In 1986, The Carmel Hill Fund (CHF) was established and funded by William "Bill" Ruane, a respected investment professional, as a way to address educational inequities and to help young people receive the mental health support they deserve. Mr. Ruane was a hands-on, engaged philanthropist who worked closely with grantee partners, whom he considered to be the experts, to address issues of mutual concern. Each interaction ended with a question about what else he could do to be helpful.
Since his passing in 2005, CHF has strived to carry forward Mr. Ruane's vision and values-based approach to problem-solving by funding programs that encourage social and emotional learning, reading skills and motivation, and mental health supports. In the literacy space, this includes The Carmel Hill Fund Education Program (CHFEP), an initiative co-founded by Mr. Ruane with educators in Harlem to help students become avid readers that, in the past two decades, has been implemented across three cities: Monroe (Louisiana), Denver (Colorado), and New York City (New York).
In 2023, CHF launched a comprehensive, multi-year strategy planning process to maximize the generous resources Mr. Ruane provided to support the Fund's mission and to evolve our approach, systems, policies, and philanthropic model in support of our mission. This process is being led by CHF's newly appointed Executive Director with active support from our Trustees.
As part of the Foundation's new strategic direction, the CHFEP will sunset at the end of the 2024-25 school year and, starting in July 2025, we will focus our efforts fully on grantmaking in support of youth growing up in New York City, promoting literacy and supporting mental health initiatives in in systemically marginalized communities.
As we embark on our next chapter as a grantmaker, we will build on our founder and benefactor's legacy to deepen our impact in New York City by deploying more than $20M annually towards achieving our mission.
In the literacy field, we plan to deploy more than $5M annually in grants to support innovative efforts to address the systemic barriers that prevent many more young people from becoming voracious readers in a culture where their love of reading is supported at home, school, and in their communities. Through our grants and partnerships, we will seek to increase reading proficiency rates; help young people develop the motivation, confidence, and identity as readers; and provide access to culturally relevant and identity affirming reading materials throughout NYC. As a result, we hope more young people will be equipped to thrive in a knowledge economy and a pluralistic democracy.
Examples of current initiatives include:
The Program Officer, Literacy, will play a pivotal role in shaping and executing the foundation's literacy initiatives in New York City. This newly-established position offers an exciting opportunity to identify, co-create, and steward the implementation of grantmaking strategies aimed at helping more young New Yorkers become voracious readers. As our point person in the NYC and national literacy community, you will assume leadership of executing CHF's literacy strategy, developing deep relationships with peers and partners, and will identify, manage, and support all active and potential partnerships. In collaboration across the CHF team and notably the Executive Director, you will source, recommend, and manage multi-year grants and philanthropic partnerships, establish co-funding opportunities with peers, develop and oversee impact measurement strategies, and provide additional support to grantee partners to help them succeed. Where possible, your efforts will be informed by and/or co-created with educators, parents/caregivers, and young people.
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Program Officer, Literacy will collaborate with the Program Officer, Adolescent Mental Health to develop and implement cross-functional programs and leverage opportunities focused on combating or dismantling systemic barriers. The Program Officers will also collaborate with the Grants Manager to design and implement grantmaking practices that align with the Fund's values and approach.
Strategic Program Development & Grantee Partnership
Stakeholder Engagement & Field Building
Organizational Strategy and Leadership
As of July 2025, CHF will be a small, nimble, and highly collaborative team supporting NYC youth.
Internally:
Externally:
$180,000 - $205,000
The Carmel HIll Fund's compensation philosophy is based on our commitment to equity. Compensation for the role will depend on several factors including qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience.
The Carmel Hill Fund offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical; 401(k) with employer contributions; paid time off; and additional optional pre-tax benefits.
On average, you will have the opportunity to work remotely 3 days per week, and are required to work from the midtown NYC office 2 days per week. This role will also require regular in-person touch points with external partners, site visits to grantee programs, and engagement in other community events. There are also opportunities to travel outside of NYC to attend professional conferences and observe other promising programs in action.
At our current inflection point, CHF is at the beginning of our organizational equity journey, though our executive leaders bring their own experiences with and commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Our promise is to champion diversity, build an inclusive culture, and actively participate in the creation of a more equitable world. We can't promise we'll always get it right, but we'll always put our people and our community first, striving for a sense of belonging for all.
The Carmel Hill Fund is committed to the inclusion of all qualified individuals in the hiring process, including but not limited to those with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation(s) to participate in the application or interview process, please contact info@on-ramps.com.
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