Join our team!
Open Positions:
RFP - DEI Learning Consultant
Cade seeks a consultant to advance internal learning opportunities for staff and Board members on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) related to New York’s food system over 1 year, with the potential for annual contract renewals or a long term retainer for continuous learning.
As reflected in CADE’s DEI Statement, CADE acknowledges structural barriers that prevent equity in food production and farmland access, which compromise the viability of agricultural business ownership. Given CADE’s commitment to providing accessible, client-focused services to all, we recognize the need for our staff and Board to continuously learn and adapt. This consultancy aims to support the CADE team in fulfilling our commitments to advancing DEI within and without on an ongoing basis.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Consultant will support CADE’s commitment to strengthening food system equity by providing educational opportunities, awareness-raising, capacity building, and coaching for the staff and Board on such areas as: the impact of racism or other ‘isms’ in the food system, understanding the unique needs of diverse communities engaging in commercial food production, best practices for “meeting people where they are” in provision of CADE’s services, equitable models for farmland stewardship, positive examples of effective multicultural food systems to work towards, etc.
The work will include:
- With input from CADE staff at the outset, setting learning objectives and curating educational content on food system related DEI themes for twelve (12), 1-hour monthly learning modules, to include providing reading assignments, videos, or podcast episodes as well as discussion questions for each module and active facilitation for each;
- Providing up to 3 hours of individual or group support or advice to staff or Board members on both big picture DEI questions, to queries on day-to-day operations/services as related to DEI.
- At the end of 12 months, providing a 2-5 page summary of observations of the sessions–where learning objectives have been met, where additional attention is needed, and recommendations for future learning priorities.
DELIVERABLES
- Written summary of learning objectives for 1 year with a complete list of 12 learning modules, reading or viewing materials, and discussion questions (to be developed and agreed with CADE);
- Implementation of 12 DEI facilitated learning sessions total over 1 year;
- Up to 3 hours of mentoring support/consultation as may be requested;
- One 2-5 page summary at the end of 1 year with final conclusions noted above.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Minimum 2-5 (more preferred) years experience providing DEI consultation services to nonprofits or businesses, or other relevant experience developing and facilitating curriculums or trainings
- Solid foundation in agriculture and food systems at the intersection of DEI
- Direct relationships with BIPOC/LGBTQ-led agribusinesses or organizations working in food systems equity, providing familiarity with emerging needs in the space
- Highly personable, with comfortability and patience working with people at all levels of DEI / anti-racism awareness, knowledge and understanding.
TO APPLY
Please submit a proposal (not to exceed 2 pages) to careers@cadefarms.org with subject “RFP-DEI Learning” that contains the following information:
(1) a resume and brief letter of interest, highlighting experience and qualifications, examples of previous clients served, and network;
(2) a draft work plan, including a start date; and
(3) a quote for fees and proposed fee disbursement schedule.APPLICATION PROCESS
Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis until the right candidate is found.
No phone calls please. Farmers, people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals are encouraged to apply and will be given priority consideration for the contract.
Request for Proposals - Individual Donor Fundraising Consultant
The Center for Agricultural Development and Entrepreneurship (CADE) seeks a Fundraising Consultant to accelerate and strengthen its commitment to cultivating a community of individual and business donors who give sustained financial gifts, small and large, to the organization to fulfill its charitable mission.
SERVICES
The Consultant will provide the following services over 1 year:
- Help cultivate a “Friends of CADE” community of up to 130 individual donors who give sustained gifts of all sizes, who may include but are not limited to: rural residents (farmers and non-farmers) who value purchasing local food and the pristine upstate natural landscapes stewarded by farmers, NYC residents with upstate second homes, business executives, former Board and staff of CADE, or others who value agriculture or a local food system.
- Propose and administer internal infrastructure needed to succeed in individual donor fundraising, including:
- Preparing an annual calendar of scheduled activities and related work plan, with capacity for Consultant to lead and implement all activities.
- Building a donor database with a tagging system and personalized notes (who introduced them to CADE, size of gift, what inspired them to give, how frequently to return for gift giving, etc.).
- Calendar prompts/reminders for staff or Board to send thank you letters, ‘thinking of you’ emails, success stories, or other communications to make donors feel connected and part of a “CADE family” on a sustained basis.
- Sending templatized tax write off letters with personalized notes.
- Curating attention-gathering marketing materials, posters, tabling assets that include a QR code for making an online gift, in partnership with CADE’s Sr Communications Manager.
- Recommending backend website infrastructure to accept credit card payments.
- Preparation of event invitations and promotional outreach to secure event ticket sales.
- Cultivating a community of volunteers to assist with continuous individual donor fundraising efforts, including volunteer “creatives for CADE” to assist in building new networks and promote events/campaigns.
- Tracking “what works and doesn’t” to solicit gifts or event ticket sales in year 1, making recommendations for year 2’s slate of activities building on successes, updating CADE’s individual donor strategy and plan of action.
