Description

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Committee on States (COS) is a network of state donor alliances that advocate for state-based solutions, strategies, and a states-first approach to funding the progressive path to power. Our mission is to connect, coach, and resource state-focused donor alliances to build a progressive, sustainable, racially-just democracy throughout America. We are unique because our donor alliances remain after the campaigns are over and when national efforts and funders move on or change priorities. We work in an overwhelming majority of states, including those that other organizations don’t consider to be key national battlegrounds this year or in the next five years. We center racial equity in our work and take intersectional approaches to provide an equitable learning community for our network. At the heart of COS’s work is the belief that: the need for durable progressive change in our country is urgent and must focus on states.

At a time of unprecedented threat to our democracy, COS is seeking nominations and applications for our next Executive Director (ED). This seasoned leader will bring clarity, focus and boldness to COS’s mission, and is guided by an unwavering commitment to the role of states to expand and accelerate progressive change for the people in our nation for decades to come. The next ED will steward COS’s next chapter of growth and impact, by:

• Aligning COS’s organizational structure with its ambitious trajectory, and ensuring the organization has the talent, systems, culture and resources to be sustainable and effective.
• Growing and strengthening existing and new state donor alliances.
• Operationalizing COS’s commitment to racial equity both internally and within the ecosystem.
• Increasing funds by strategically growing the donor base and aligning national funds.
• Providing invaluable capacity strengthening support to states, and serving as a network weaver amongst states, funders and politically-aligned partners at the national and state level.

The next ED will bring superior leadership and management skills to steward and leverage COS’s small, but mighty five-person team, COS’s (c)(4) board, along with the board of the independent State Leadership Project, a 501(c)(3).

ABOUT COMMITTEE ON STATES

COS was created in 2006 with a great and necessary sense of urgency. We were born in a moment of realization that, while most progressive organizations had been nearly solely focused on progressive change at the national level, conservatives had been working for decades to successfully build infrastructure and power in the states. COS is the only national organization dedicated to supporting state donor alliances to win and build governing power across the country. We believe that democracy starts and must thrive in states. We are united in our commitment to progressive change, and we collaborate to center equitable, holistic state strategies to build and maintain a progressive, multiracial democracy.

COS is a federated network that consists of 35 (and counting) state-based donor alliances that are made up of progressive donors, organizational funders like labor unions and state-level civic and political leadership. These “donor alliances,” which together raised over $300 million unique dollars for state infrastructure and programs in 2024, focus on taking back their states—not just in the next election, but over time and at all levels of the ballot. These donor alliances are the only in-state entities that have a comprehensive understanding of infrastructure gaps to build a multiracial democracy and make critical investments in:

• Planning & Collaboration
• Research & Communications
• Educational Programs
• Voter Engagement and Year-Round Organizing
• Policy Development
• Leadership Development
• Data & Targeting

COS serves the state-based donor ecosystem in key areas:

• Community: We provide a peer learning community & share best practices on how to build infrastructure for equitable progressive wins in our states
• Connection: We bridge the national-state divide and help state donor alliances leverage national funding opportunities and partnerships, while providing tools to identify and recruit new in-state donors
• Catalyst: We offer our donor alliances financial resources and professional coaching to assist with fundraising, start-up, governance, strategic planning with a racial equity lens, and analysis

A critical element in this work is the State Leadership Project (SLP), a separate, independent 501(c)(3) organization created in 2018 to provide general operating support grants, professional development support, and technical assistance to state-based donor alliances in order to build sustainable, year-round infrastructure. SLP also serves as a connector, bringing together foundations, individual donors, and donor alliance leaders to better understand the state and local landscape, assess infrastructure gaps and needs, and ensure limited resources are invested efficiently.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The ED will be a seasoned strategist, with a track record of driving progressive wins within states. They will build on COS’s momentum and the urgency of this time to chart a course for COS that includes a clear vision, necessary growth and evolution of COS’s organizational model and driving impact in the ecosystem. This role will include the following responsibilities:

Strategy & Vision

• Articulate a vision and strategy that builds on COS’s success to date and aligns staff, the boards, state-based donor alliances, funders and partners toward achieving COS’s mission.
• Forecast and anticipate opportunities and challenges for COS and its network.
• Advance COS’s commitment to racial equity, ensuring that all programs and operations are in service to dismantle oppressive systems and structures and combating backlash.
• Maintain a clear focus on COS’s unique positioning in the ecosystem, and ensure the organization is fulfilling its best and highest purpose in growing progressive state-based infrastructure.

Fundraising & Stewardship

• Represent COS externally to funders, partners, the media and ecosystem leaders to share and build support for COS’s strategic and transformative vision to strengthen state-based progressive infrastructure.
• Partner closely with the board and staff to strengthen relationships with funders and individual donors to diversify and grow funding sources for both emergent needs and long-term strategic goals within states.
• Grow the base of funds to support SLP’s c(3) and COS’s c(4) activities, both direct and aligned.

