The Transforming Power Fund is Hiring Two Co-Directors

The Transforming Power Fund (TPF) is a new Detroit-based social justice fund committed to transformative systems change. The fund is being developed as a sponsored project of Allied Media Projects.

The Transforming Power Fund is an attempt to put into practice the 12 Recommendations for Detroit Funders produced in 2015 by Allied Media Projects and Detroit Peoples’ Platform. It is also informed by the research of the 2017 report, Changing the Conversation: Philanthropic Funding and Community Organizing in Detroit.

Through community-led grantmaking and donor organizing the TPF aims to model a more equitable approach to traditional philanthropy. The TPF is rooted in the following values: inclusion, equity, justice (racial, economic, gender, disability, environmental), personal transformation, structural transformation, intergenerational relationships, cooperation, collaboration, continual learning, creativity, audacity, healing, and working across boundaries.

The TPF has been designed by a leadership team comprised of seven local organizations: Detroit Peoples’ Platform, Detroit Disability Power, Community Connections, We the People of Detroit, North End Woodward Community Coalition, Great Lakes Bioneers Detroit, and Allied Media Projects. The fund is being seeded with support from the Ford Foundation and will be housed at Allied Media Projects before transitioning to it’s own 501(c)3 non-profit.

Now Hiring: Co-Directors

The TPF is seeking two visionary, talented, and dedicated leaders to serve as co-directors of the fund. The role of the co-directors will be to work from the strong framework that has been developed over three years of community engagement. The ideal co-director team will bring a mix of audacious vision for how philanthropy can be transformed and pragmatic implementation skills to ultimately bring that vision to life through Transforming Power Fund.

Joint applications from people with existing track records of collaborative work are strongly encouraged. Individuals may also apply. The positions will be housed at Allied Media Projects in Detroit. Starting salary for each Co-Director is $65,000 plus benefits. The ideal start date is December 1, 2018.

Below are the shared responsibilities of the Co-Director role and the combined skills we are seeking. These may be divided between the two applicants as appropriate. To apply: please submit a cover letter and resume(s) to work@alliedmedia.org no later than October 31, 2018.

If applying as team, please submit separate resumes and cover letters from each applicant that describe their interest in the position. Additionally, please submit a joint statement that describes how you propose to divide the responsibilities of the co-directorship.

If applying as an individual, please specify in your cover letter the areas of the role where you would excel and what areas you would like to see held by a fellow Co-Director.

Responsibilities (to be divided across two co-directors):

Program design and evaluation

• Develop and implement a “pilot cycle” for two experimental grantmaking programs: the TPF Giving Project and the TPF Community-advised Re-granting Program, to be launched in 2019.
• Hire, orient and manage the necessary staff to support the implementation of these programs over the next two years.
• Select and work closely with third-party evaluators to design an evaluation methodology for the two programs with the goal of distilling lessons and recommendations for the next cycle of the fund.

Donor organizing and fundraising

• Develop and implement a strategy for cultivating a strong base of individual donors (including non-traditional donors) who are committed to helping grow the Transforming Power Fund over the long term.
• Establish re-granting partnerships with foundations in addition to the Ford Foundation.
• Fundraise for the general operations of the fund.

Grants Management

• Establish robust systems for moving grant awards through a pipeline of application, review, award, distribution, and reporting.
• Ensure that the above systems are participatory, equitable, and community-driven.

Community engagement and organizing

• Lead efforts to make the community aware of opportunities to participate in the TPF and mechanisms to support the participation of those marginalized by traditional grantmaking.

Training

• Develop/customize curriculum for the Giving Project pilot that includes political education around race and class, grassroots fundraising, and more.
• Hire, train, and manage facilitators for the Giving Project.

Communications

• Hire communications staff, contractors, and vendors as needed.
• Oversee the development of communications assets such as a website, logo, social media accounts.
• Develop or manage the development of a communications strategy for the Transforming Power Fund.

Financial management

• Work closely with the AMP as the fiduciary of the TPF to manage the budget and finances of the fund.

Required Skills for both co-directors:

• Desire and ability to collaborate with others
• Deep listening and ability to learn through reflection
• Superior facilitative leadership skills (leadership that facilitates the leadership of others)
• Ability to imagine and build new systems that foster a more equitable, liberated world.
• Awareness of the contradictions embedded in the non-profit industry and willingness to navigate those contradictions with integrity.
• A strong racial equity analysis and ability to apply that analysis to the work of the fund.

Required Experiences (these can be divided across the two co-directors):

• Experience designing and implementing programs with budgets of $500,000 or more
• Experience managing the large-scale distribution of resources (monetary or non-monetary).
• Experience managing a staff of three or more people.
• At least 5 years experience as a grassroots social justice activist / community organizer in Detroit.
• At least 5 years experience in grassroots fundraising.
• At least 5 years experience in fundraising through grants.

Nice-to-have Skills & Experiences:

• Experience as a grantmaker
• Familiarity with donor-management software
• Familiarity with Giving Projects or other forms of donor organizing