- Lead, organize, and coordinate gift-giving opportunities / campaigns, including:
- A minimum of 1-2 free potluck dinner pilots with a pitch to join/support “Friends of CADE” with a goal of 10-20 guests raising $500 per event.
- A minimum of 3 Jeffersonian-style ticketed dinner pilots serving locally sourced food with a curated selection of 10-12 guests per meal, to be hosted by a CADE farmer client, CADE Board or staff member raising $2,000-$3,000 per dinner.
- An end-of-year / holiday / December public event hosted in a formal venue with locally sourced catered food inviting 75-125 guests raising $15,000-$20,000.
- Tabling at at least 4 key public events, such as Taste of the Catskills or farmers markets, where target gift-givers gather, raising $500 per event.
- Mohawk Valley Giving Day–an annual online giving day for regional nonprofits (likely September).
- Report to the CADE Executive Director, Operations Manager, and Board Fundraising Committee bimonthly or monthly as requested.
DELIVERABLES
- A database of up to 130 individual donors by end of year 1.
- Implementation of gift-giving events, including 1-2 potluck dinner pilots, 3 Jeffersonian dinners, 1 festive December public event, up to 4 public tabling events, and Mohawk Valley Giving Day in September.
- Infrastructure for individual giving that can be sustained by CADE (template tax write off letters, calendar reminder prompts for donor outreach, promotional assets, website backend for accepting gifts, a volunteer network, etc.).
- A final report due May 2025 capturing learnings and best practices from year 1 pilots, recommended actions for year 2, and suggested updates to CADE’s individual donor development strategy.
- Fundraise a minimum of $27,000-$35,000 over 1 year.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Highly experienced in individual donor cultivation with a track record of success. Fundraising consultants solely with grant writing skills are discouraged from applying.
- A passion for local food, farming, and a local food system.
- Direct relationships with potential individual donor networks, upstate and downstate.
- Highly personable, with comfortability in direct communication with potential donors and in making “the ask”.
- Strong event planning and logistics skills.
- Marketing and promotion experience, with foundational skills in communications software.
- Entrepreneurial and creative.
- Basic understanding of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools or donor databases.
Note: While much of the work can be accomplished remotely, CADE’s ideal candidate is based locally within hour radius of CADE’s office (likely in Otsego, Schoharie, or Delaware Counties or North/Western Catskills), with an already-existing donor network both upstate and down, OR willingness to travel readily and frequently to CADE’s geographic vicinity. Note that travel reimbursements should be integrated into Consultant’s fees, as CADE will NOT provide additional travel reimbursements.
The successful candidate may be invited to return for a year 2 contract, pending successful funds raised. Ultimately, within 3 years, CADE aspires to hire a PT or FT Individual donor staff person as an employee with related benefits, in which the candidate’s fundraising pays for the position and includes a minimum of $20,000 in additional revenues on top of the candidate’s salary and fringe. Candidates must have an entrepreneurial spirit, and a transparent understanding of how the position will be funded.
TO APPLY
Please submit a proposal (not to exceed 2 pages) to Phoebe (careers@cadefarms.org) with subject “RFP-Individual Donor Fundraising Consultant” that contains the following information:
(1) a brief letter of interest, highlighting your resume, qualifications, and network;
(2) indicate past clients previously served and amounts raised for each;
(3) an aspirational draft work plan, including a start date; and
(4) a quote for fee for service hourly rate to conduct the deliverables outlined above, and a proposed AVERAGE weekly number of hours to conduct services. Note: CADE’s budget cap for consultant’s fee is $25,000 for one year of services for all deliverables, which must include consultant’s travel expenses.APPLICATION PROCESS
Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis until the right candidate is found.
For follow up or additional questions, please contact careers@cadefarms.org.
No phone calls please. Farmers, people of color, persons with disabilities, women and LGBTQ+ individuals are encouraged to apply and will be given priority consideration for the position.
Internships at CADE
Our internship program is open to college students or recent graduates who wish to gain real world job experience with a regional and state leader for agriculture and economic development. Internships are based in Oneonta, NY. A travel stipend is available, and we can accommodate hybrid or remote work depending on personal preference and type of internship. The time commitment would typically be 5-20 hours/week for at least 3-4 months, to be coordinated with the internship supervisor. The internship may be eligible for college credit or work study – speak with your internship coordinator or career counselor at your college or university.
To apply, send a cover letter noting which internship(s) you are interested in and your related qualifications, along with your resume and a 1-2 page writing sample (essay, presentation, social media post, self-produced video clip, etc) to careers@cadefarms.org. Please include “Internship Application” in the subject line. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with start date based on availability.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Enthusiasm for CADE’s mission
- Self-motivated and able to accomplish work independently as well as collaboratively
- Outstanding writing, editing, and communications skills
- Comfortable with a variety of office technology or readiness to learn (e.g., spreadsheets/Excel, Wix, Squarespace, Salesforce, social media, GSuite, etc.)
