Director of Foundation Relations

The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) development office builds and cultivates strong relationships with supporters by partnering with them in their philanthropic interests, in order to advance the mission of The Fund for American Studies. Our goal is to increase support for TFAS’s work to educate students in free-market economics, the ideals of liberty and honorable leadership.

The director of foundation relations is responsible for managing the full life cycle of institutional foundation relationships in order to secure funding for TFAS/FTE. The director is responsible for writing and editing compelling and timely grant proposals, applications and supporting documents; identifying and soliciting new foundation partners; and supporting overall development office through written materials as needed. The ideal director will be innovative and entrepreneurial. He/she will constantly seek ways to do things better and create exceptional experiences for TFAS donors in order to increase their connection to, and investment in, our work.

Ideally, the director of foundation relations will be based in the TFAS Washington, D.C., office. However, for an extraordinary candidate, we will consider a virtual office elsewhere.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for all aspects of the lifecycle to maintain and cultivate ongoing relationships with institutional foundations
• Write and edit compelling, high quality grant proposals, applications and supporting documents
• Track grant prospects and submissions; prepare progress reports and other reports as required by granting agencies
• Create, update, and maintain accurate grant database/calendar to track grant writing activities, reporting, renewal requests and deadlines
• Ensure timely submission of all proposals and reports
• Identify and solicit new foundation partners
• Work with program and finance staff to gather pertinent information and metrics as needed for grant writing and reporting
• As appropriate, visit foundation partners, with and without senior staff to cultivate the relationship
• Support overall development office efforts through written materials as needed
• Stay informed of trends in foundation funding that may affect TFAS programs

Skills and Qualifications

• Passion for and alignment with the mission of The Fund for American Studies
• Minimum of 4 years of experience in grant writing and/or foundation relations
• Knowledge of free-market, conservative and libertarian grant making organizations helpful
• Demonstrated success in maintaining grant writing and reporting schedules ensuring deadlines are not missed
• Ability to effectively work under pressure, use independent judgment and produce a quality work product within tight time constraints
• An obsessive desire to win; you are frustrated with complacency
• Ability to anticipate challenges, take initiative and provide solutions to achieve department and organization objectives
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent preferred
• Some travel, but less than 15% expected
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite; familiarity with Raiser’s Edge and RE NXT or comparable CRM software strongly preferred

To Apply

Qualified candidates should submit the following application materials in one PDF document:

• Resume
• Cover letter detailing your interest in the position and the mission of TFAS and your salary requirements

Applications should be submitted to Talent Market.

Questions can be directed to Claire Kittle Dixon, executive director of Talent Market, at claire@talentmarket.org.