Development Associate, Institutional Giving
The Folger Shakespeare Library, located on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, is seeking a Development Associate for Institutional Giving (Associate). The Development Associate will work closely with the Associate Director of Development, Institutional Giving to secure funding from foundations, government agencies, and corporations that support the Folger Shakespeare Library. The Development Associate will help establish and cultivate institutional funder relationships; assemble grant proposals and reports; and manage resources and tools which advance the fundraising process. The Development Associate will support all phases of the process, including prospecting, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
This position is currently hybrid, with some onsite work required weekly; ultimately it will transition to a fully onsite position, with flexibility around occasional remote work.
Successful candidates for this position will have at least two to three years of experience in development or fundraising, preferably at a higher education or cultural institution. Candidates will have excellent writing and editing skills, familiarity with project budgets and financial reports, and demonstrated ability to meet multiple deadlines. Candidates should be able to perform well with both independent initiative and as part of a closely woven Development team. Knowledge of donor databases, particularly Tessitura, and research resources such as Foundation Directory Online is highly desired.
Pandemic response: All staff, contractors, and visitors working or visiting onsite are required to be fully vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine and furnish proof of vaccination (unless they have received a medical or religious exemption). Masks are required in all shared or public spaces onsite until further notice.
Compensation:
- This is a weekly-paid hourly position, with a pay range of $26-$28 per hour for a 35-hour work week. This position may work additional hours or overtime as needs arise.
- Total compensation includes extensive benefits plan, including fully-covered health, dental, and vision insurance and a generous 403(b) match, outlined at https://www.folger.edu/employee-benefits.
Duties:
- Track internal goals for foundation, government, and corporate funder support of Folger general operating, departmental programming, and special projects
- Track renewals and support ongoing funder relationships through maintaining funder contact lists, assembling invitation and communication lists, and sending Folger updates and relevant materials to funders;
- Identify funder prospects via research resources and database; support cultivation of these new relationships
- Assist with assembly of complex grant application and report packages for submission by writing and submitting LOIs (letters of interest); contacting funders about proposal eligibility and application guidelines; reviewing funder guidelines for narrative, budget, and supplementary materials requirements; maintain task and deadline tracking tools;
- Assemble and keep current supplementary materials including organization background, organizational budgets, financial reports, and staff CVs; coordinate with Folger departments to assemble proposal content
- Support developing corporate giving program by researching corporate donors and writing profiles
- Help identify and deliver recognition preferences and program benefits
- Assess funder giving history and range, interests, and priorities; maintain list of prospects and funding opportunities
- Manage gift processing, gift acknowledgments, and donor recognition preferences; assemble donor, playbill, and annual report funder lists
- Create and update report and proposal templates; write and edit relevant narratives
- Plan and work at major development events, including Acquisitions Night, the annual Folger Gala, the Renaissance Circles program and dinner, Member Appreciation Weekend, and other events as needed.
- Perform general administrative tasks and assist in general fundraising activities.
Education/Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.
- At least two to three years of experience in development or fundraising, preferably at a higher education or cultural institution, is required.
- Must have experience in donor or customer relations, databases, and data entry. Experience with Tessitura, WealthEngine, Grants.gov, Foundation Directory Online, and LexisNexis is highly desirable.
Knowledge/Skills:
- Must have excellent writing and editing skills.
- Must have familiarity with project budgets, organization financial reports, Form 990, and audits.
- Must have excellent skills in organization, prioritization, and time management.
- Must be able to successfully manage multiple activities in a fast-paced and deadline-driven environment.
- Ability to perform well with both independent initiative and as part of a closely woven Development team is required.
- Ability to collaborate with colleagues and departments across a large institution.
- Strong attention to accuracy and detail is required, as is the ability to handle confidential constituent information with discretion.
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) is required.
- Knowledge of donor databases (Tessitura) and ability to learn tasks such as creating and managing fundraising plans, extracting reports, and pulling funder lists are highly desirable.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Interested individuals should submit their cover letter and resume. Incomplete applications cannot be accepted. No phone calls please.
The Folger is an Equal Opportunity Employer.