Ecosystem Strengthening

• Ensure COS provides contextual and impactful programming and support to connect, coach, and resource state-focused donor alliances.
• Maintain a finger on the pulse in new and existing states to anticipate needs, opportunities and challenges – translating these insights into key supports for donor alliances.
• Serve as a network weaver; forging meaningful and sustained connections across and between state-based donor alliances, individual donors, funding organizations and partners at the state and national level.
• Identify and pursue opportunities for impactful partnerships that align with COS’s goals, values, and unique positioning while navigating the complexities of maintaining and expanding these relationships.

Organizational Design & Leadership

• Inspire, unite, and mobilize the heart and driving force of COS – a passionate and talented staff.
• Align COS’s strategy with the necessary growth and evolution of its organizational structure; ensuring every function has the resourcing, staffing and operations to fulfill its purpose.
• Ground organizational processes and decision-making in values and shared accountability to ensure a thriving internal culture that reflects COS’s ongoing commitment to racial equity.
• Establish short and long-term goals, develop strategies and plans, and facilitate change management activities to ensure organizational alignment with COS’s strategic direction.
• Ensure long-term stability and financial strength of COS and SLP. Oversee the development of an annual budget; revenue generation and annual expenditures to meet budgetary goals; and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Model healthy leadership practices and cultivate collaboration and resilience, especially during times of change and challenge.

Governance

• Leverage the expertise and support of COS’s board and SLP’s board to guide both short term and long term strategy.
• Clarify the strategic roles of board members, exploring opportunities to enhance board engagement, and facilitating effective collaboration between staff and board.
• Ensure that the board is well-informed and actively contributing to COS’s strategic direction and organizational success.

Requirements

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

While no one candidate will possess all of the qualifications listed below, the ideal candidate will be passionate about COS’s mission and bring many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences:

• Seasoned leader with at least 12 to 15 years of experience working to strengthen state-based progressive infrastructure.
• Proven track record of providing strategic leadership in complex and evolving environments, with the ability to inspire and align staff, boards, funders and stakeholders toward a unified mission and vision.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and operationalize multiple, sometimes competing, priorities and drive the organization to achieve measurable results in line with our mission.
• Experienced in raising funds from a range of sources to support long and short-term goals.
• Exercises sound judgment and discretion with donor information; maintains confidentiality, when appropriate.
• Extensive experience with organizing funders and working to bridge and align local and national funding efforts.
• Ability to identify and pursue opportunities for innovation and growth within an ecosystem.
• Skilled at fostering a collaborative and inclusive organizational culture, with a focus on building trust, accountability, and resilience within diverse teams.
• Demonstrated commitment to critically examining and addressing structural inequities related to race, gender, economic status, and other dimensions of social identity, ensuring all programs and operations are led by a racial equity-centered perspective.
• Natural connector and exceptional relationship builder with the ability to establish trust and credibility with staff, boards, network partners, and funders.
• Experience facilitating the development of the annual budget and operating plan, ensuring financial sustainability, fiscal responsibility, and responsible resource allocation.
• Familiarity with how to build organizational strategies and political power across different nonprofit types (501(c)(3), 501 (c)(4), etc.).
• Compelling and clear interpersonal, written, and oral communicator; able to distill complex concepts into clear narratives and speak truth to power.

WORK LOCATION, COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Work Location:  This role is remote and can be based anywhere in the United States. This position will require up to 25% travel, including participating in approximately 8-10 in-person meetings a year for leadership team planning/retreats, full team staff retreats, state site visits, and board meetings. There will also be travel to conferences or other events where the ED will be representing COS.

Salary and Benefits:  The salary range for this full-time, exempt position is $250,000 – 300,000 based on experience. A generous benefits package is also provided through COS, which includes:

• Coverage up to $15,000 total for the cost of employee and dependent health, dental, and vision benefits.
• 25 days of PTO at the start of each calendar year.
• 5% match on employee 401k contributions.
• Stipends for work-from-home expenses and professional development/coaching opportunities.
• Office closures on all federal holidays.
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave for full-time employees.

*Benefit eligibility is contingent upon full-time employment and successful completion of a 30-day introductory period with COS.

TO APPLY

This search is being led by Emily Wexler and Danielle Higa of NPAG. Due to the fast pace of this search, candidates are encouraged to apply by April 7, 2025. Candidates may submit their cover letter, outlining their interest and qualifications, along with their resume via NPAG’s website.

COS is committed to fostering an equitable multiracial organizational culture. Women, people of color, individuals with disabilities, people who identify as LGBTQ+, indigenous, or from marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to apply.