- Must meet internship-specific qualifications (below)
INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Read on for types of internships and general scope of work. Note that no two internships are alike – they will consist of specific projects co-developed by the intern and internship supervisor in an effort to make the experience as meaningful and impactful as possible.
Agricultural Policy & Advocacy
Are you interested in how politics and policies impact lives, sectors, and economies? Do you understand that the voices and interests of farmers need to be heard in our political system? Do you enjoy getting involved in advocacy campaigns, activism, or online petitions? In this role you might:
- Monitor federal and state policy or legislative trends in agriculture
- Monitor the work of federal and state agricultural agencies
- Prepare short updates on legislative trends for staff and potentially CADE newsletters, social media or other communication channels
- Help explore the potential for CADE to host political forums for government stakeholders and farmers, ensuring the voices of farmers are amplified among elected officials both locally and regionally
- Identify opportunities for action and advocacy in line with CADE’s mission, possibly in conjunction with national or state-level organizations
Communications & Social Media
Do you understand the value of communications and marketing for any business to succeed? Are you a social media junkie? Are you creative, detail oriented, and an excellent writer? In this role you might:
- Serve as CADE’s managing editor for the website, email list, and social media including identifying opportunities to improve CADE’s SEO strategy (basic knowledge of graphic design, HTML, and WordPress are a plus, but not required)
- Prepare an annual communications calendar, identifying specific days for promoting content (i.e. World Water Day to promote the Catskill’s watershed farmers, International Women’s Day to celebrate rural women farmers, National Dairy Month, etc.)
- Assist with preparing draft press releases, writing copy for marketing materials, and curating social media posts
- Support campaign promotional efforts vis-a-vis email blasts, social media, cold calls, mailers
Development/Fundraising
Are you an excellent writer? Do you understand how to frame issues in a way that attracts attention and captures the interest of your audience? Are you considering a career in grant-writing? In this role you might:
- Search out prospective grant opportunities from federal and state entities as well as private foundations, keeping an updated log of contacts, due dates, and deadlines
- Map CADE’s wealth contacts/networks and coordinate with Executive Director on creating a major donor giving strategy
- Assist Executive Director with preparing grant proposal applications, articulating CADE’s work in a way that appeals to each specific donor
- Assist Executive Director in preparing grant reports in collaboration with the CADE program staff
Marketing & Sales
Are you a people person? Do you enjoy talking to strangers? Do you jump at the opportunity to make connections? In this role you might:
- Assist with and coordinate sales research and outreach in target markets across New York State
- Assist CADE staff in drafting, designing and distributing regional marketing materials (online and print)
- Represent CADE and farmers we work with at in-store sampling events and other promotional opportunities
- Track prospective buyer relationships through various stages using Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets
Program Administration & Office Management
Are you a whiz with details, from setting up filing systems to creating sophisticated spreadsheets? Do you love the minutia and take pleasure in organizing every little thing? Do you enjoy working with a team and contributing to the overall mission? In this role you might:
- Support all aspects of CADE’s programmatic, operational, and logistical needs including:
- Personal assistance to CADE’s Executive Director
- Aid with preparing financial documents or other paperwork
- General support to all team members
- Maintain office organization (keep supplies stocked, documents filed, etc.)
- Assist in organizing CADE events, workshops, etc.
- Take meeting minutes from internal or external meetings
Research, Monitoring & Evaluation
Do you love research, formulating surveys to collect information, and analyzing big data? Is your writing style straight and to the point? Do you have the ability to clearly and confidently articulate how and why does this information matter? In this role you might:
- Assist with and coordinate research projects on behalf of CADE, along with area universities, on topics relating to farm and food businesses
- Assist CADE staff with creating surveys or utilizing other data collection tools to assess the impact of CADE’s programs and services
- Compile data on CADE’s farmer constituents to document ways CADE has served them over the years to help streamline future outreach and engagement
- Organize and analyze data collected, including creating graphs or other visualizations
- Write reports to document findings, capture learnings, and prepare recommendations to inform future programming
Volunteer with CADE
CADE is seeking volunteers to support our work in event planning, outreach and promotion, donor management, and logistics/administration. To apply, send an email to careers@cadefarms.org with “Volunteer Application” in the subject line. Please include your resume and a cover letter detailing your interest in volunteering for CADE. Volunteers will be accepted on a rolling basis, as needed.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Enthusiasm for CADE’s mission
- Ability to multitask, keep organized, and be collaborative and communicative
- Outstanding writing, editing, and communications skills
- Comfortable with a variety of office technology or readiness to learn (e.g., spreadsheets/Excel, Wix, Squarespace, Salesforce, social media, GSuite, etc.)
- Self-motivated and able to accomplish work independently as well as collaboratively
Note: Volunteers and Interns are accepted on a rolling basis, as needed.
CADE is an equal opportunity employer committed to complying with all federal, state, and local equal employment opportunity laws. CADE prohibits discrimination against any employee and considers applicants for all positions without regards to race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, familial status, military status, height and weight, religion, genetic predisposition or carrier status, arrest record, or any other legally protected status.
