Click here to access a downloadable PDF of this Position Profile. All information for both Co-President roles is in both postings.

About Neighborhood Funders Group

The mission of Neighborhood Funders Group (NFG) is to organize philanthropy to support grassroots power building so that BIPOC communities and low-income communities thrive. Together with our member network of over 100 grantmaking organizations, NFG engages philanthropic institutions and their staff across the U.S. to accelerate racial, gender, economic, disability, and climate justice by moving more philanthropic dollars to local organizing and local power building led by Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities, low-income communities and workers, rural communities, LGBTQIA+ and gender non-conforming people, women, and immigrants.

NFG offers a political home for funders to learn directly from movement leaders on issues like gentrification and displacement, multiracial rural organizing, and the changing landscape of workers’ rights. Our programming goes beyond learning, to action: we call on funders to co-conspire to support transformative movements – collaborating and aligning to advance justice. All of our programming is grounded in our histories, strengths, and struggles; and centers Black, Indigenous, and people of color leaders in places, movements, and philanthropy.

Facilitating the NFG programming is a staff of about 25 people around the country who are aligned in their commitment to NFG’s mission across a range of programs. As former and current grantmakers, organizers, and advocates, the staff has a unique understanding of the needs that members are facing, as they work to advocate internally within philanthropic institutions.

Programs such as the Integrated Rural Strategies Group, Democratizing Development, Funders for a Just Economy, Philanthropy Forward, and Midwest Organizing Infrastructure Funders are all focused on lifting up community voices and place-based strategies. Additionally included in the initiatives housed at NFG are: Amplify Fund, which is a place-focused, pooled fund and The LIFT Fund, which is a fiscally sponsored project.

Under the leadership of Board Co-Chairs, Kaberi Banerjee Murthy and Chi Anté Jones (as of January 2025), the 13-person board of directors represents many facets of the progressive philanthropic community, from large national funders to funding collaboratives to place-based local grantmakers to family foundations. All board members are NFG members and they directly engage with program staff to provide support and thought partnership related to programs.

Key Facts and Links

• Founded in 1980
• Operating budget: $14 million
• 19 staff members
• Fiscally sponsored project, The LIFT Fund, with 7 staff
• Unionized staff represented by CWA Local 9415
• Theory of Change
• Staff and Board
• Learn more at nfg.org

This Moment for NFG

In 2022, NFG embarked on a reflective and transformative process to understand past leadership transitions and how to shape our leadership structure going forward in our next chapter. Through the joint work of staff, board, members, partners, and consultants, we have looked back at our organizational history, learned from other organizations in movement and philanthropy, and worked to deeply align thinking about our needs for the future. This process has led to the decision to adopt a Co-President model to be more fully supported to meet the political moment, responding to the changes in the philanthropic sector, and centering the evolving priorities of our movement partners.

In this divisive political time for the country, NFG is more committed than ever to leadership that will be unapologetic in the face of authoritarianism and that will take risks in service of the communities we represent.

Internally, we strive to live our values in our organizational culture. We are a leader-full organization that aims to focus on staff strengths. NFG staff unionized in 2022 and we expect future leadership to continue to uphold our efforts to create and maintain a workplace that respects and values the dignity of our staff. To this end, NFG will be implementing its first collective bargaining agreement in 2025, with deep support from the board and management.

Search for Co-Presidents

For the first time in its history, NFG is seeking a pair of Co-Presidents to bring complementary experience and standing that collaboratively advance NFG’s mission in a rapidly changing philanthropic landscape by organizing funders and fostering a political home for a dynamic membership. The vision for the Co-President roles is to identify two senior leaders who play equally important leadership roles in the organization that span external and internal responsibilities, with a set of shared responsibilities, as well as individual focus areas for each person.

This shift to a Co-President model comes with learnings and guidance from peer organizations, as well as knowledge that the specific roles may shift. Presented here is one model of how this work might be divided, although there is great openness to alternative approaches and titles by pairs of candidates.

