Development Associate for Grants and Institutional Gifts

Position Summary

The Development Associate/Grants will work in collaboration with staff and volunteers to maximize foundation and corporate giving for operations, special projects and capital needs. This position is responsible for grant research, schedule planning, writing and reporting for all sources—foundation, corporate and public—and for all grant-related recordkeeping. In addition, the successful candidate will assist with development office planning and implementation for expanded institutional giving from both public and private sources. Prior grants management experience with a nonprofit organization is strongly desired. Experience in the arts is a plus. Strong writing, oral communications and computer skills are required and must be demonstrated. This position may also involve support of other development office activities at the discretion of the Director of Development and Communications. The position is full-time, year-round, benefits eligible and exempt.

Responsibilities

Grant Research, Writing and Reporting

Serves as primary grants writer and manager for the organization.

Writes grant proposals and prepares budgets and other supporting documents, collaborating with other staff and volunteers as necessary.

Schedules and coordinates visits with foundation and corporate prospects.

Maintains grants calendar with application and reporting deadlines and prepares and submits reports and other materials as required.

Researches and identifies prospects and collaborates with Executive Director and Director of Development to strategize requests.

Responsible for expanding the grants research function with special attention to foundation and corporate giving.

Creates accurate and complete research files on all institutional prospects and updates files regularly to assure information is current.

Corporate Sponsorships

With the Director of Development, plans strategies for corporate sponsorship program for the benefit auction and any other sponsorship opportunities, identifying and seeking appropriate sponsorships.

Maintains sponsorship calendar, tracks various sponsorship requests and maintains accurate records regarding sponsorship activities.

Manages and follows up with sponsors regarding any benefits offered. Understands, administers, and communicates the details of tax deductibility of sponsorship arrangements.

Develops and updates both request-specific and general sponsorship packages.

Legislative Support

Provides support to the Executive Director and Director of Development for legislative visits and the development of legislative proposals.

Maintains and updates legislative lists, arranges appointments, develops materials for packets and other legislative communications pieces, with development staff and communications manager.

Recordkeeping and Reporting

Creates and maintains accurate donor records for corporate, foundation and government constituents, including profiles, gift records, acknowledgements, and other correspondence.

Prepares and mails annual communication packages to all corporate, foundation and government prospects and donors including Director’s year-end letter and annual report.

Works with development and communications staff to assure that all institutional donors and prospects receive appropriate Penland mailings.

Maintains updated lists of appropriate boards, community/regional corporate leaders for mailing and communications purposes.

Maintains organization needs lists. Regularly gathers information from staff regarding items needed for studios and other functional areas of the organization. Prepares lists for posting in studios, offices and on the organization web site. Communicates regularly with Major Gifts Office regarding organization needs identified through list updates. Tracks receipt, with the database manager, of items through in-kind gift or cash gift reporting process and updates list as necessary.

Administration

Responds to grant and sponsorship related telephone, internet and mail correspondence. Responds to other office telephone, internet and mail correspondence as needed. Processes grant related mailings and corporate and business informational mailings. Participates in development department planning and evaluation.

Provides support and assistance as needed to the Director of Development and Executive Director related to institutional funding and other projects.

Assumes other responsibilities as may be necessary for successful achievement of development and organization goals.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree plus three years experience in grant writing and grants management for a nonprofit organization.

Master’s degree preferred.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills required.

Strong planning, administrative, record keeping, and organizational skills required.

Excellent time management skills required. Must have the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines in a complex work environment.

Excellent analytical skills, and the ability to gain and maintain a broad institutional perspective on the interrelationships of specific projects in support of proposal development required.

Experience and skill in word processing and spreadsheet programs (MS Word and Excel). Some experience with computer database systems is preferred. Ability to extrapolate information for reports, analyze data and query for information is necessary.

A proven ability to work with diverse groups of individuals.
Strong problem-solving skills.

A sense of humor and high personal standards of excellence.

Knowledge of the arts in general and crafts in particular is a plus.

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and to work at a computer. The employee is frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, or touch objects, tools, or controls and to talk fluently and to hear. The employee is frequently required to stand and to walk in areas of the campus with uneven terrain. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move objects weighing up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision..

Compensation

Compensation discussions are a part of the interviewing process.

To Apply

Initial application deadline is December 19, 2008. The position will remain open until filled.

Send resume, cover letter, and references, by December 19, 2008 to Susan Booth, Director of Development, PO Box 37, Penland, NC 28765 or susanbooth@penland.org. Inquiries about the position should be directed to Susan Booth at 828-765-2359, ext. 46 or

susanbooth@penland.org

Penland School of Crafts is a national center for craft education offering residential workshops, residencies, community education programs, and exhibitions. Located on 400 acres in the NC Mountains, Penland has 15 teaching studios and a total of 49 historic and contemporary buildings. Penland School of Crafts is an equal opportunity employer with a staff of 62. Penland operates with a $7 million endowment and an annual operating budget of $4.2 million. Penland School of Crafts is an equal opportunity employer.