Development Department Work Scholar
Aperture Work Scholar Program Position Description
Development Department
Status: Part-time, temporary
Date: September 12, 2023
Aperture is a nonprofit publisher that leads conversations around photography worldwide. From our base in New York, Aperture connects global audiences and supports artists through our acclaimed quarterly magazine, books, exhibitions, digital platforms, public programs, limited-edition prints, and awards. Established in 1952 to advance “creative thinking, significantly expressed in words and photographs,” Aperture champions photography’s vital role in nurturing curiosity and encouraging a more just, tolerant society. With a capital campaign and new five-year strategic plan, Aperture is preparing to move from Chelsea to a new, permanent home on 380 Columbus Avenue on the Upper West Side of New York City in 2024.
Department Overview
The Development Department’s goal is to raise funds for the full range of Aperture Foundation’s activities, including but not limited to publications, exhibitions, public programs, collection-related projects, the magazine, and general operating support. A range of activities are undertaken in order to meet fundraising goals, which generally fall into the
following categories:
- Grant Writing
- Prospect Research
- Major Gifts / Project Support
- Annual Appeals
- Membership Programs
- Annual Gala / Fundraising Events
In order to meet our fundraising targets each year, the Development Department coordinates membership and fundraising events, prospect research, and corporate and institutional partnerships with a view to successfully cultivate new funding prospects in addition to maintaining relationships with and caring for existing donors.
What You Can Expect to Learn:
- Techniques and strategies used to attain development goals, both on fiscal and mission -driven levels
- Methods for donor research and grant writing
- Effective strategies for cultivation and stewardship of institutional and individual donors
- Skills for creating successful development materials and acknowledgment letters
- Knowledge of the art world and the philanthropy system
- Event planning and preparation skills
- Database and gift processing
- How to create and submit tracking forms and financial information for payment and processing
- Aperture’s departmental meetings and protocol
Departmental Duties:
- Correspond with donors and manage customer service for the membership program
- Update acknowledgment letters
- Assist in coordinating all aspects of the annual benefit party and auction
- Assist in the preparation and execution of membership and special events
- Generate and track financial forms and information
- Input gifts into donor database
- Complete detailed research of prospective donors
- Coordinate materials and space for departmental meetings
- Assist with the annual appeal campaigns
- Assist with prospect research and aspects of grant writing and proposal preparation
General Work Scholar Responsibilities:
- Further develop knowledge of photography as well as Aperture’s mission, publications, exhibitions, and programs
- Participate in workshops and training sessions
- Complete pre-, mid-, and post-term evaluations
- Assist with mailings
- Setup and breakdown for on- and off-site events
- Assist at the Aperture Benefit and Spring Party
- Participate in jurying the Aperture Portfolio Prize (Spring term)
- Work occasional extended hours and events (paid hours)
- Kitchen duty (fridge and dishes)
Requirements Advanced experience with Microsoft Office, especially Word and Excel; strong working grasp of database programs such as DonorPerfect, Raiser’s Edge, or Salesforce; some HTML experience; excellent communication and grammar skills.
TO APPLY
Please apply using the link below. Please send a resume and professional cover letter in one PDF attachment and describe how your skills and experience meet the qualifications.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. NO CALLS, PLEASE. Only applicants who meet
our requirements for this position will be contacted.
Aperture will be offering a salary of $18 per hour for this position and requires a 3-day per week commitment. Please note that work scholars are asked to work in-office, not remotely.
Aperture seeks to build a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcomes all applications, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, cultural background, disability, age, or religion. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the heart of our strategic thinking, and reflected in the selection of artists and writers that we publish, the engagement programs we present, and our ongoing work to diversify our staff and board.