Strategic Partnerships & Fundraising Lead

An experienced fundraising volunteer to help secure resources necessary for The Lab’s next phase of development, strengthening The Lab’s global sustainability impact.

Role Description

The Lab is seeking a highly motivated Strategic Partnerships & Fundraising Lead to strengthen our financial viability and help expand our network of mission-aligned partners. This role offers a meaningful opportunity to shape the growth and long-term impact of a globally recognized sustainability organization.

Working closely with The Lab’s Founder and senior leadership, the Lead will take significant ownership of fundraising strategy and execution, including managing the full lifecycle of grant development and cultivating relationships with institutional funders, philanthropic partners, corporate collaborators, and individual donors. The role also supports the creation of clear, compelling narratives that communicate The Lab’s mission, values, and impact.

This position is well-suited for someone who combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution and thrives in a collaborative, entrepreneurial environment. A minimum one-year volunteer commitment is required to ensure continuity and meaningful progress. Based on performance and fundraising success, there is strong potential for the role to transition into a paid part-time or full-time position.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and execute a diversified fundraising and partnerships strategy spanning foundations, institutional funders, corporate partners, and major donors. 
• Own the full lifecycle of grant development and partnership cultivation, from prospect research and outreach through proposal writing, agreements, and reporting. 
• Build and steward long-term, mission-aligned relationships that result in funding, sponsorships, or strategic collaboration. 
• Develop compelling cases for support, partnership proposals, and pitch materials tailored to funder and partner priorities. 
• Collaborate with program leads to translate impact data, outcomes, and budgets into funder-and partner-ready narratives. 
• Support the Founder and senior leadership in high-level outreach, pitches, and relationship management. 
• Track pipelines, key metrics, and performance to inform strategy and strengthen fundraising and partnership systems.

Ideal Candidate Profile

A strategic, self-directed, results-oriented fundraiser or partnership professional with experience in grants and grant writing, institutional giving, or cross-sector collaborations who is motivated to take ownership, work closely with senior leadership, and advance high-impact sustainability initiatives in a dynamic, mission-driven organization.

Qualifications

Required

• Strong writing and storytelling skills, particularly in grant writing, proposals, or other persuasive communications.
• Experience or demonstrated capability in fundraising, institutional giving, partnerships, or business development.
• Ability to translate program impact, budgets, and outcomes into clear, compelling narratives for external audiences.
• Excellent organizational skills and comfort managing multiple priorities and deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Professional judgment, reliability, and discretion when working with senior leadership and external partners.
• Demonstrated interest and basic understanding of sustainability, systems thinking, international development, and social-impact funding.

Preferred

• Experience working with foundations, institutional funders, or corporate partners.
• Familiarity with donor research tools, CRM systems, or grants databases.
• Experience collaborating directly with executives, founders, or boards.
• Background in sustainability, environmental studies, public policy, international relations, or a related field.

Time Commitment & Structure

This is a flexible, hybrid position for a seasoned volunteer, with a strong preference for NYC‑based candidates. Time commitment varies by fundraising cycle and is determined collaboratively based on the candidate’s availability, strengths, and fundraising priorities. The role is designed to support meaningful ownership and continuity rather than fixed weekly hours. Regular coordination with the Founder and core team is expected, with scheduling structured to support effective collaboration and progress.

A minimum one‑year volunteer commitment is required to ensure continuity of fundraising efforts and long‑term relationship building.

Compensation

This is a volunteer role. Based on performance and fundraising success, there is strong potential for transition into a paid part-time or full-time position.

Please submit a resume, a brief statement of interest, and one writing sample (preferably a grant narrative or persuasive piece). Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Company Description

The Sustainability Laboratory ("The Lab") is a nonprofit research, education, and development organization based in New York. Founded by Dr. Michael Ben-Eli in 2008, The Lab develops and demonstrates innovative approaches to sustainability, expanding prospects and creating positive, life-affirming impacts for people and ecosystems worldwide. Lab activities are guided by its own unique, holistic, and action-oriented conceptual framework―The Lab’s signature approach―that integrates systems thinking, system-based design, an original theory of change, and a rigorous definition of sustainability into five core guiding principles. This framework provides the basis for all Lab initiatives: development projects and educational programs. Since its inception, The Lab has gained national and international recognition for its innovative contributions to the global sustainability agenda.