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Fractional Fundraising and Development Consultant
Focus: Donor Relationships, Philanthropic Networks and Near-Term Funding
Location: Hybrid / Remote; NYC availability preferred
Engagement: Independent Consultant
Time Commitment: Approximately 5–10 hours per week
About Little Oaks
Little Oaks Center for Neurodevelopment is building a welcoming, community-centered organization where neurodivergent individuals, families, caregivers, and professionals can find trusted resources, meaningful connection, and practical support.
Through our Resource Hub, community programming, partnerships, advocacy, and growing network of supporters, we are working to ensure that no one has to navigate the neurodevelopmental journey alone.
As an early-stage nonprofit, we are at an important stage of growth. We are working to strengthen our funding base and build the relationships needed to sustain and expand our work.
About the Engagement
Little Oaks is seeking a relationship-driven fundraising consultant with an established network of prospective donors and philanthropic connections they can activate in the near term.
This is a focused consulting engagement for someone who can bring more than fundraising expertise: we are looking for someone who already knows people who may be interested in supporting Little Oaks and can help open those doors.
The immediate priority is to expand our access to prospective individual donors, major-gift prospects, philanthropists, family foundations, corporate decision-makers, and other well-connected supporters who may be positioned to provide meaningful financial support.
We are particularly interested in consultants who can leverage existing personal and professional relationships to facilitate warm introductions, initiate donor conversations, identify aligned funding opportunities, and help advance credible prospects toward a financial commitment.
This is not primarily a prospect-research, grant-writing, or fundraising-infrastructure role. While those activities may support the engagement, our near-term need is for someone who can help translate existing relationships and networks into actionable fundraising opportunities.
We recognize that different consultants bring different strengths and connections. We are open to engaging multiple consultants with complementary networks, donor access, and areas of expertise.
Immediate Priorities
The consultant’s initial focus will be to:
- Activate an existing network. Identify prospective supporters within the consultant’s personal, professional, philanthropic, and community networks who may have a genuine interest in Little Oaks’ mission.
- Open doors through warm introductions. Connect Little Oaks leadership with qualified prospective donors, philanthropic connectors, corporate leaders, and other individuals who can help advance near-term funding opportunities.
- Prioritize near-term funding potential. Identify relationships and opportunities that could realistically progress toward a donation, sponsorship, philanthropic commitment, or other financial support in the coming weeks and months.
- Advance donor conversations. Help initiate and facilitate conversations, develop appropriate follow-up strategies, and coordinate next steps with Little Oaks leadership.
- Identify high-value opportunities. Assess prospects based on mission alignment, relationship strength, potential level of support, accessibility, and realistic timing.
- Support cultivation and solicitation. Help prepare for donor meetings, shape tailored talking points and materials, and support appropriate fundraising asks in coordination with authorized Little Oaks leadership.
- Maintain momentum. Track introductions, conversations, follow-ups, and next steps so promising opportunities continue to progress.
We understand that fundraising outcomes depend on many factors, including donor interest, timing, and individual circumstances. We are not expecting guaranteed gifts or immediate commitments. We are, however, prioritizing a consultant who can begin taking meaningful relationship-building action shortly after the engagement starts.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Donor Network Activation & Relationship Development
- Identify and prioritize prospective donors and philanthropic contacts from existing personal and professional networks.
- Facilitate warm introductions to individuals and organizations with a credible potential interest in supporting Little Oaks.
- Identify and engage philanthropic connectors who can expand access to additional qualified prospects.
- Develop tailored approaches for high-potential relationships rather than relying primarily on cold outreach or broad prospect lists.
- Work with Little Oaks leadership to determine the most appropriate introduction, outreach, and follow-up strategy for each prospect.
2. Near-Term Fundraising & Opportunity Advancement
- Identify potential individual gifts, major gifts, corporate contributions, sponsorships, and other appropriate sources of near-term financial support.
- Assess opportunities based on alignment, relationship strength, anticipated funding potential, and realistic timing.
- Help move qualified prospects from introduction to conversation, cultivation, solicitation, and follow-up.
- Support the development of tailored pitches, talking points, briefings, and fundraising materials.
- Coordinate with Little Oaks leadership on donor meetings, fundraising asks, and relationship management.
- Identify opportunities that could generate recurring support or establish longer-term philanthropic relationships.
3. Pipeline Management & Strategic Recommendations
- Maintain a focused development pipeline documenting prospective supporters, relationship context, introductions, conversations, next steps, and progress.
- Provide concise updates on activity, emerging opportunities, obstacles, and recommended actions.
- Help Little Oaks prioritize the most promising relationships and avoid spending disproportionate time on opportunities unlikely to advance in the near term.
- Identify additional opportunities through the consultant’s network and relevant professional relationships.
- Recommend practical improvements to fundraising coordination and tracking as needed.
Foundation research, grant opportunities, and longer-term development planning may be considered when appropriate, but they will remain secondary to the immediate priority of activating relationships and advancing near-term funding opportunities.
What We’re Looking For
We are looking for someone who can bring both fundraising judgment and meaningful access to potential supporters.
Essential qualifications
- An established, relevant network of prospective donors or philanthropic contacts. You can identify specific relationships or networks you are prepared to activate in support of Little Oaks, rather than relying primarily on research to build a prospect list.
- Demonstrated relationship-building experience. You have cultivated relationships that have led to philanthropic support, donations, sponsorships, strategic partnerships, or other meaningful financial outcomes.
- Ability to act quickly. You are prepared to identify initial prospects, recommend introductions, and begin appropriate outreach shortly after onboarding.
- Comfort with fundraising conversations and asks. You can initiate conversations about financial support, help identify appropriate giving opportunities, and support solicitation in coordination with Little Oaks leadership.
