Grants Manager
Job summary:
Our advancement department is seeking a key member of our fundraising team who will lead the grants process for Discovery Place with a primary focus on foundation and government donors, and secondary focus on corporations. The Manager will build and manage a portfolio of prospects and execute on all donor life cycle stages – from identification, research, and evaluation to cultivation, solicitation and stewardship. They will research relevant data sources to build compelling cases for support of Discovery PlaceÂ’s mission, programs, exhibitions, and initiatives.
They must have excellent interpersonal communication skills as they will work with managers across multiple departments (primarily Finance, Marketing, and program specialists) to track deliverables and milestones related to grant proposals and performance. The Grants Manager will report to the Director of Institutional Giving. A team-player attitude is essential. This role will also staff Advancement and Membership department events (assisting with execution as well as networking with donors and prospects) and accept additional assignments and initiatives that support the organization.
Essential duties and responsibilities:
• Set and meet personal revenue goals that align with meeting and exceeding the Institutional Giving annual revenue goal of approx. $2.7-$3M annually
• Write and submit persuasive grant proposals and detailed impact reports to grant makers
• Track the status of proposals and provide timely follow-up for additional information as required by funding sources
• Pursue, secure, and manage government grants from federal, state, and local agencies
• Manage the grants calendar and ensure all proposal and reporting deadlines are met. Disseminate grant award details and reporting responsibilities to all relevant Discovery Place staff
• Collaborate on the development of new grant opportunities in partnership with cross-functional teams
• Manage and coordinate participation across departmental teams at Discovery Place whose input is pertinent to specific grants (including sharing information required for grant, and communicating and enforcing deadlines to ensure timely preparation, review and submission of grant requests)
• Gather anecdotal and statistical data as well as program samples (photos, curriculum, distributed materials, etc.) from Discovery Place staff to report qualitative and quantitative results of programs and exhibitions
• Identify, evaluate, and prioritize prospects including performing prospect research, tracking leads and developing prospect and funder profiles for organizational leadership
• Maintain timely and accurate data in our financial/grant tracking systems (NetSuite & Altru/Salesforce) for cross-departmental communication and financial reporting purposes
• Engage in and support relationship building with new and existing funders leading to invitations to apply for support; establish and maintain frequent personal contact and relationships with current and prospective grantmaking organizations, representatives and program officers; and appropriately steward relationships with grant makers to position Discovery Place for additional funding opportunities
• Participate in donor cultivation meetings as directed by department and organization leadership
• Effectively manage time and prioritize projects to keep multiple, simultaneous grantmaking efforts moving in a timely manner to meet deadlines
• Write and distribute prompt acknowledgments of grants received
• Stay current on industry and grantmaking trends relevant to role of Grants Manager at Discovery Place
• Assist with departmental and organization special events, as needed
• Other duties as assigned
Qualifications:
Minimum
• 3-5 years of experience in fundraising and proposal writing
• Excellent writing, speaking, interpersonal and organizational skills with high attention to detail are essential
• A solid understanding of project budgets as they relate to proposals and grants
• Ability to recognize and communicate strategic opportunities
• Experience conducting prospect research by using online databases and other sources to locate biographical, financial, and philanthropic information
• Ability to interpret mission-related research and content for all types of audiences
• Must be a self-motivated team player who possesses problem-solving skills and the ability to work autonomously, handle multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and work well under pressure
• Ability to manage projects and be receptive to edits, input and feedback to improve performance
• Ability to work some nights and weekends, as required
• Ability to travel to Museum locations (Charlotte, Huntersville, Rockingham)
• Commitment to and enthusiasm for Discovery Place’s mission and science, nature, and design education
• Willingness to provide writing samples upon request
Preferred
• Knowledge of history and trends within the nonprofit sector and the local and national philanthropic communities
• Experience working in a development department or in a fundraising role
• Experience with Altru/Blackbaud, NetSuite and Salesforce database products
Physical demands:
• Vision abilities required by this job include close vision
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel, and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk
