Chief Advancement Officer

CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER

The New Common School Foundation

Detroit, Michigan

September 2026

ABOUT THE FOUNDATION

The New Common School Foundation (NCSF) is a Detroit-based charitable foundation whose mission is "to promote excellence in public and private education — improving academic outcomes while cultivating the formation of character, all in pursuit of the Complete Life." The Foundation receives and administers charitable support for that mission, and its central and immediate philanthropic priority is Cornerstone Education Group and its six public charter school communities.

Cornerstone opened its doors in 1991 with 167 children, founded together by Catholic, Baptist, Episcopal and Lutheran leaders, independent of any archdiocese. Today the six Cornerstone campuses are tuition-free public schools serving more than 3,000 students, kindergarten through twelfth grade, in Detroit and Redford Township. Cornerstone Education Group is the charter management company for those six public school academies, authorized by Grand Valley State University. Cornerstone Schools Foundation and Notre Dame de Détroit are missions of the Foundation, each with its own purpose and its own supporters.

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer of the New Common School Foundation, the Chief Advancement Officer will lead advancement and philanthropy for the Foundation and the Cornerstone Education Group, respecting the distinct legal and governance responsibilities of each. This is an inaugural role and a senior, externally engaged fundraising assignment. The Chief Advancement Officer will be both builder and frontline fundraiser — personally cultivating and soliciting consequential gifts while building the strategy, team and operating platform required to inspire individuals, corporations, foundations and civic partners to invest in educational opportunity and the Complete Life.

The next Chief Advancement Officer will work side by side with Clark Durant, co-founder of Cornerstone and Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, through a period of progressive co-ownership. Those relationships are not accounts to be transferred; they are trusts to be understood, honored, activated and increasingly institutionalized.

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE

• Building and executing an integrated advancement strategy with clear annual and multiyear priorities

• Personally identifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding principal and major gifts at a pace commensurate with an ambitious campaign

• Developing relationship continuity and progressive co-ownership with the founder through joint strategy, donor engagement and solicitation

• Expanding corporate giving, foundation support, grants and individual philanthropy across faith-based and non-faith-based constituencies drawn to the educational mission

• Strengthening portfolio management, stewardship, communications, data, reporting and advancement operations

• Creating a culture of philanthropy that engages leaders, boards, educators, staff, volunteers and partners

• Ensuring that every appeal, gift agreement, restriction, grant, record and impact report identifies the correct legal entity, approved purpose and recipient, so that donor intent aligns with the eventual use of funds

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Foundation is positioned for its next chapter, and the incoming leader does not begin from a standing start. More than $250 million has been raised for the Cornerstone schools since their founding in 1991. More than $5 million is raised annually in grants and philanthropy against a $35 million annual operating budget across the six schools. A small, skilled and committed advancement team is already at work, pursuing local, regional and national grants, developing support for special project needs, and stewarding annual individual giving.

What the next chapter requires is connection — bringing capable people, real relationships and proven practices into one culture of philanthropy with shared cadence, ownership and discipline. NCSF also intends to move rapidly toward an ambitious capital campaign supporting educational priorities and facility improvements across the six Cornerstone school communities. The case has still to be made. Case statements, stewardship materials and campaign collateral do not yet exist in the form this work deserves, and building them is part of what this leader is being asked to do rather than something waiting to be handed over. For the right candidate, that is the appeal: the opportunity to shape a campaign's case, its goal and its leadership rather than inherit them.

The ideal candidate is an accomplished, externally oriented advancement leader with substantial senior-level experience in advancement, philanthropy, principal gifts, major gifts or campaign leadership, and a record of personally securing significant gifts. Experience preparing for and leading a comprehensive or capital campaign is required. Foundation, grantmaking, restricted-fund or complex multi-entity experience is strongly preferred. A bachelor's degree is required; an advanced degree and the CFRE designation are preferred. The role is based in Greater Detroit, and the successful candidate will be eager to be present in the schools and communities at the heart of the mission.

The anticipated base salary will be commensurate with experience, plus benefits; the successful candidate may also be eligible for a performance incentive under terms approved and documented by the Foundation, consistent with all standards in the development and advancement profession.

NEXT STEPS

Read the full prospectus. A comprehensive search prospectus — with complete detail on the Foundation, the six Cornerstone school communities, the advancement team and operating platform, and the anticipated campaign — is available through the Search Prospectus link above. Candidates weighing this opportunity are encouraged to start there.

Start a confidential conversation. Early expressions of interest are welcome. A first conversation carries no obligation and is held in confidence; many strong candidates begin by asking questions long before they decide to apply.

Nominate a colleague. If someone comes to mind who should be considered for this role, please use the Nominate a Colleague link above. Nominations are a meaningful part of a thoughtful, mission-centered search, and every one is handled with discretion.

APPLICATION PROCESS

The New Common School Foundation has retained ACELA Solutions as its exclusive search partner to conduct this national search.

All inquiries, nominations and applications will be managed directly by ACELA Solutions and handled with the highest level of confidentiality and professional discretion.

To apply, use the Apply Now link above. Candidates are asked to prepare the following materials as separate PDF attachments, addressed to Michael Furey, Founder, CEO & Mission Steward, ACELA Solutions:

Letter of Interest — Rather than a traditional cover letter, candidates are asked to submit a thoughtful letter describing what draws them to this mission, to Detroit, and to this culture-building opportunity at this moment in their professional journey.

Resume or curriculum vitae with all relevant positions and dates included.

Advancement Leadership Statement — a brief statement addressing relationship-based philanthropy, institution building and major-gift leadership.

Five professional references, including names, relationships, phone numbers and email addresses.

References will be used as part of a holistic discernment process. No references will be contacted without the candidate's prior knowledge and explicit permission, and confidentiality will be safeguarded with the utmost care throughout the search.

Candidates who prefer to apply by email may send all materials in a single message with "NCSF Chief Advancement Officer" in the subject line. Inquiries and nominations may also be directed to either member of the search team.

Michael Furey · Founder, CEO & Mission Steward michael.furey@acelasolutions.com · (570) 730-2655

Katie Shubnell · Vice President & Senior Partner katie.shubnell@acelasolutions.com · (314) 806-4005