| ABOUT AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS Americans for the Arts builds recognition and support for the extraordinary and dynamic value of the arts and serves, advances, and leads the network of organizations and individuals who cultivate, promote, sustain, and support the arts in America. The vision of Americans for the Arts is that the arts are recognized as integral to the lives of all people and essential to healthy, vibrant and equitable communities across the nation. Founded in 1960, Americans for the Arts is the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education. Americans for the Arts has headquarters in Washington, DC and a second office located in New York, NY. DEPARTMENT SUMMARY
The Development department is responsible for generating contributed revenue, building and sustaining relationships with individual, corporate, foundation, and government donors to generate the funds needed to support the ongoing work of Americans for the Arts. Development team members partner closely with program staff throughout the organization and volunteer solicitors, including board members and other donors, on the fundraising effort. Overall, Development team responsibilities include strategy development; prospect research and identification; relationship building; volunteer management; proposal and report preparation; donor benefit fulfillment; and donor stewardship. The Development department raises both unrestricted and restricted revenue and is organized to meet those objectives. There is a unit that focuses on unrestricted (Annual Fund) revenue whose work concentrates on individual donors and there is an institutional giving unit that focuses on restricted revenue primarily from corporations, foundations, and government donors. POSITION SUMMARY
The Institutional Giving Manager plays a key role in Americans for the Arts’ fundraising program, helping to secure grants and sponsorships from corporations and foundations. This position reports to the Vice President of Development and is part of a three-person institutional giving unit that works closely with program staff throughout the organization. Core responsibilities include prospect research and identification; development of sponsorship packages; the writing of letters of inquiry, grant proposals, and final reports; and donor stewardship. This position works with a portfolio of 50 to 75 prospects annually and is responsible for personally soliciting and negotiating gifts in the four to five-figure range to help meet the overall institutional giving unit’s revenue goals. The institutional giving unit is charged with generating approximately $2.5 million annually. The Manager also represents Americans for the Arts at events and in meetings with prospective funders. The Manager works across multiple program areas, but the position has a specific focus on identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors to support a series of annual professional development and policy events that are key to the work of Americans for the Arts. These include the annual National Arts Action Summit; Nancy Hanks Lecture; Americans for the Arts Annual Convention; National Arts Marketing Project Conference; and National Arts Policy Roundtable. The Manager also provides input and guidance on the organization’s fundraising galas including the Arts & Business Partnership Awards and National Arts Awards. KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Key duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: - Manages a portfolio of 50-75 donors each fiscal, concentrating specifically on soliciting and stewarding grants and sponsorships in the four and five-figure range from corporations and foundations to help meet annual institutional unit revenue goal of $2.5 million
- Partners with the Marketing and Communications team to manage and execute cause marketing partnerships;
- Helps to manage the administration of current grants and sponsorships including tracking deadlines, collecting information from program staff and the finance department, writing and submitting timely grant proposals, reports, updates, and stewardship actions;
- Executes the annual solicitation and stewardship plan for the Corporate Annual Fund;
- Conducts prospect research to identify new prospects and stewards/cultivates funders as part of an annual work plan;
- Secures meetings with current donors and prospects as required and facilitates all meeting logistics and follow up; duties include preparing advance background briefings for meeting attendees, creating contact reports, coordinating future action steps, etc.;
- Supports the Vice President of Development; program colleagues; and Resource Development Committee and/or Board members that are aiding in the solicitation and/or stewardship of donors within the manager’s prospect pool;
- Maintains all necessary electronic and paper documentation in adherence with Americans for the Art’s internal policies and IRS regulations;
- Supports organizational events as necessary and participates in departmental and organizational planning and organization-wide committees;
- Other duties as assigned
QUALIFICATIONS - A minimum of five (5) years of development experience, including at least two (2) years of front-line fundraising experience
- A positive attitude and an earnest interest in providing quality customer service to our donors, members, stakeholders, and partners
- Ability to maintain healthy interpersonal relationships
- Ability to handle multiple projects
- Ability to work independently
- Excellent customer service and donor stewardship skills
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- A demonstrated track record of success in personally securing four and five-figure gifts from corporations and foundations
- Strong organizational and time management skills
- Strong desire to be a part of and contribute to a team
- Strong Personal Computer (PC) skills including Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Internet research experience, a basic knowledge of any Content Management System (CMS) and basic PC troubleshooting
- Strong Database skills including moves management systems such as Raiser’s Edge, Tessitura, Salesforce, etc.
WORKING CONDITIONS - This position works 37.5 hours per week Monday through Friday around core business hours (10:00 am – 4:00 pm ET)
- Some travel may be required
CULTURAL EQUITY COMPETENCIES Americans for the Arts acknowledges the existence of systemic and structural biases and believes it is necessary to be strategic and intentional in pursuing cultural equity in all aspects of governance, operations, and programming. As an employee, you are expected to:
- Pursue substantive learning to achieve greater cultural consciousness by attending at least one Americans for the Arts Learning Lab per quarter and/or other professional development opportunities
- Support adoption of best practices to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive work experience for colleagues and external partners
- Strive to consider the people, places, and cultures that might be missing from your work and look for opportunities to increase inclusivity in all the work you do.
- Support the mission and vision of Americans for the Arts in all interactions with colleagues, members and stakeholders
- Encourage colleagues and external stakeholders to advance cultural equity by adhering to the standards outlined in the Staff Values & Behavior Agreement in all interactions
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER Americans for the Arts believes that one of its greatest strengths is the rich diversity of its staff. We provide equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, creed, gender and gender identity or expression, age, mental or physical disability, medical condition, including pregnancy and childbirth, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, ancestry, genetic information, political belief or activity, veteran or military discharge status, or any other basis protected by local, state or federal law and regulations under Title VII. The policy applies to all employment practices, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, training and development, promotion, transfer, termination, layoff, compensation, benefits, social and recreational programs, and all other conditions and privileges of employment in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. All employees have the right to work in a workplace that is free of discrimination. Any person who believes they have been subjected to discrimination of any kind should contact their immediate supervisor or Human Resources. All complaints will be thoroughly investigated and any person violating this policy may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. The law prohibits retaliation against any employee for reporting discrimination or perceived discrimination, or for participating in an investigation of incidents of discrimination or perceived discrimination. |
