Kansas City, MO, is working to strengthen its philanthropic engagement strategy to better align long-term investments with key municipal priorities. The FUSE Executive Fellow will develop a comprehensive engagement plan, build cross-sector partnerships, and create investment briefs for high-impact city initiatives such as housing access, workforce development, and neighborhood revitalization. Ultimately, this will help Kansas City attract sustained philanthropic support, expand economic opportunity, and improve the quality of life for its residents.

Fellowship Dates: October 27, 2025 – October 23, 2026

Salary: Executive Fellows are FUSE employees and receive an annual base salary of $80,000. Fellows can also access various health, dental, and vision insurance benefits. Compensation for this year of public service is not intended to represent market-rate compensation for the experienced professionals in our program.

ABOUT THE FUSE EXECUTIVE FELLOWSHIP

FUSE is a national nonprofit dedicated to increasing the capacity of local governments to work more effectively for communities. We embed private sector executives in city and county agencies to lead projects that improve public services and accelerate systems change. Since 2012, FUSE has led over 400 projects in 58 governments across 26 states, impacting a total population equivalent to 1 in 10 Americans.

When designing each fellowship project, FUSE works closely with government partners and community stakeholders to define a scope of work that will achieve substantive progress toward high-priority local needs. Projects address today’s most pressing challenges and opportunities, including affordable housing, economic mobility, climate resilience, public safety, infrastructure, technology, and more.

FUSE conducts a full executive search for each individual project to ensure that the selected candidate has at least 15 years of professional experience, the required competencies for the role, and deep connections to the community being served.

Executive Fellows are embedded in government agencies working with senior leaders for at least one year of full-time work. Prospective responsibilities may include thorough data analytics and research, developing enhanced operations and financial models, building change management and strategic planning processes, and/or building broad coalitions to support project implementation efforts. Executive Fellows are data-driven and results-oriented and able to effectively manage complex projects. They build strong relationships with a broad array of stakeholders, foster alignment within and across various layers of government, and build partnerships between governments and communities.

Throughout the fellowships, Executive Fellows receive training, coaching, and professional support to help achieve their project goals.

PROJECT CONTEXT

Public-philanthropic partnerships are increasingly important for cities seeking to drive sustainable improvements in community development initiatives such as housing access, economic mobility, and neighborhood revitalization. Aligning philanthropic investment with public-sector priorities can expand access to essential services and unlock long-term resources. Coordinated philanthropic engagement can help fill critical funding gaps in city programs that improve quality of life, particularly for residents in neighborhoods that have experienced limited investment. These partnerships offer a powerful opportunity for cities to support local priorities, build capacity, and improve outcomes for all residents.

Kansas City will partner with FUSE to strengthen its philanthropic engagement strategy and align cross-sector partnerships with the city’s long-term priorities. The FUSE Executive Fellow will: conduct a philanthropic listening tour and landscape analysis; research models from peer cities; develop a strategic plan for sustained engagement with local and national foundations; and create investment briefs that support the city’s high-impact initiatives. Ultimately, this will help Kansas City attract long-term investment in programs that expand economic opportunity, improve housing access, and support a more resilient and thriving future for all residents.

PROJECT SUMMARY

Beginning in October 2025, the FUSE Executive Fellow will partner with the Office of the Mayor in Kansas City to strengthen the city’s approach to public-philanthropic engagement and develop a sustainable strategy that aligns philanthropic resources with key municipal priorities.

The fellow will begin by conducting a comprehensive listening tour with key stakeholders across the philanthropic and civic landscape. This will include local and national philanthropic institutions, including but not limited to Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Health Forward Foundation, and Hall Family Foundation, as well as city department leaders, nonprofit partners, and community-based organizations. The listening tour will gather insights into the current state of engagement between the city and philanthropic partners, identify shared priorities, and highlight opportunities for deeper collaboration. The fellow will work to ensure a broad range of perspectives are included in the tour, particularly voices from organizations focused on improving access to housing, economic mobility, and neighborhood stability in historically underserved areas.

The fellow will also conduct a philanthropic landscape analysis to assess the missions, strategies, and past investments of key funders and identify opportunities for future alignment with city-led initiatives. The fellow will research successful public-philanthropic partnership models from peer cities to identify best practices in structuring engagement, sustaining collaboration, and aligning investments with local needs. The fellow will then develop specific project goals and deliverables for the Mayor’s Office to review and approve before proceeding into the implementation phase of the project.

Using these collected insights, the fellow will develop a strategic philanthropic engagement plan tailored to Kansas City’s unique needs. This will include a set of practical recommendations for improving coordination with foundations, engaging partners on high-impact initiatives, and embedding long-term relationship management into city operations.

The fellow will also develop a tactical implementation plan for the comprehensive philanthropic engagement strategy and begin to deploy it. The fellow will identify and prepare investment briefs for priority initiatives—such as the city’s revolving loan fund, low-barrier emergency shelters, domestic violence victim/survivor support programs, land bank remediation efforts, and housing trust fund—to present to aligned funders. The fellow will also coordinate with internal stakeholders to explore options for convening philanthropic partners and building cross-sector collaboration around shared goals. This will include developing a recommended engagement structure to guide ongoing coordination.

The fellow will identify long-term sustainability goals and milestones, including roles, timelines, and monitoring activities that will enable the city to maintain and grow philanthropic relationships after the fellowship ends. This will support long-term investment in areas such as housing access, workforce development, and neighborhood revitalization—helping Kansas City expand economic opportunity and improve quality of life for all residents.

KEY STAKEHOLDERS

  • Executive Sponsor: Reid Day, Chief of Staff, Office of the Mayor
  • Project Supervisor: Katherine Nace, Policy Director, Office of the Mayor

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Synthesizes complex information into clear and concise recommendations and action-oriented implementation plans.
  • Develops and effectively implements both strategic and operational project management plans.
  • Generates innovative, data-driven, and result-oriented solutions to complex challenges.
  • Respond quickly to changing ideas, responsibilities, expectations, trends, strategies, and other processes.
  • Communicates effectively verbally and in writing and excels in active listening and conversing.
  • Fosters collaboration across multiple constituencies to support more effective decision-making.
  • Establishes and maintains strong relationships with diverse stakeholders, both inside and outside of government, particularly community-based relationships.
  • Embraces differing viewpoints and implements strategies to find common ground.
  • Demonstrates confidence and professional diplomacy while effectively interacting with individuals at all levels of various organizations.

FUSE is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply for this position.