Grant Writer and Director of Institutional Funding

Overview:

The Yolo Crisis Nursery (the Nursery) has served Yolo County since 2001 by offering voluntary and free nurturing childcare for ages birth through five years 24 hours per day and 365 days a year to parents who are experiencing a crisis. Our dedicated and specially trained staff provide unique wraparound services and resources to the family to help parents work through the problems that brought them to our door and ensure that the family remains intact, healthy, and stable. Since the Nursery opened, we have served approximately 10,000 Yolo County children. We are one of only four crisis nurseries in the state of California. In 2024, the Nursery completed a $9.5 million capital campaign to build a new state-of-the-art 9,000 square foot facility that will triple the Nursery’s service delivery and programmatic capacity. Construction is estimated to be completed in spring 2025, with the new site becoming operational in mid-2025.

Job Summary:
The Director of Institutional Funding will oversee the Nursery’s portfolio of earned and contributed revenue from institutional funders. The position will be responsible for identifying, analyzing, developing, and submitting proposals to all relevant funding opportunities; these include but are not limited to grant, corporate sponsorships requests, foundation proposals, and bids and proposals for contracts with cities, counties, agencies, and other organizations which include fee-for-service, subawards, and more.

The ideal candidate will be a seasoned institutional funding professional who is comfortable working independently and who is adept at performing all aspects of research, applications, submissions, and donor stewardship without administrative support or direct reports.

The Director of Institutional Funding is joining the Yolo Crisis Nursery at a time of intense and rapid organizational growth. Because of this, the position should be prepared to identify significant new sources of funding for a rapidly growing organization that is poised to provide triple the services in the coming years than it has since its founding two decades ago.

Public funding for programs will constitute a large portion of future revenue, but because the Nursery has applied for and received minimal public funding in the past, the position will be responsible for continuing to build the Nursery’s capacity for public funding by building on previous efforts and success in pursuing and receiving public funding. Future efforts will include working with program staff to review existing programs and projects and make recommendations for strategic modifications, expansions and enhancements; coordinating with program staff and the Executive Director to developing programs, projects, and initiatives; developing and submitting competitive applications; and making recommendations to build grant-funded program and project capacity.

Additionally, the position will also maintain the Nursery’s existing portfolio of funders by developing applications, proposals, and sponsorship applications; performing funder stewardship; and submitting required reports.

The position will also implement approved strategies to meet revenue goals of the annual giving program and coordinate and complete grant documents, acknowledgment letters, and gift agreements with institutional funders. The position will report to the Executive Director, while working closely with Director of Development to ensure that revenue goals are met and exceeded when possible.

This position reports to the Executive Director with a dotted-line reporting relationship to the Director of Development.

Responsibilities:

Fundraising, Reporting, & Stewardship – 80%

• Maintain existing portfolio of funders and ensure timely completion of applications and proposals and reports.
• Research and identify new public and private funding opportunities (including grants and contracts) to support the Nursery’s programs, projects, and other initiatives.
• Work with the Executive Director, the Assistant Director, and program staff to identify areas of programmatic growth to match to funding opportunities. Develop and submit proposals and applications in support.
• Work with the Director of Development to identify corporate entities and other organizations to sponsor special events, programs, and other special initiatives.
• Proactively write and maintain communications, including grant and sponsorship requests, reports, and stewardship materials, to institutional funders and prospects.
• Develop relationships with funders and funder representatives, both in person and remotely, to build funder affinity for YCN.
• Identify and implement strategies to upgrade current funder when applicable.
• Collaborate and participate in decisions regarding messaging to and strategy for institutional funders.

Program Administration and Communications – 20%

• Maintain comprehensive application and report calendar.
• Maintain internal grant tracking and acknowledgement mechanisms and systems
• Prepare reports as needed including the monthly board of directors report, annual year-end reporting and forecasts for prior year.
• Collaborate with DD and others to prepare the institutional funder program budget, project revenues and expenses, and analyze program progress against goal, adjusting, as necessary.
• Maintain and update donor database with all pertinent institutional funder information and communications and create a timeline of deadlines for requests and reports.
• Ensure timely completion of institutional funder data entry, grant/gift entry, and funder inquiries.
• Manage, review, and respond to questions, comments, and requests in a timely fashion by current and prospective funders.
• Maintain strict confidentiality of all information and materials associated with the Board of Trustees and donors.
• Manage and ensure best practice in stewardship of funders.
• Manage the acknowledgment process for institutional grants/gifts, engaging the President of the Board, DD, and related staff and trustees as appropriate.
• Compose and send acknowledgment letters and grant agreements to institutional funders and maintain records of acknowledgment activity within donor database.
• Identify current and prospective funders to tour YCN facility and steward relationship with the Nursery. Work with staff and Board to extend invitations as appropriate.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Prior Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Commensurate knowledge of and demonstrated experience in development programs. Strong understanding of the role of Institutional grants/gifts and sponsorships, including an understanding of typical functions and aspects.
• At least three years related work experience, showing increasing levels of responsibility.
• Excellent research and grant writing skills to identify and strategically develop and procure successful grants and sponsorships to meet income goals.
• Excellent and persuasive verbal and written communication skills.
• Advanced proofreading and editing skills.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills.
• Detail oriented and excellent problem solving, planning and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated understanding of public funding streams (locally, regionally, and nationally).
• Demonstrated ability to present professionally to corporations, foundations and government funders, the public, and partner organizations.
• Expertise in cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for institutional funders.
• Expertise with donor database platforms, maintenance.
• Strong ability to work independently with minimal supervision

General Job Competencies:

• Positive “can do” attitude
• Team Worker
• Passionate about the mission of the Yolo Crisis Nursery
• Endeavors at all times to achieve cost-effective, efficient work
• Collaborative in finding solutions, achieving quality work, and delivering outcomes and materials on time
• Integrity in dealing with colleagues, executing work in support of the mission, protecting confidential information and discretion in all matters
• Sensitive to and respectful of YCN client concerns and needs
• Capable of operating in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment

Application Instructions:

• Applicants must submit a resume along with a cover letter outlining their qualifications for this role.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: $45.00 - $55.00 per hour

Expected hours: 20 – 30 per week

Benefits:

• Retirement plan

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Davis, CA 95616 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Davis, CA 95616: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Davis, CA 95616

Salary : $45 - $55