Chief Development Officer

Organization Overview

In the wake of Congress’s failure to take action after the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Everytown was founded with the goal of building a counterweight to the gun lobby and changing the political calculus around gun safety, with states leading the way. A little over a decade later, Everytown’s grassroots army of 11 million supporters — which includes Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteer chapters in all 50 states — vastly outnumbers NRA membership. At the same time, Everytown has helped to pass foundational laws like universal background checks, assault weapons bans, and red flag laws in dozens of states, held the gun industry accountable in landmark lawsuits from coast to coast, and elected more than 600 former volunteers to office.  

However, there is still much to be done. Every day, nearly 130 people in the United States are killed with guns, twice as many are shot and wounded, and countless others are impacted by acts of gun violence. Gun violence is now the leading cause of death for children and teens in the United States. 

Everytown is the largest gun safety organization in the country, and combines the best minds in research, policy, litigation, advocacy, and grassroots organizing. When it comes to fundraising, Everytown has more than 800,000 donors, which includes both grassroots givers along with some of the nation’s most prominent foundations and philanthropists.   

Position Overview

Everytown for Gun Safety is seeking a strategic, experienced Chief Development Officer (CDO) to build on a track record of fundraising success and take the program to the next level. The CDO will be responsible for building a unified, strategic development program and ensuring Everytown’s success for decades to come.   

Everytown has achieved extraordinary fundraising success through the strength of its mission, the President's deep personal commitment to fundraising and donor engagement, and a dedicated team of fundraisers and consultants. The organization now seeks a senior leader to bring strategic coherence, professional infrastructure, and growth-oriented leadership to a program that has significant untapped potential.

The CDO will inherit a strong foundation — mission-driven staff, loyal donors, effective fundraising consultants, and a powerful brand — and will be charged with building the systems, structure, and team needed to grow the organization’s fundraising in its next chapter. The CDO will unify two fundraising functions (major donor and grassroots fundraising) that have historically operated independently, establishing a rigorous prospecting and pipeline development infrastructure, and creating a culture of accountability, collaboration, and strategic ambition across the development program.

The CDO will report directly to and partner with President John Feinblatt and collaborate closely with fellow members of the senior leadership team. This role is both strategic and hands-on: the CDO will set enterprise-wide fundraising strategy and grow and manage a portfolio of top-tier donor relationships.

The ideal candidate is a proven senior fundraiser who thrives in high-level donor relationships, brings the strategic vision and management experience to build a best-in-class development program, and has the leadership presence to be a credible partner to the President and a trusted voice at the senior leadership table. 

This is an incredible opportunity for a strategic and forward-thinking fundraiser to enhance and lead a robust development operation at one of the country’s most impactful advocacy organizations.


Core Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Revenue Growth 

● Develop and drive a comprehensive, multi-year fundraising strategy that integrates all revenue streams — major gifts, mid-level, institutional and corporate giving, planned giving, and grassroots/digital fundraising

● Set clear revenue goals, performance benchmarks, and accountability structures across the development program and all fundraising entities (c3, c4, 527s)

● Identify and pursue new revenue opportunities with a focus on long-term sustainability, including prospecting for new major donors, expanding mid-level giving, growing institutional partnerships, and building a planned giving program

● Ensure continued fundraising growth through rigorous planning, transparent reporting, and demonstrable results

Major Donor Fundraising & Relationship Management 

● Directly cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of major donors at the highest giving levels, with a focus on gifts of six-, seven-, and eight-figures

● Partner directly with the President on Everytown’s most significant donor relationships, serving as a strategic thought partner on cultivation, solicitation strategy, and stewardship

● Over time, build the capacity to carry an increasing share of top-tier donor relationships, reducing the organization’s dependence on any single individual for fundraising success

● Represent Everytown at the highest levels in donor meetings, cultivation events, and external engagements

Digital Fundraising

● Oversee the grassroots digital fundraising program, develop revenue projections and fundraising goals, and drive progress and accountability 

● Ensure multi-channel fundraising efforts are robust, compelling, and help cultivate and grow the grassroots donor base 