• Co-President, Political Home: Organizational leader of NFG’s efforts to foster a political home in philanthropy for funders committed to moving money to racial, economic, gender, climate, and disability justice
• Co-President, Funder Organizing: Primary lead on expanding NFG’s reach through principled funder organizing efforts that aim to bridge philanthropic and movement strategies

Shared Co-President Responsibilities

Both Co-Presidents are expected to hold the following responsibilities:

Vision and Strategy

• Hold responsibility for the vision of NFG’s future, responding to the insights of members, staff, board, and the context of philanthropy within the current authoritarian political climate
• Evaluate and refresh the theory of change to reflect the changing landscape of philanthropy and the evolution of a 44-year-old organization
• Leverage NFG’s history of partnerships and collaboration, identify new opportunities, and make use of NFG’s assets to push forward a vision for philanthropy so that Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities, and low-income communities thrive
• Build connectivity across NFG programs while maintaining programmatic autonomy, always prioritizing lifting up community voices and place-based strategies 

Resource and Member Development

• Serve jointly as lead fundraisers for NFG grantmaking, programs, and general operations
• Identify and enable opportunities for NFG’s growth, working in partnership with the board, including opportunities such as fiscally sponsored projects
• Articulate NFG’s value-add to new and existing constituents, including participating in relevant events and building connections to NFG throughout the philanthropic sector, aiming to reach NFG members and non-members, movement and grassroots groups, and fellow philanthropic support organizations
• Bring creative and proactive leadership to fundraising and member engagement for all aspects of NFG’s programs, with both Co-Presidents working in partnership with Development lead

Ecosystem Leadership

• Serve as bridge-builders between movement and philanthropy, with specific attention to groups that work to build power with BIPOC and low-income communities in service of NFG’s Theory of Change
• Steward a community, culture, and political home for progressive, mostly BIPOC professionals in philanthropy, whose politics are aligned with the NFG Theory of Change
• Represent NFG externally with audiences of all sizes through public speaking, written communications, and leadership of key convenings

Shared Leadership with Co-President, Staff, and Board

• Serve as formal organizational leaders within a leader-full, unionized, fully remote context that centers a culture of care; Embody and promote staff mentorship and a sustainable and collaborative workplace
• Partner with highly engaged Board of Directors to set and carry out an agenda that aligns with the theory of change and supports organizational infrastructure and values
• Bring intentionality to the Co-President relationship with a deliberate investment of time, learning, and energy
• Instill and create trust through transparency, communication, and collaboration

Institutional Leadership

• Guide organization through change management process, as NFG moves to a Co-President and newly unionized context
• Collaborate with Vice President of Finance and Operations and board Treasurer for oversight of financial strategy, projections, and budgets
• Commit to organizational practices that reflect the values and strategy of NFG and of movement work, including practices such as transparency, clarity around organizational process, fostering a leader-full environment, and moving at a sustainable and aligned pace
• Lead with a pro-union approach and a commitment to shared leadership models that use union structures, especially as the first collective bargaining agreement is implemented; Serve as thoughtful and responsive members of the Labor Management Committee

Individual Co-President Responsibilities for Each Role

Co-President, Political Home

The Co-President, Political Home will focus on efforts that include deepening NFG’s membership through convenings, political education, and strengthening fiscally sponsored projects as a vehicle for helping create a home for collective action for members. 

Strategy

• Hold responsibility for NFG’s role as a relational place for funders to connect, co-conspire, and learn together in service of moving philanthropy for Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities and low-income communities to thrive
• Serve as lead political education convener for NFG's wider membership and specific cohorts within the membership with political clarity and strong analysis
• Act as the lead architect for the NFG national biennial convening, overseeing the concept and partnering with team for implementation
• Assess NFG’s path forward for growth, strategy, and evolution of the organization, including the development and nurturing of current or new fiscally sponsored projects

Program

• Provide leadership for all NFG membership, including the cultivation, growth, development, and role of NFG as a political home for members
• Together with Vice President of Finance and Operations, oversee fiscally sponsored grantmaking funds (including The LIFT Fund and any potential future fiscally sponsored projects)

Co-President, Funder Organizing

The Co-President, Funder Organizing will focus on innovative programming and grantmaking that strives to crystalize issue analysis and values-driven philanthropic practice.

