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Associate Director, Philanthropy and Planned Giving

                                                                                                                                   THE OPPORTUNITY

The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is seeking an accomplished, relationship-focused fundraiser to join its team as Associate Director, Philanthropy and Planned Giving. The Associate Director will provide strategic leadership for the Planned Giving program, advancing its continued growth and long-term impact. Building on a loyal community of patrons, members, and supporters, the incumbent will cultivate meaningful relationships, inspire and arrange planned gifts, and help secure a lasting philanthropic legacy that ensures the AGO can continue to enrich lives through art, preserve its world-class collections, and create exceptional cultural experiences for generations to come.

Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, the Associate Director, Philanthropy and Planned Giving will serve as the main resource on gift planning, providing strategic guidance to Development colleagues, curators, senior leadership, and relationship managers on tax-efficient charitable giving, donor-advised funds, estate gifts, and blended giving opportunities. The role will also provide guidance on the creation and stewardship of endowed and foundation funds, including investment, distribution, and fund management policies.

In collaboration with the Director, Philanthropy, and Development colleagues, the Associate Director will lead the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of planned giving donors. The role will manage a pipeline of legacy giving prospects, secure planned, estate, and endowed gifts, and oversee estate administration to ensure donors' philanthropic intentions are honoured, realized and aligned with organizational priorities.

In addition, the Associate Director will lead donor stewardship and recognition initiatives for planned gift donors, including oversight of the AGO Legacy Circle, while ensuring the effective management of gift administration, donor records, and departmental operations.

This position will have flexible work arrangements, with the expectation of working onsite at the AGO a minimum of three to four days per week. Occasional evening and weekend work is required, particularly during fiscal and calendar year-end periods and in support of fundraising and special events.

KCI Search + Talent has been retained to conduct this search on behalf of the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). For more information about this opportunity, please contact Meredith Roberts, Senior Search Consultant, Search + Talent at [email protected].

ABOUT THE AGO

The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is one of North America's largest and most distinguished art museums, located in the cultural heart of Toronto - one of the most diverse and globally connected cities in the world.

Founded in 1900, the AGO houses a collection of more than 120,000 works spanning the first century to today. The collection includes significant Indigenous and Canadian art, the renowned Thomson Collection of European masterpieces and ship models, and an expanding global contemporary program. In 2008, the museum's architectural transformation by architect Frank Gehry further cemented its place as an international cultural landmark.  Scheduled to open in 2027, the AGO's new Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery will further share great art and experiences with local, national and international audiences.

The AGO serves hundreds of thousands of visitors annually and plays a central role in shaping Canada's artistic and cultural dialogue by presenting wide-ranging exhibitions and programs, including solo exhibitions and acquisitions by diverse and underrepresented artists from around the world. Its exhibitions, acquisitions, public programs, and educational initiatives position it as both a steward of history and a champion of contemporary voices.

In 2019, the AGO launched a bold new initiative designed to make the museum even more welcoming and accessible with the introduction of free admission for Ontarians 25 years and under and a $40 annual pass. 

The Art Gallery of Ontario is funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. Additional operating support is received from the City of Toronto, the Canada Council for the Arts, and generous contributions from AGO members, donors, and private-sector partners.

The Art Gallery of Ontario is not simply a museum - it is a civic anchor, a global cultural voice, and a platform for artistic innovation in one of the world's most dynamic cities.

OUR MANDATE

Mission

We bring people together with art to see, experience and understand the world in new waysby presenting great ART, facilitating LEARNING,and engaging with our AUDIENCE.

Vision

We lead global conversations from Toronto through extraordinary collections, exhibitions, and programs-and by reflecting the people who live here.

Operating Principles

Be inclusive, accessible and relevant to our visitors.

Strive for artistic and operational excellence.

Achieve financial equilibrium and sustainability.

Values

Respect: We foster belonging and appreciate each other.

Openness: We interact with an open mind and thoughtful engagement.

Collaboration: We believe in the power of together.

Accountability: We own our actions and outcomes.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, EQUITY & ACCESSIBILITY

We believe everyone should feel safe, welcome, and have access to experience great art and programming that reflects them, their history and the people who live in their community.

As part of our commitment to this belief, in 2023, the AGO established a Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Accessibility Action Plan. It is a living plan that will be reviewed continuously and will adapt to cultural shifts. The Action Plan is grouped around five pillars that form the basis of a comprehensive and strategic approach for current DEIA initiatives and future plans.

• Pillar 1: Action and Accountability. Foster a museum that is inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible.
• Pillar 2: Diversify our collection, exhibitions and programming. Reinforce diversity, inclusion, equity and accessibility as central to our art content decisions.
• Pillar 3: Lead with the people who live here. Grow and deepen our relationship with diverse audiences and use consultation to gain community input with expert knowledge to remain vibrant and relevant in the changing global cultural conversation. Building on our work to create an organizational culture that fosters an environment that is inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible to all.
• Pillar 4: Recruitment, retention and success. Integrate approaches to DEIA in recruitment, retention, onboarding, learning and development, and workplace experience for staff and volunteers, including our board of trustees.
• Pillar 5: Inclusive Procurement. Promote diverse suppliers for goods and services Gallery-wide.

