Director of Grants and Resource Cultivation

Opportunity: Director of Grants and Resource Cultivation

Who We Are

Colaborativa La Milpa is a collaborative based in the Emma community of Buncombe County, NC whose mission is to activate, build capacity, and support community-based organizations to ensure their impact and sustainability. Our vision is healthy, united, and flourishing communities that honor origins, identities, and power. The current member organizations of La Milpa are PODER Emma, Casa de Apoyo Mutuo, and Casa de Cultura (including Raíces Emma - Erwin, Mä hñakihu: Indigenous Language Preservation Project, and El Telar: Shared Resources for Home Childcare).

La Milpa creates a model for sharing organizational infrastructure so more energy can go directly to our member organizations’ programs, and for combining efforts to avoid duplicating work. We come together to break patterns of isolation, build community, work in solidarity, and collaborate for collective impact rather than competition.

Position Summary

This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious and talented development professional to help create, lead and execute a grants portfolio of nearly $4 million of institutional, foundational, and grassroots funding at a growing ecosystem of community based organizations.

Job Responsibilities

1. Advance Networking efforts in the Philanthropic Sector

• Secure new funding sources for the collaborative through establishing relationships with prospective funding institutions and individuals
• Build relationships with institutional funders and maintain open communication for ongoing support

2. Grant writing and grants management

• Research various types of grants available and the criteria to qualify for each
• Discuss available sources of funding with administrative staff from La Milpa orgs
• Compile necessary information for the application process through collaboration with other coworkers, database research, and other fact finding actions and meetings
• Draft and complete grant applications according to application requirements
• Ensure grant is submitted on time and within application parameters
• Complete all documents, forms, contracts, or reports required by the grant
• Coordinate the monitoring and evaluation of programs and projects that are funded by grants in collaboration with Organizational Development staff
• Hire and coordinate grant writer contractors and oversee work assignments
• Provide support to staff on storytelling and communications projects
• Develops and maintains master files on grants and paperwork connected to programs funded by grants
• Performs other related duties as assigned

3. Collaborate on Organizational Strategy & Sustainability

• Provide and contribute to developing financial assessments, proposals and strategic priorities as a member of the directors council
• Ensure operational coherence between various departments, staff teams, and member-led governance bodies while strengthening the interdependent relationship between infrastructure and programmatic work
• Model grounded, clear leadership and provide guidance where necessary to continue aligning and cohering our staff and member leaders around organizational strategy, principles, policies, and practices
• Engage external relationships to build broader social movement-level alignment, capacity, resources, and infrastructure
• Participate in frequent meetings with team members to work on annual goals, objectives, activities, financials, and work plans

Required Experience & Qualifications (not all are required but are encouraged. Organization will also provide necessary training):

• Have at least 5 years direct fundraising experience, 5 years of grant writing experience with at least 3 years in a supervisory capacity, or a combination of these elements
• Strong interpersonal skills with the intellectual and emotional depth, maturity and collaborative skills to work effectively across all levels of the organization as well as with movement allies and philanthropic partners
• A strong work ethic, ability to maintain and model high personal, political and professional standards, as well as a fit with La Milpa’s “work hard, play hard” culture
• Applied understanding of basic fundraising principles and development best practices
• Strong prospect identification and qualification skills
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading ability
• Strong verbal communication and presentation skills
• Database and spreadsheet proficiency - particularly Neon
• Working knowledge of Google Suite
• Experience with online fundraising, email marketing, and internet research
• An understanding of the national philanthropic sector
• An ability to provide the Co- Directors and other members of the collaborative space with timely assessments of developments with prospective and or received grants and an ability to make recommendations on potential interventions that the organization should pursue to maintain financial health
• Budget management experience including literacy with general financial terms, and comfort with detail-oriented numbers work
• An ability to engage and develop a variety of collaborators, at different levels of experience and expertise, around resource development and financial management; as a means to strengthen internal capacity
• Strong ability to effectively address and connect with a range of audiences on all aspects of the collaborative strategy and work, as well as an ability to develop and support La Milpa org members and staff in effectively speaking about La Milpa’s vision, strategy and work around resource development
• Ability to write and or speak Spanish
• Experience as a community organizer and or being part of a local base building organization

This job description is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of the responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions associated with the position

Availability, compensation and benefits:

• 40 hours per week
• This is a full time, exempt position. The salary starts at $62,400, compensation commensurate with experience and competitive within our sector
• Starts at 2 weeks paid vacation, plus 2 weeks of sick time available, as well as other kinds of leave when necessary, such as maternity/paternity/bereavement/family emergency, etc. (see the full personnel policy for more information.) There is also an additional 2 weeks paid time at the end of the calendar year during the holiday season
• Occasional nights and weekends required for meetings and/or special events
• Ideally the candidate will be local to Western North Carolina, but will consider remote possibility for the right candidate

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and three professional references to info@colaborativalamilpa. Position open until filled, with interviews beginning in May.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $62,400.00 per year

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Ability to Commute:

• Asheville, NC 28806 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Asheville, NC 28806: Relocate before starting work (Preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Asheville, NC 28806

Salary : $62,400