Institutional Giving Manager

Position Overview

The Institutional Giving Manager plays an active role in managing CST’s portfolio of corporate, foundation, and government partners. The position is a key member of the Development department and, in addition to grant writing, is responsible for prospecting, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding current and prospective funders.

Responsibilities

Prospect Research and Relationship Development

• Manages a portfolio of 75 to 100 prospective and current foundation, corporate, and government funders.
• Supports funder relationships through on-going communications via phone, mail, email, and site visits.
• Conducts research to identify and qualify funders and build a robust pipeline.
• Develops and implements cultivation and stewardship strategies in collaboration with the Development team.
• Participates in special fundraising events as needed, including a limited number of evening events.

Grant Writing, Reporting, and Administration

• Crafts proposals, letters of intent, budgets, presentations, and funder briefing materials.
• Tracks stewardship of funders, including proposals, conversations, meetings, communications, and next steps in Tessitura database.
• Ensures timely reporting to donors, overseeing the reporting and pledge payment schedules for active grants
• Manages a multi-year grants plan and calendar with a schedule for prospecting; deadlines for proposals, grant applications, and reports; and funder stewardship.
• Works closely with the leadership team and program staff to develop narratives for new initiatives and programs in need of support.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 3 to 5 years progressive experience as a fundraising professional, including a working knowledge of Chicago area philanthropists.
• Excellent writing skills and attention to detail, including ability to write succinctly with excellent grammar, spelling, and proof-reading.
• Understanding of trends and best practices in foundation and corporate giving.
• Background in the cultivation and solicitation of corporate, foundation, and government funders, including major gift and special event fundraising.
• Direct experience managing relationships with lead donors.
• Ability to build relationships and work collaboratively with a variety of audiences and diverse populations, including internal and external stakeholders.
• Proficiency in working with donor database software, preferably Tessitura, and using Microsoft Office products including Word, Excel, and Powerpoint.
• Self-starter with the capability to work independently while meeting deadlines.