Development & Philanthropic Partnerships Lead

Overview

Ownership Capital Lab (the Lab) is seeking a proactive, creative, relational and self-propelled Development & Philanthropic Partnerships Lead to lead donor cultivation, philanthropic partnerships, grants and high-touch engagement initiatives. This role is grounded in our philosophy that fundraising is not transactional or competitive—it is the work of inviting people into shared leadership, building relational commitment and helping donors see themselves as what they are: essential co-creators in a bold movement for economic transformation.

The role starts part-time and will be scoped appropriately, with potential to grow into full-time.

The ideal candidate understands that people commit not only cognitively but emotionally—and that their most valuable resources include not just money but time, attention, creativity, lived experience, expertise and networks. You are someone who knows how to unlock these resources, helping donors imagine themselves inside a growing community taking shared responsibility for transforming ownership in America.

In this role, you will partner on donor strategy and execution (leading in some areas, supporting in others), ensuring disciplined stewardship across the entire pipeline: prospect identification, warm introductions, scheduling key meetings for the Lab’s leadership, drafting persuasive communications, preparing relationally-focused briefing materials, stewarding follow-up, and creating structures that support deepening commitment through engagement and many-to-many leadership. You will also coordinate all grants work, from identifying opportunities to helping to shape strategy, drafting or overseeing drafting of proposals, driving reporting timelines, and aligning funders around a shared narrative and Theory of Change.

You will play a central role in three major-donor engagement initiatives: (1) The 2026 EO Capital Roadmap Roadshow: intimate, high-impact gatherings that spark imagination, strengthen relational networks and cultivate commitment; (2) The Leadership Circle: a peer community of philanthropic partners who meet twice yearly to learn, align and steward collective momentum; (3) Donor and investor learning trip(s): immersive experiences that deepen understanding of employee ownership and build momentum for long-term philanthropic and investment engagement.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in relational spaces, excels at creating purposeful structure, brings courage and imagination to donor engagement, is adept at maximizing impact with modest resources and wants to build a movement—not merely raise funds. As the Lab expands fundraising success, this part-time role will evolve into a full-time position.

50%:
Donor research, cultivation, engagement and stewardship

25%:
In-person donor engagement and event support logistics (e.g. Roadshow, Leadership Circle, potential donor engagement trips and other opportunities)

25%:
Grants strategy, drafting (or overseeing drafting) and management

Creative, high-impact engagement opportunities

• Co-design donor experiences that promote agency, shared responsibility, and many-to-many connection—including Roadshow events, engagement opportunities, small-group gatherings and peer-learning spaces
• Craft compelling, resourceful approaches for engaging donors on a lean budget
• Shape narratives and materials that translate complex ideas into compelling calls to action grounded in shared purpose, values and the belief that everyone has meaningful resources to contribute
• Co-create dynamic, tiered “asks” (time, introductions, creativity, thought partnership, financial investment) to build momentum, strengthen relational ties and deepen commitment

• Bring to life creative engagement strategies that communicate the high leverage opportunity of expanding capital investment to grow EO, urgency and timeliness of this strategy, and the transformative potential of systems change
• Build and maintain a robust donor pipeline across individuals, family offices, foundations, DAF holders and others
• Conduct…