- Strong judgment and relationship management. You understand how to approach potential supporters thoughtfully, respect existing relationships, and identify genuine alignment with an organization’s mission.
- A results-oriented, independent working style. You can prioritize high-potential opportunities, manage follow-through, and provide clear updates without requiring extensive day-to-day direction.
- Professionalism and discretion. You handle confidential information appropriately and understand the importance of donor privacy and accurate organizational representation.
Networks and experience of particular interest
We welcome consultants whose relationships and experience include:
- Individual philanthropists and major-gift prospects.
- Family foundations and philanthropic families.
- Entrepreneurs, business owners, executives, and high-net-worth networks.
- Corporate philanthropy, corporate giving, and sponsorship decision-makers.
- Philanthropic advisors, wealth managers, donor-advised fund networks, and other trusted connectors.
- Community leaders and professional networks with a demonstrated interest in neurodiversity, disability inclusion, family support, education, health, or community-based initiatives.
Experience in nonprofit development, major gifts, philanthropy, corporate giving, sponsorships, strategic partnerships, or relationship-driven business development is relevant.
Experience with early-stage organizations, neurodevelopmental services, family support, accessibility, education, health, or community-based programs is welcome but not required.
When considering this engagement, candidates should be able to describe the types of relationships they can realistically activate, the kinds of introductions they could facilitate, and how they would prioritize their first several weeks. We do not expect confidential donor lists or private information about third parties during the selection process.
How You’ll Work
This is a focused, autonomous consulting engagement. Little Oaks will provide information about our mission, current funding priorities, approved messaging, existing relationships where relevant, and the materials needed to support fundraising conversations.
The consultant will manage their own work methods and schedule while meeting agreed-upon deadlines and deliverables. The work will be organized around clear priorities, regular communication, and actionable progress.
The consultant is expected to independently identify and pursue appropriate opportunities within the agreed scope, coordinating with Little Oaks leadership when organizational context, leadership participation, or approval is needed.
Final approval of solicitations, proposals, gift terms, sponsorship benefits, public representations, and agreements will remain with authorized Little Oaks representatives. The consultant may not independently bind Little Oaks to a grant, sponsorship, partnership, pledge, gift condition, or other obligation.
What Success Looks Like
Success will be assessed through meaningful relationship development, progress toward near-term funding, and the quality of the opportunities advanced.
Indicators of progress may include:
- An initial, prioritized list of qualified prospective supporters drawn from the consultant’s existing network.
- Warm introductions to individuals or organizations with a credible potential interest in Little Oaks.
- Early donor and philanthropic conversations initiated or facilitated.
- Qualified prospects progressing through cultivation and toward appropriate fundraising asks.
- Near-term funding opportunities identified, assessed, and actively advanced.
- Timely follow-through and clear visibility into the development pipeline.
- Financial contributions, sponsorships, or other support secured as opportunities mature.
- Recommendations that help Little Oaks focus limited time and resources on the most promising relationships.
We will agree on specific priorities, deliverables, and reporting expectations before the engagement begins. No particular level of funding, gift, grant, sponsorship, pledge, or donor commitment is guaranteed.
Compensation
Compensation will be structured as a project fee or a fixed fee for agreed-upon services and deliverables, depending on the scope of the engagement.
The fee, scope of work, deliverables, timeline, and payment terms will be negotiated and documented in a written consulting agreement before the engagement begins.
Compensation will not be calculated as a percentage of funds raised, solicited, pledged, awarded, or received, and will not include commissions or finder’s fees.
For project-based engagements, payment may be made upon completion of agreed-upon deliverables, as specified in the consulting agreement. Work outside the agreed scope must be approved in writing in advance.
Engagement Expectations
The consultant will be expected to:
- Protect confidential donor, prospect, family, partner, and organizational information.
- Disclose actual or potential conflicts of interest.
- Use Little Oaks’ name, materials, and information only for approved purposes.
- Maintain accurate records and transfer relevant work product to Little Oaks.
- Follow applicable laws, professional standards, and Little Oaks policies.
- Represent Little Oaks accurately and thoughtfully in external conversations.
- Respect the privacy and preferences of prospective supporters and make introductions only when appropriate.
Why Little Oaks
Little Oaks is an early-stage organization, which means this is an opportunity to help shape how our development work grows—not simply step into an established fundraising operation.
We are building a community where people come before programs, relationships come before transactions, and community is something we build together.
We believe sustainable fundraising begins with genuine connection, shared purpose, and a clear understanding of the work we are building together. We are looking for a consultant who can bring their relationships, experience, and initiative to help connect Little Oaks with people who may want to be part of that work.
Little Oaks Center for Neurodevelopment is committed to building an inclusive, welcoming, and accessible community. We encourage people with diverse experiences, perspectives, professional backgrounds, and connections to neurodivergent individuals and families to apply.
Little Oaks Center for Neurodiversity, Inc., doing business as Little Oaks Center for Neurodevelopment, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization | EIN: 33-2408150
Benefits:
Flexible schedule
People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply
Application Question(s):
- What fundraising, development, or relationship-building experience would you bring to this consulting role? Please briefly describe your role and key responsibilities.
- What types of donors, funders, sponsors, partners, or community networks could you potentially help Little Oaks access?
- Describe one fundraising or relationship-building opportunity you helped develop. What was your role, and what was the outcome?
- How would you approach identifying and developing potential funding opportunities for Little Oaks during your first 30–60 days?
- How many years of professional experience do you have in fundraising, development, or relationship-building, including independent or autonomous professional-services work?
- What draws you to Little Oaks and this consulting opportunity?
Work Location: Hybrid remote in New York, NY 10024
