Institutional Giving 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. 

Position Overview

The Institutional Giving Officer a crucial role in securing philanthropic support from corporations and foundations to advance the mission and programs of Harlem Grown. The Officer manages a portfolio of approximately 120 funders, with a focus on increasing the number of $10,000+ philanthropic corporate and foundation funders. The Officer works closely with the Senior Director of Advancement, program staff, and leadership to align institutional funding strategies with organizational priorities, deepen engagement among funders, and foster a culture of philanthropy across the Harlem Grown community. 

Success in This Role Means

• Growing the portfolio of institutional partners year-over-year.
• Securing new and renewed gifts that contribute to the organization’s $5M+ annual fundraising goal.
• Demonstrating the measurable impact of philanthropic partnerships.

Responsibilities

Fundraising and Portfolio Management

• Identify, solicit, proactively cultivate, and steward a portfolio of 120 corporate and foundation funders, with a focus on those with the capacity to give $10,000+ annually.
• Meet or exceed annual fundraising and activity goals, tracking all progress in Salesforce.
• Keep abreast of relevant industry trends and best practices in institutional funding, major giving, and youth development.

Relationship Building and Stewardship

• Build values-driven relationships with funders and partners through consistent communication, site visits, and engagement opportunities.
• Secure meaningful investment in Harlem Grown by aligning corporate and foundation interests with our priorities.
• Collaborate with leadership, volunteers, and colleagues to engage funders in meaningful ways—including corporate volunteer engagements, corporate benefits delivery, oversight of grant applications and other related activities/events as needed.
• Provide personalized stewardship experiences that demonstrate the impact of each partnership.
• Lead the cultivation of a culture of philanthropy among partners, donors, volunteers, and staff through strategic communication and collaboration.

Corporate Benefits Delivery

• Maintain up-to-date corporate benefits and sponsorship packages.
• Manage the fulfillment of corporate benefits packages, prioritizing the highest-level sponsorships while making the best use of the team’s time and resources.
• Coordinate experiences for corporate partners, such as co-branding opportunities, site visits, cultivation events, volunteer days, and lunch & learns.
• Develop, document, track and continually enhance systems and procedures related to corporate benefits delivery.

Collaboration and Communication

• Participate in strategy sessions and team meetings to share insights that strengthen fundraising performance.
• Keep abreast of relevant industry trends and best practices in institutional funding, major giving, and youth development.
• Partner across the organization to develop and advance strategies to engage and grow a diverse donor base.
• Attend internal meetings and external events to proactively deepen relationships and secure follow-up meetings.

 

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in relationship-based fundraising, with track recor