FRACTIONAL DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR — MAJOR GIFTS, GRANTS, AND CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS

Your biggest donors are out there. Untapped. I'll close them for you.

I'm Jen. I spent 20 years closing seven-figure enterprise deals in corporate sales. Now I bring that same skill — deep discovery, real relationships, and closing the ask — to the donors and corporate partners who could fund your mission at scale.

★ No full-time salary/No benefits package/No onboarding lag/Senior-level expertise/Results from day one/● Now booking/
★ No full-time salary/No benefits package/No onboarding lag/Senior-level expertise/Results from day one/● Now booking/

FIX YOUR FUNDING GAP

Your biggest donations are closer than you think. I'll find them.

I'd bet that somewhere in your donor list is a lapsed supporter who once gave generously, a board connection nobody's followed up on, or a corporate relationship nobody's ever properly pitched—but no one has the time or instincts to find and close them.\u00a0

That's what I do.

I'm not here to run campaigns for $25 donations. I'm here to build and close relationships with the small number of donors and partners who could fund a meaningful share of your budget — the same way I spent two decades finding and closing the most lucrative accounts.

What I do

I find your highest-value relationships. Then I close them.

I focus on where the money really is: a small, well-qualified portfolio of individuals and companies, cultivated with the same discovery-and-close process I used with enterprise clients for 20 years.

01

Major & Principal Gifts

I identify, qualify, and personally cultivate your highest-potential donors, including the lapsed, under-realized, and completely forgotten-about supporters sitting dormant in your database. 

02

Corporate Partnerships

I research, pitch, and close corporate sponsors and institutional partners with customized proposals built around what they say they need — not a generic sponsorship deck. 

03

Grant Submissions

I uncover grants you didn't know existed, then use my decades of pitch development experience to submit winning applications.  I also design a comprehensive grant calendar with reminders, so your team isn't scrambling before every deadline.

04

Development Infrastructure 

I audit and organize your CRM so your donor data actually tells you things like who's worth pursuing, who's gone quiet, and where the real opportunity is. 

05

Board Engagement

I equip your board with the talking points and warm introductions that turn them into fundraising partners, not just check-writers. This is essential for opening doors to major donors and corporate contacts.

I'm not a fit for: managing day-to-day social media fundraising campaigns, small-dollar annual appeals, or high-volume event logistics. If that's your primary need, I'm not your best resource, and I'll tell you that on our first call.

How I work differently

I use AI to work faster, smarter, and more thoroughly than a traditional hire ever could.

My AI expertise is at the root of my success. I use it to power almost everything behind the scenes, so I can do in hours what used to take days, and find opportunities a human researcher can't.\u00a0

I do not use AI when reaching out to donors, writing appeals, or communicating on your behalf. Your donors will only experience a fundraiser who is thoughtful, personal, and present, because that's what builds lasting relationships.

What AI helps me do →

  • Prospect research and donor capacity analysis, at depth and speed
  • Identifying lapsed and under-realized donors hiding in your existing data
  • Grant opportunity identification and tracking
  • Competitive landscape analysis — what peer orgs are raising and how
  • CRM audits and pipeline gap identification, ranked by real opportunity
  • Board reporting and presentation

What AI never touches →

  • Donor-facing communications
  • Appeal letters, thank-you notes, or outreach emails
  • Personal cultivation or stewardship
  • Anything a donor would read, hear, or experience
  • Your organization's voice and relationships

WHO I WORK WITH

I'm passionate about organizations with a mission.

I choose to work exclusively with organizations that make communities richer, more vibrant, and more human. If that sounds like you, we're likely a match.

Global nonprofits
Health initiatives
Community organizations
NGOs
Criminal justice
Performing arts
Conservation initiatives
Civil Rights
Religion and Spirituality
Public art projects
Education and literacy
Cultural heritage
Health and nutrition
Environmental conservation
Animal welfare

DON'T SEE YOURSELF LISTED BUT THINK WE MIGHT BE A MATCH? → LET'S TALK ANYWAY

What clients say

Organizations I've helped.