Strategy

• Establish and enact a funder organizing strategy across issues that is in collaboration and coordination with movement

Program

• Provide leadership guidance to continue the creativity, individuality, and autonomy of NFG programs, while identifying areas of strategic alignment and cross-programmatic support
• Apply expertise and focus on rigor to guide the development of innovative NFG programming that is strategic and responsive to member needs, working in collaboration with the Vice President of Programs
• Partner closely with leadership of Amplify Fund (and any potential future grantmaking funds) to ensure that funds serve as NFG’s organizing strategy in action
• Influence funders throughout NFG membership in alignment with NFG theory of change

Core Competencies for Screening

Candidates for each of these roles will bring their executive-level experiences that link together external presence and internal management within organizations in the social justice ecosystem. Listed here are skills, experiences, and approaches that will prepare both Co-Presidents to effectively fulfill their roles.

Alignment with NFG’s Mission

• Analysis on race, class, power, privilege, ability, and wealth, as they relate to the philanthropic sector, and experience operationalizing that analysis to agitate and organize for change
• Analysis on race, class, power, privilege, ability, and wealth, as they relate to internal leadership, labor partnership, and management in the social justice sector
• Inherently understand the value and purpose of NFG and hold a sharp perspective of the role of philanthropy-serving organizations (PSOs) and their landscape; Bring clarity about the PSO landscape and where NFG fits
• Previous successful leadership with movement organizations, either through organizing or philanthropy/grantmaking roles
• Ideal candidates will possess a strong background in both organizing and philanthropy, along with an extensive network of leaders across these sectors; Experience may have taken place in a combination of grantmaking institutions, funding intermediaries, power-building organizations (regardless of size), PSOs, and/or movement support organizations

Commitment to a Leader-Full Organization

• Executive management experience in an organization with social justice values, with history of managing layered and remote staff; Preference for at least one candidate in each pair to have served as an Executive Director/President/CEO in the past
• Experience leading organizations through complex change and working in shared leadership models
• Understanding of, comfort with, and commitment to the values of a unionized workplace with willingness to be in partnership with a labor union; Preference for at least one candidate in each pair to have experience working within a unionized organization
• Track record of supporting leaders at every level of an organization through a culture of mentorship and development

Exceptional Communications and Relationship-Building Skills

• Highly relational approach with ability to listen and understand the needs and trends of organizations and individuals to contribute to agenda and strategy-setting
• Compelling story-teller with skill in communicating across varied constituent groups and through different outlets (ex. One-on-one, meetings of different sizes, written communications, speeches)
• Comfort facilitating and navigating complex conversations

Joyful Fundraising and Membership Cultivation

• Successful track record of and enjoyment in fundraising with institutional funders
• Capacity to hold the complexity of fundraising while agitating and organizing for change

Rigorous Strategy-Setting and Political Education

• Experience bringing together a highly diverse set of constituent groups to develop and drive forward a cohesive strategy
• Bold and courageous leadership with ability to hold institutions and individuals accountable

Individual Co-President Core Competencies for Each Role

Specific Core Competencies: Co-President, Political Home

In addition to the core competencies listed above, the Co-President, Political Home will bring the experiences and skills directly related to community-building within philanthropy listed here:

• Deep networks and understanding of the philanthropic landscape, trends, and needs through professional experience within grantmaking institutions and/or philanthropy-serving organizations (PSOs) ideally bolstered by experience in a movement or power-building organization
• Experience managing coalition groups with varied needs, priorities, and interests
• Track record of leveraging small and large-scale convenings and programming to build community
• History of driving significant change in the philanthropic sector

Specific Core Competencies: Co-President, Funder Organizing

In addition to the shared core competencies listed above, the Co-President, Funder Organizing will bring the experiences and skills directly related to movement-building and funder organizing listed here:

• Direct experience as a staff member in a movement or power-building organization, either at the local or national level, ideally bolstered by experience in a grantmaking institution and/or a PSO
• Robust local and national networks in movement work
• Experience engaging new members and moving a diverse set of individuals and institutions toward a collective goal
• History of successful campaign leadership

Compensation, Location, and Travel

Compensation

Each Co-President role has a salary range of: $270,000-$300,000. Salary is commensurate with experience.

