Title: Grants Coordinator
Reports to: Development Director
Location: Children’s Institute offices in downtown Portland Hybrid with travel to community/partner meetings
Job Classification: Exempt, 1 FTE (40 hours per week)
Salary: $67,000 – To uphold pay equity in the organization, Children’s Institute cannot negotiate this payrate
Closing: Applications must be received by 5 pm on June 8, 2023
To Apply: Please email resume and cover letter to jobs@childinst.org with “Grants Coordinator” in the subject line. Please contact Hanan Zawideh, Chief Equity and Human Resources Officer, at hanan@childinst.org with accommodations requests.
At Children’s Institute (CI), our mission is to shift systems toward justice for families so that all children in Oregon, prenatal to grade five, have access to opportunity. We advocate for and secure public investments in early childhood programs and services, and work directly with school communities to improve the learning experience for children.
We are keenly focused on children who experience barriers to opportunity due to race, poverty, disability, language, and geographic location. And we strive to connect research, lived experience, and community voice as we work to ensure that more children succeed in kindergarten, meet third grade benchmarks, and thrive in their early childhood experiences.
CI prioritizes an integrated, team-based work approach and a flexible, collegial work environment grounded in our values of honor, equity, learning, connectedness, and innovation.
The Grants Coordinator will have a demonstrated personal and professional commitment to advancing racial and economic justice. In collaboration with team members, they will engage in supportive processes and practices of inclusive work culture. The individual in this role will have the skills to support and promote the assets of those furthest from opportunity.
Position Description
Under the supervision of the Director of Development, the Grants Coordinator is involved in all key functions of development operations and makes a significant contribution to the mission and vision of Children’s Institute.
The Grants Coordinator is charged with spearheading grant writing and donor communications as Children’s Institute continues to grow and expand our impact. The Grants Coordinator is relationship focused with a strong background in nonprofit fundraising, and thrives on overseeing and coordinating a range of development responsibilities in a successful and evolving statewide advocacy and systems-change organization.
CI currently has a 22-person staff with a budget of $4.9 million and growing. The organization is currently over 80 percent grant funded, with less than 20 percent of revenue coming from non-foundation sources, including individuals and corporate sponsorships. The Grants Coordinator will manage and expand a strong foundation and corporate grants program and will actively support the team as CI works toward diversification of revenue. The candidate must have written and verbal communication skills to share CI’s mission, vision, and work to gain the ongoing support of foundations and donors.
Strong interpersonal skills to support staff and board members in developing relationships with funders and donors are critical. The ability to ensure that development strategies are carried out in keeping with CI’s values, mission, vision, and strategic plans is required.
The Grants Coordinator has vision, excellent communications and marketing skills, and experience with overall nonprofit organizational fundraising including events, individual, and corporate strategies.
Essential Job Duties | Strategic Fundraising
- Develop and write grant proposals that include rational and emotionally compelling articulation of Children’s Institute’s case for support.
- Find additional revenue sources aligned with CI’s mission and values, by conducting research on grant opportunities with a responsibility to evaluate and recommend proposed or potential grant funding opportunities.
- Collaborate with internal stakeholders to identify funding needs, develop proposals, ensure compliance, and submit reports.
- Manage grant calendar, deliverables, reporting, and documentation.
- Collaborate with office administrative staff to design and implement development office functions, including gift processing, prospect and foundation histories, and grant reporting.
- Work collaboratively with investment and communications teams to nurture and cultivate strong and effective fundraising relationships.
- Develop and execute donor communication tools including acknowledgments, updates, and reports.
- Support all aspects of Children’s Institute fundraising including events, individual giving, and campaigns.
Primary Relationships
Within the organization, the position has primary relationships with the Development Team, Finance & Operations Manager, and Communications team. The Grants Coordinator is a critical member of the five person Development Team. This position supports the Children’s Institute Investment Committee, foundations, and donors. The Grants Coordinator is expected to represent the organization to the community and must have the ability to understand and effectively explain CI’s work and programs in the early childhood arena.
Position Qualifications
Any satisfactory combination of experience and education that ensures the ability of an individual to perform the duties and responsibilities of this position may substitute for the stated qualifications.
While we recognize that candidates may not possess all the following qualifications, ideal candidates will have demonstrated experience in implementing a comprehensive fund development program and producing charitable contributions.
Knowledge and experience in the following areas are required:
- Three years of fundraising experience in a professional position.
- A minimum of three years of grant writing and foundation experience.
- An understanding of the nature and dimensions of philanthropy, ethics, motivations for giving, and volunteering
- Demonstrated experience and confidence in connecting a mission to fundraising and asking people and organizations to contribute time and money to advance an organization’s work.
- Standard fundraising techniques including face-to-face solicitation, proposal writing, special events, social media, and direct mail.
- Development office functions, including gift processing, prospect and donor histories, and fundraising reporting in partnership with office support staff.
- Familiarity with fundraising databases and general computer and social media fluency
- Excellent written, verbal, and digital communication skills
- Excellent project management skills with an ability to prioritize and manage multiple needs and expectations.
- Proficiency with MS Office, Adobe, Salesforce, and Canva preferred.
Benefits
- Employer fully paid medical/dental coverage
- Employer fully paid long-term disability coverage
- Employer fully paid life insurance, accidental death, and employee assistance plan
- 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with qualified match and contribution
- 125 Flexible Benefits Plan
- Commuter stipend
- Cell phone stipend
- Professional Development Stipend
- Annual office closure between December 26th and January 1st
- Three weeks paid time off
- Two weeks sick leave
- Eleven paid holidays, plus two floating holidays
- Paid time off to celebrate your birthday
- Paid time off to volunteer in CI’s community
Equal Employment Statement
Children’s Institute is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of CI to provide equal employment opportunity in accordance with applicable law to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, military status, political opinion, national origin, familial status, mental and physical ability, source of income, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law in all personnel actions. Personnel actions include recruitment, selection, promotion, compensation, training, and termination. Relations between employees shall be based on mutual respect, and regard for the effectiveness and well-being of the organization.
Reasonable Accommodation Statement
Consistent with applicable disability law, Children’s Institute will provide reasonable accommodations to assist qualified applicants or employees with disabilities to participate in the job application process, to perform the essential function of a job, and to enjoy the same benefits and privileges of employment applicable to similarly situated employees without disabilities, provided the accommodation would not impose an “undue hardship” on the operation of CI.
COVID-19 Vaccination Policy
Children’s Institute has a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, which means it is a condition of employment for all employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, unless they are granted a reasonable accommodation under applicable law.