal opportunity for a high-performing, motivated philanthropy professional with a love of the outdoors and a penchant for building relationships with people who wish to make a positive change in the world.

To meet the basic qualifications for this role you will have legal authorization to work permanently in the United States for any employer without requiring a visa transfer or visa sponsorship. In addition, to be a good fit for the Director of Philanthropy opportunity you should have:
  • Strong interest in and commitment to The Trust for Public Land's mission
  • Significant fundraising experience (typically 6+ years), including directly soliciting major gifts from both individuals and organizations Quick question for you - click here
  • Bachelor's degree required; a master's degree is a plus Quick question for you - click here
  • Knowledge of and experience with Connecticut philanthropic communities
  • Experience recruiting and managing volunteer boards, as well as successfully working with volunteers to fundraise
  • Management experience required and demonstrated ability to work effectively as a member of a team, ensuring close coordination and integration with other staff members
  • A proven ability to manage campaigns, including goals, timelines, etc.
  • Knowledge of the latest philanthropy trends and fundraising best practices
  • Computer proficiency with various Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
  • Proficiency with complex databases or donor management software a plus
  • Experience in writing grant proposals or other fundraising materials would be helpful
  • A valid driver's license required
  • Schedule flexibility 
Just as important as your experience and skills will be the following characteristics and competencies:
  • Professional maturity and the ability to establish and achieve goals independently
  • A collegial and collaborative approach, and the ability to work effectively in an integrated team setting
  • Entrepreneurial spirit and ability to thrive in a small, dynamic, busy office
  • Proven leadership skills
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Solid organizational abilities and attention to detail
You will be out-the-door meeting with donors, prospective donors and others at least 50% of your time. You will primarily travel within Connecticut and sometimes New York, but we anticipate overnight travel will be no more than 5%.  Quick question for you - click here
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The Role
You'll be a working leader, both creating and executing strategy.
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Role Overview
The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. In Connecticut, the Land for People mission is improving community wellbeing through parks and open space and connecting people to the outdoors statewide. As Director of Philanthropy (DOP), you will embrace and advance that mission by taking ownership of all philanthropic activities and our giving portfolio, which you will cultivate by maintaining current donors while cultivating prospective donors.

The Connecticut Team
There are seven team members in the office, including two who are nationally focused and five executing the Connecticut strategy. You will be responsible for one direct report, the Philanthropy Coordinator, and have a dotted line to an Institutional Giving Manager in New Jersey, who supports Connecticut half time. Resources are limited, but it's an outstanding team that works well together. It will be important for you to be able to maximize resources, prioritizing and focusing opportunities in order to meet your objectives. 

Role Details
Reporting to the Senior Director of Philanthropy in New York, and working closely with the Field Director for Connecticut, you will lead all philanthropic activities for the organization's Connecticut program. You will personally focus on gifts of $25K+ -- the portfolio has a strong emphasis on individual major gift prospects and donors -- and be responsible for raising $1MM+ annually in private funds to support the Connecticut program’s operating and programmatic needs. To meet your goals and responsibilities, you will work closely with the State Director to shape the philanthropy program, including developing and implementing a robust three- to five-year fundraising plan that demonstrates incremental growth and can support mission delivery statewide. You'll also effectively guide the efforts of your direct reports.

You'll spend approximately 50% of your time fundraising out in the community. You'll leverage the breadth of your fundraising expertise from research to relationship building and cultivation, to promoting the program's mission and vision, to closing. Additionally, you'll regularly work with the Field Director and volunteer advisory board on the overall program, ensuring a cohesive and unified approach. Quick question for you - click here

More specifically, you will:
  • In cooperation with the State Director and The Trust for Public Land’s National philanthropy staff, oversee all fundraising activities in the state, with a special emphasis on identification, cultivation, solicitation, and management of individual donors and foundations with a giving capacity $25,000+ annually.
  • Help recruit and manage the Connecticut Advisory Board and direct their fundraising efforts.
  • Work with State Director and Advisory Board Chair to sustain existing Advisory Board members, including acting as a liaison with the Board on philanthropy-related activities, and to identify and cultivate new Advisory Board members.
  • Partner with the New York philanthropy team on philanthropy strategies.
  • Work with the Connecticut team to identify and meet program and project operating and capital needs including creating, packaging, and marketing The Trust for Public Land’s programs and projects to individual and institutional prospects, and developing fundraising materials as needed.
  • Develop annual philanthropy action plans, and long-range (3-5 years) fundraising goals. Quick question for you - click here
  • Manage all donor recognition and donor communication for the State Office, coordinating closely with divisional and national Marketing departments.
  • Update and maintain donor tracking records in the donor database and generate donor-tracking reports for both individual and institutional donors.
  • In coordination with National Philanthropy teams, plan and produce donor-oriented special events.
  • Maintain a portfolio of approximately 80 donors and prospects, and make at least 100-120 visits to prospects annually.
  • In partnership with the State Director, develop revenue and expense budgets and share responsibility for meeting or exceeding the annual state philanthropy budget.
  • Ensure ethical compliance with fundraising best practices, as defined by the Association for Fundraising Professionals
Note: this description is intended to give you a general overview of the position and is not an exhaustive listing of duties and responsibilities.