NFG is a unionized workplace. This is a supervisory position, not included in our bargaining unit.

Benefits include up to 23 vacation days your first year, 10 sick days per year, paid holidays, a four-day workweek, and contributions to individuals’ 403(b) plans.

NFG provides health insurance, dental insurance, and vision insurance, with NFG paying 99% of employee’s medical, dental and vision premiums and 75% of the medical, dental, and vision premium(s) of the employee’s dependent(s), spouse, or domestic partner.

Location

Anywhere in the United States and tribal nations. Must be comfortable and able to work full time remotely and have access to reliable internet.

Travel

These roles will involve significant travel to support relationship-building and fundraising efforts, with specific travel requirements varying based on the Co-Presidents’ locations. A regular presence (approximately 8–10 trips per year) in New York City and/or the Bay Area will be essential for meetings, in addition to attending key conferences throughout the country.

Co-Presidents not based in New York City or the Bay Area should anticipate spending approximately 30–40% of their time traveling, while those based in these regions can expect to travel about 20% of the time.

Application Process

Please read the following section carefully before applying.

Every application should have two applicants. With the shift to a Co-President model, NFG is seeking candidate pairs at this time and does not intend to “matchmake” between candidates who have not previously worked together. Co-President applicant pairs are required to have previously collaborated in a close working relationship, either in the same organization or on an in-depth initiative, for a period significant enough to have jointly managed a variety of complex issues and to have developed a deeply trusting professional relationship. 

→ To apply, please use the corresponding links below to upload a current resume. Each applicant should upload materials separately, with one person applying as Applicant #1 or for the Co-President, Political Home role, and the other person applying as Applicant #2 or for the Co-President, Funder Organizing role. Applicant pairs will be asked to note their partner in their online application. 

Co-President, Funder Organizing (or Applicant #1): Apply on this page

Co-President, Political Home (or Applicant #2): Apply on the page for Co-President, Political Home

Letters of interest are not required at this time, although they will be requested of candidates who proceed to meet with the Search Committee. 

While the roles are designed with specific structures in mind, applicants will be welcome to share ideas for alternate work models in the next phase of the search process. 

A Search Committee comprised of NFG board and staff members will be reviewing candidates. Applications will be accepted through the end of the search process, although applications received before January 31st will have significant preference. Search Committee interviews are expected to take place between March and May 2025.

Additional questions about applications can be directed to Melissa Madzel: applications@dogoodconnections.com. 

Accommodations for Applicants with Disabilities

We are committed to ensuring an inclusive hiring process. If you require accommodations to fully participate in the application or interview process, please contact applications@dogoodconnections.com. We will work with you to meet your accessibility needs.

Statement of Equal Opportunity

NFG is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against qualified applicants or employees with respect to any terms or conditions of employment based on race (including traits like hair texture and hair styles historically associated with race), color, national origin, ancestry, religion and religious practices, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, transgender status, marital or domestic partnership status, veteran or military status, age, religion (including religious observances, practices, dress and grooming standards), physical or mental disability, medical condition, request for accommodation for disability, genetic information, reproductive health decisions, off duty use of marijuana that does not affect attendance or performance of job duties, political affiliation, position in a labor dispute, victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, enrollment in a public assistance benefits program, criminal history (including arrest and conviction records), prior salary history or protected communications regarding wages, or any other characteristic or status protected by federal, state or local laws.

Women, people of color, and LGBTQIA+ people are strongly encouraged to apply.

Covid Policy

NFG strongly encourages all employees to be up-to-date on COVID vaccination. NFG staff who meet in person agree to follow current CDC and local public health guidance regarding masking, social distancing, testing, quarantining if you are exposed, and isolating if you show symptoms or get diagnosed with COVID. Current guidance can be found on the CDC web site. NFG will regularly monitor and modify our guidelines and protocols as needed.

Do Good Connections

This search is being led by Melissa Madzel, of Do Good Connections, in deep partnership with the board and staff of Neighborhood Funders Group.

Do Good Connections is a boutique consulting practice focused on bringing outstanding leaders and their expertise to nonprofit and philanthropic executive positions and boards of directors in the social justice space. Learn more at www.dogoodconnections.com.