PHILANTHROPY AT THE AGO

The AGO is truly the Gallery of Us-because we simply could not do what we do without the support of our community. In 2025-26, this included:

• $12.5 million in donations, memberships, bequests, and corporate sponsorships
• $142.8 million in the value of artworks gifted to the AGO
• $11.6 million in gifts of funds for capital projects, including the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery
• $15.3 million in growth of the Endowment value and new contributions to The AGO Foundation, which stewards a portfolio of $155.2 million for the benefit of the AGO

As a beacon of cultural significance and creative exhibition, we have been supported throughout the years by a generous community of members, patrons, private-sector partners and art enthusiasts from across the country. In addition, we are funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, the City of Toronto, and the Canada Council for the Arts. Our fundraising programs include major gifts, leadership gifts, bequests, annual giving and special events, as well as gifts of art and other in-kind donations.  In total, private sector revenues, including memberships, individual and corporate giving, sponsorships, and fundraising events, represent approximately 30% of total operating revenues.

PLANNED GIVING AT THE AGO

The AGO started with a legacy gift; and legacy giving has shaped art and culture in our community ever since. In 1911, Harriet Boulton Smith bequeathed The Grange estate, a historic house and surrounding property. This gift provided the AGO with its first permanent home and the space needed for future growth. Today, The Grange remains part of the AGO and is one of Toronto's oldest surviving buildings.

The AGO has invested in the growth and potential of its Planned Giving program for many years, recognizing the important role legacy gifts play in its future. Aligned with the AGO's forward-looking vision and strategic plan, the program is built on strong planned giving practices with relationship-building at its core. Through an integrated and collaborative approach to major and estate gift fundraising, the AGO has developed a healthy pipeline of prospective legacy donors, supported by successful partnerships, including with Epilogue Wills. The program currently includes more than 150 planned gift intentions and the AGO Legacy Circle of over 120 members, supported through meaningful cultivation and stewardship opportunities. Planned gifts generate approximately $1 to $3 million annually and represents an important source of revenue.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

About the AGO

Strategic Plan 

AGO Impact Report

Leadership Team 

Board of Trustees 

AGO for ALL

AGO Foundation 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Planning, Strategy, and Leadership

• In partnership with the Chief Development Officer, review and assess the Planned Giving strategy, identify opportunities to strengthen program operations, and support the growth of legacy and estate giving. 
• Develop short- and long-term estate giving strategies aligned with organizational priorities, informed by current industry practices and trends.
• Collaborate with the Director, Philanthropy, and other Development colleagues to integrate planned giving strategies with major gift and leadership giving efforts and lead initiatives to identify, cultivate, and solicit planned giving prospects. 
• Serve as a trusted advisor to colleagues, championing gift planning as an integral part of the organization's fundraising and engagement strategies. 
• Represent the Development division on Gallery committees and working groups as assigned and serve as an ambassador for the AGO at external events and community engagements.
• Collaborate with Development leaders to advance the divisional strategic plan, contributing to goal setting, policy development, and the achievement of key objectives.
• Participate in multi-year and annual strategic planning for Development and Gallery-wide funding priorities. 

Planned Gift Fundraising

• Develop strategies to identify and engage donors through estate and blended gifts, leveraging donor data analysis and segmentation.
• Manage and grow the legacy giving pipeline to secure future gift commitments and increase planned giving intentions year over year.
• Maintain accurate donor records and develop prospect strategies to advance relationships toward planned gift commitments.
• Ensure timely follow-up with prospects, maintain accurate records, and collaborate with Development Operations to complete and document gift agreements.
• In partnership with Marketing and Communications and Donor Relations, develop and implement an integrated gallery-wide communications plan for Planned Giving.
• Serve as a key resource on gift planning, providing guidance and training to colleagues on tax-effective giving strategies, vehicles, and assets.
• Collaborate with senior leadership, senior volunteers, and Development colleagues to develop and execute tailored planned giving strategies, providing guidance on timing, solicitation approaches, and appropriate gift vehicles.
• Lead and participate in donor conversations and solicitation meetings as appropriate.
• Develop and implement strategies to steward and engage donors who give through donor-advised funds (DAFs), serving as a key resource on DAF giving practices.
• Oversee the acceptance and administration of estate gifts.
• Work collaboratively with external financial planning professionals and other professional advisors to facilitate the administration of complex planned gifts, ensuring all transactions comply with applicable legislation, regulatory requirements, and organizational policies.

Endowment Giving (AGO Foundation Funds)

• Provide Development colleagues with guidance on endowment giving, including Foundation funds, investment and distribution policies, financial considerations, and tax-effective giving strategies.
• Support the endowment giving pipeline through prospect identification, cultivation, and solicitation, collaborating with relationship managers to achieve philanthropic and revenue goals.
• Work closely with Development Operations and relationship managers to develop strategies that cultivate, solicit, and steward endowed and restricted fund donors, leveraging prospect management systems to strengthen the fundraising pipeline.
• Collaborate with senior leadership, Development colleagues, and curators, to identify prospects, develop planned giving and endowment strategies, and advance new fund opportunities aligned with the organizational strategic priorities.

Stewardship

• Collaborate with the Donor Relations team to...