Pipeline Development & Donor Lifecycle

● Establish a unified donor lifecycle framework with clear pathways from grassroots giving through mid-level cultivation to major gift conversion and planned giving, with defined triggers, handoff protocols, and shared accountability

● Build and oversee a systematic prospecting infrastructure, including dedicated prospect research, wealth screening, and data-driven identification of major gift candidates from across the donor base

● Develop a regional fundraising strategy with a particular focus on major cities and other priority markets where Everytown has strong networks and untapped potential

 Team Leadership & Management 

● Lead, manage, and develop a high-performing development team across functions

● Set clear performance expectations, provide regular feedback, and create professional development pathways that attract and retain top fundraising talent

● Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and strategic ambition

● Provide strategic oversight of external fundraising consultant partnerships, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and integration with the internal team

● Assess current team capabilities and build the structure to ensure the right talent is in place to achieve fundraising goals

Cross-Departmental Engagement & Collaboration 

● Establish a formal framework for engaging Everytown’s senior program leaders in fundraising, including regular briefings, program-aligned fundraising priorities, travel coordination for donor meetings, and interest-based donor cultivation

● Work across departments to embed fundraising within organizational planning to ensure alignment between programmatic priorities and fundraising opportunities

● Serve as a visible and trusted leader across the organization, building a culture of philanthropy where staff at all levels understand and support the fundraising mission

Operations, Systems & Infrastructure 

● Oversee development operations including CRM management, gift processing, data and analytics, and reporting to ensure accurate, timely, and actionable information for decision-making

● Strengthen operational processes including vendor management, budget planning, and cross-departmental coordination with finance and legal

● Ensure strong data practices and reporting discipline that support both internal accountability and donor-facing transparency

 Qualifications

● Minimum of 15 years of progressive experience in fundraising, with at least five years in a senior leadership role overseeing a multi-channel development program

● Experience in political fundraising, advocacy organizations, or issue-based campaigns

● Familiarity with fundraising for organizations that operate across multiple entities (501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), 527s, etc.) 

● A proven track record of directly soliciting and closing major gifts at the six- and seven-figure level

● Experience with digital fundraising strategies and how they integrate with relationship-based giving programs

● Demonstrated success building and managing high-performing teams, including external fundraising consultants, with duties including hiring, developing, and holding talent accountable

● Experience overseeing diverse revenue portfolios including major gifts, institutional/foundation giving, mid-level programs, and planned giving

● Strong strategic planning skills with the ability to develop and execute multi-year fundraising plans tied to organizational priorities

● Experience building fundraising infrastructure, including prospect research systems, donor lifecycle frameworks, pipeline management, and performance reporting

● Exceptional interpersonal skills and presence, with credibility and comfort engaging board members, C-suite executives, and high-net-worth individuals

● Experience working closely with a CEO or President on donor strategy and relationship management

● Strong operational acumen, including budget management, vendor oversight, and cross-departmental coordination

● Deep commitment to Everytown’s mission of ending gun violence 

Compensation & Location

The salary range for this position is $350,000 to $400,000 annually. Everytown offers a generous package including medical, vision, and dental insurance, paid time off, 401K Match, Education Assistance, and more.

This role is based in New York City with a regular in-office presence required. The CDO will work closely with the President and senior leadership team, and being present in the office is essential for the informal relationship building, real-time decision making, and donor engagement that this role requires. Some travel will be required for donor meetings, cultivation events, and organizational engagements in key markets.

 

How to Apply

Everytown is partnering with Grossman Solutions in this search. To apply for this role, submit a resume and a compelling cover letter at grossmansolutions.applytojob.com/apply. 

The cover letter should be concise, compelling, and outline the specific ways in which you would be a good fit for this position. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. If you are selected for an interview, you will be contacted directly. No calls, please.


Diverse Workforce and Open Culture

Candidates who identify as members of historically underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply to Everytown. A diverse workforce and open culture are at the heart of our organization and vital to our success.

Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

You can learn about the framework that guides our work by viewingEverytown's Organizational Values.