Video: Across the country, The Trust for Public Land is helping people create parks and protect the places that matter most to all of us—like Barre Town Forest, a Vermont woodland now owned by the community.
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Why TPL
More great reasons to join us.
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Hit the ground running
On several levels, this will be a “plug and play” role for you, and you can start making an impact right away. You’ll also be able to showcase your sense of boldness, creativity, results-orientation and leadership skills as you enhance the portfolio and program. At the same time, you learn all about our mission and efforts while having the opportunity to bring your strong ideas to the table.

Exciting, fundable programs 
Our message and mission are very popular and attractive to funders. You’ll help increase name recognition for The Trust for Public Land across Connecticut, and our story is compelling: We are at the forefront of making cities better and protecting land and water. We have robust projects protecting our natural environments through our Land and Water initiative. No matter their interest, donors can find a project they are passionate about.

Local impact, national resources . . . and recognition 
You’ll share ideas and insights with other philanthropy professionals in our organization across the U.S. And you’ll have the flexibility to work across geographies if, say, you know of a donor in Washington who is interested in Connecticut (or vice versa). Of course, your successes here will get the attention of our national network.

Top ratings 
Because we spend so little to gain so much, The Trust for Public Land is one of the country’s top-rated nonprofit organizations. Our skill at pooling many funding sources allows us to conserve $4 worth of land for every $1 donated. A couple of examples:
  • The American Institute of Philanthropy gives The Trust for Public Land an “A for efficiency” for putting 84% towards program costs while generally spending only $9 to raise $100.
  • Forbes Magazine gives us high marks for fundraising efficiency and charitable commitment, in our entry on their list of “The 200 Largest U.S. Charities.”
Building on success
The Trust for Public Land has been protecting the places that make Connecticut a great place to live, work, and play for many years. Whether building a city playground or nature trail, or protecting water resources, conserving natural lands, and securing public access to waterfronts, we're working to ensure the promise of livable communities for generations to come. There are ample opportunities fo you to continue to build on that success.

Excellent compensation
In addition to a competitive salary we offer comprehensive benefits, including health, dental, vision and prescription plans; generous paid time off; flexible spending accounts; retirement savings plan; a commuter benefits program; and more.

Pictured: The Trust for Public Land is protecting the places that make Connecticut a great place to live, work, and play. Whether protecting the state's last coastal forest or redesigning an urban park, we're working to ensure the promise of livable communities for generations to come and you will directly impact those efforts.
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Keys to Success
Those who succeed in this role share key traits.
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As a proven fundraiser, you know that this is a role about connections -- both internal and external. Those who are successful here are entrepreneurial and creative. They are driven to get out the door every day to cultivate new relationships while enhancing existing ones. They are team players and go-getters with a sense of boldness -- they take risks and are willing to make the big asks. While the ability to promote the TPL mission is essential, it's also important to be a good listener who understands the passion and interests of existing and prospective donors. In addition, to be an outstanding Director of Philanthropy, you will:
  • Have strong leadership skills and professional maturity to work with volunteer boards, donors and team members.
  • Connect the dots. You won't need to be told what to do next; you'll own your role.
  • Be motivated to meet and exceed annual goals.
  • Understand how to maximize resources.
  • Act as a strong team member, promoting a healthy work environment where everyone is empowered to give their best.
  • Keep your finger on the pulse of the community and understand data and giving trends.
Perhaps most important of all, to excel in this role you will need to share enthusiastically in our mission of creating parks and protecting land and waterways for people.
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Connecticut Projects
Our scope is wide. You must be able to talk about small parks, large forests and an array of projects in between.
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Some samples of our work in Connecticut

The Coogan Farm

Residents of Stonington, Connecticut, fought a long campaign to conserve Coogan Farm—a peaceful, rural property on the banks of the Mystic River. Once the land was successfully protected in 2013, they faced a new question: how to make the most of it.​

“We were debating how best to keep the 400-year-old legacy of sustainable agriculture alive on Coogan Farm, and do it in a way that would best serve our community,” says Maggie Jones. She’s executive director of the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, which worked with The Trust for Public Land to purchase and protect the farm and now manages it as a public park and preserve.

“Hunger is a growing issue globally, but we also know that 23,000 people face food insecurity right here in New London County,” Jones says. To help change that, the nature center launched Coogan Farm’s Giving Garden, which supplies fruit and vegetables to 90 different community food banks.

A Park and Boathouse for Deserving Students
In the sport of crew, rowers talk about finding their “swing”—the blissful state when every athlete in the boat is working together in perfect unison. At the public high school in Stonington, Connecticut, the crew team knows a thing or two about swing. The team is nationally competitive—unusual in a sport dominated by private schools—and welcomes students regardless of their families’ ability to cover the costs. And for many Stonington rowers, the boat is their ride to college. “A female rower coming out of high school has a 50 percent chance of getting a scholarship to row in college,” Mike O’Neil, the Program Director says. “For a male, it’s 17 percent. But unlike most of their competition, the Stonington rowers don’t have their own boathouse, and transport gear for every practice.

When land came available for sale, The Trust for Public Land, in partnership with the Mystic River Historical District and town, the Mystic Seaport maritime history museum, and the students, helped purchase the land to be converted to a park and public boathouse.

Pictured: The Giving Garden at Coogan Farm punches way above its weight: though it only covers an acre of land, it grew 15,000 pounds of food last year.
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The Trust For Public Land is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status.