"Our development efforts were completely stalled. We brought Jen in for a 90-day engagement and she sorted out what could have taken us another year to figure out on our own."

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CULTURAL PRESERVATION

"Jen came in, cleaned up our entire CRM, identified major donors we'd completely lost touch with, and secured our largest corporate sponsorship to date — all within her first 90-day engagement."

BOARD CHAIR, PUBLIC ARTS

"I barely had to give her any guidance. She just came in, got up to speed,  audited everything we had, and started doing outreach for us. It resulted in two new donors who weren't even on our radar."

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

How it works

Three focused months. Real momentum from day one.

My engagement is built to prove itself fast: a 90-day sprint with a clear structure — one month to audit and map every opportunity, two months to pursue and close them.

01

Free Intro Call

No commitment. 30 minutes.

I learn about your organization, your current donor base, and what's possible. I'll tell you honestly whether your biggest opportunity is major gifts, corporate partnerships, or something else, and whether that's a fit for me.

  • Learn about your funding goals and gaps
  • Understand your current donor base and infrastructure
  • Decide together whether to move forward

02

The Development Audit & Activation Sprint

90 days. A full audit in Month 1, active outreach and closes in Months 2 and 3.

Month 1 is the foundation: I run a full audit of your CRM, donor history, grant calendar, and corporate prospect landscape — and deliver a ranked roadmap of every opportunity worth pursuing. Months 2 and 3 are execution: I personally reach out to, cultivate, and close the best opportunities I've identified. No handoff. No leaving you with a report and a wish.

  • Full CRM audit and donor data cleanup
  • A ranked list of your highest-opportunity donors — lapsed, under-realized, and completely missed
  • Corporate and institutional partner prospect research
  • Grant calendar and funder relationship review
  • Month 1 deliverable: a complete Opportunity Map with every priority ranked and a 60-day execution plan
  • Months 2–3: active outreach, cultivation, and closing on your highest-value donor and corporate prospects
  • Monthly progress report so you always know exactly where things stand

03

What Happens Next

After the 90-day sprint, your choice — no pressure.

By the end of Month 3, the relationships I've started are warm, your pipeline is active, and you have a clear picture of what's working. Some clients take it from there in-house. Others want me to keep managing the major donor and corporate relationships I've built. Either way, you leave the sprint with real momentum — not just a plan.

  • Take the playbook in-house
  • Or keep me on to manage the relationships I've started
  • Clear, ranked roadmap either way

Investment

Senior-level closing expertise, without the full-time price tag or the long commitment.

My fees are customized based on your organization's size, goals, and scope of work, but are always well below what you'd pay a full-time Development Director.  

01

Free Intro Call

$0 · 30 minutes

The right place to start. We talk through your organization and figure out together if this makes sense.

Book your free call →

02

Development Audit & Activation Sprint

90 DAYS · FIXED SCOPE


STARTING AT $3,500 / MO.

A full audit, ranked opportunity list, custom playbooks and templates, plus hands-on outreach to your top donor and corporate prospects — started and moving before the month is over.

Let's talk →

03

Ongoing Partnership

MONTH-TO-MONTH AFTER THE SPRINT


STARTING AT $2,500

For organizations that want me to keep managing the major donor and corporate relationships I've already started. Scope and investment set based on what we uncovered.

Let's talk →

About Jen

I'm an ex-corporate closer, finally doing something I care about.

I spent two decades at large tech and media companies, closing countless seven-figure deals with the world's largest enterprise brands. At some point, though, it became clear I needed to use those skills for something that actually mattered to me.

Now I bring the same process that worked on corporate accounts — deep discovery, strong relationship building, and a comfort with asking directly for the close — to the donors and partners who could fund your mission at scale.

My other edge is AI. I use it constantly behind the scenes to research, analyze, and find opportunities, while bringing only my most authentic, human self to every interaction with a donor.

Jen Cherniske
Hi, I'm Jen ✺

Let's talk

Your biggest donor is already in your database. Let's go find them.