Grants Management Associate

Proteus Fund partners with foundations, individual donors, activists, advocates, and other allies to advance social justice. Our work focuses on the interconnected goals of racial, gender, queer, and disability justice and an inclusive, fully representative democracy. Catalyzing progress on all of these fronts is essential to realizing our vision of a more equitable, just, and democratic future. We support movements through shared strategies and approaches with the aim of creating legal, social, and cultural sea change. In our 28-year history, we have collaborated in launching many mission-driven initiatives, including Donor Collaboratives, Fiscally Sponsored Projects, and Donor and Group Advised Funds. Through all of our work, we also strive to transform and radically enhance the very nature of U.S. philanthropy.

Proteus Fund and our associated organization Proteus Action League (PAL) have distributed more than $241 million in grants to support cutting edge issue advancement and movement building. The bulk of our grantmaking is at the state and grassroots level where we fund strategies and tactics ranging from community organizing, coalition building, and public policy advocacy to narrative development, strategic communications, research, and leadership development. We also advance these issues through a variety of non-grantmaking strategies including fiscal sponsorship of a stellar collection of progressive initiatives. Today, we are a $40 million organization supporting a total of 29 programs and initiatives.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Grants Management Associate (GMA) supports the Grants Management Team and plays a pivotal role in the process of awarding more than 400 grants annually. You will be responsible for providing administrative and database support for grantmaking done by Fiscally Sponsored Projects (FSPs) and Donor Advised Funds (DAFs). You will work with a variety of DAFs and FSPs, as well as a many internal departments including the President, Donor Services, Programs, Finance, Human Resources, and Operations. Proteus Fund is the fiscal sponsor for 17 dynamic social justice initiatives for which Proteus provides shared operational infrastructure and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit home. Five of these initiatives currently award grants.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone with a passion for social justice and a desire to grow within the field of philanthropy. This role will allow you to build knowledge about a philanthropic organization that works with a diverse field of grantees and partners in a dynamic environment as well as the field of grants management.

This is a full-time (40 hours per week), remote position, with a preference for someone based in Mountain, Central, or Eastern time zones.

Key Responsibilities:

• Play a vital role in the grants lifecycle by facilitating the collection and review of FSP and DAF grant proposals. By accessing applications through the grants management database, sharing them with staff, and conducting a preliminary review of the applications, you will be intimately involved in the preliminary steps of the grantmaking lifecycle. You will have the opportunity to build a strong understanding of complex IRS regulations and legal compliance and will use those concepts to analyze grant applications and ensure they meet minimum funding requirements.
• Act as the primary grants management liaison with applicants, grantees, and FSP staff. Through developing a deep understanding of FSP and DAF priorities and due diligence procedures, you will respond to inquiries for funding and will be a partner to grantees as they move through the application, award, and reporting processes. You will field applicant questions as they apply for a grant and will assist with technical questions as needed. You will also assist in the award and payment of grants by sending out grant agreements, ensuring banking information is submitted for payment requests, and at the conclusion of a grant, working with grantees to collect their final report and close out the grant. Additionally, you will act as the main liaison with FSP staff on their grantmaking and will act as a partner in coordinating grantmaking logistics.
• Learn and maintain the grantmaking software. You will develop a deep understanding of Proteus’ grantmaking software (currently Blackbaud Grantmaking) and will create and maintain the online application portals, run reports and pull data for program staff, ensure data integrity, and suggest and help implement improvements to processes and procedures.
• Grow expertise and knowledge of grants management. You will keep informed of the best practices in the grants management field, develop a good understanding of IRS regulations for 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations, and recommend improvements to the grants management process.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

The Grants Management Associate is driven by a commitment to social justice, excels at building relationships with various stakeholders, and has a penchant for project management and detail-oriented tasks. The GMA will be skilled at building trust and strong relationships with diverse partners and will also be proactive, able to prioritize competing work assignments and priorities, problem solve, manage multiple deadlines, and represent Proteus Fund. The ability to communicate clearly verbally and in writing is vital.

Additional Candidate Qualities:

• Skilled at culturally competent communication and able to manage communications tactfully and professionally with customer-service mindset.
• Possesses emotional intelligence to navigate sensitive and sometimes difficult subjects impacting a diverse set of communities in the U.S.
• Proficient at juggling competing priorities while remaining organized and has strong project management skills, such as creating realistic timelines and proactively identifying and flagging potential roadblocks to meeting deadlines.
• Excels at tasks requiring high attention to detail and accuracy in a fast-paced environment.
• Possesses creative and critical thinking skills and is solutions oriented.
• A team player with an ability to work with diverse teams with accountability and responsibility.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite; knowledge of O365 and video conferencing platforms.
• A candidate with six to seven years of experience (comprised of professional work experience and/or education) is qualified for this position.

Alignment to Culture and Values:

• Commitment to vision and mission of Proteus as a progressive social justice organization.
• Cultural responsiveness and an alignment with our values and commitment to equity and inclusion.
• Strong relationship building, high ethical standards, discretion, and tact.
• Personal qualities of humility and empathy.

COMPENSATION

The salary for this position is $53,000-$63,000 per year. Proteus Fund utilizes geographic salary differentials, compensation will be contingent on location.

BENEFITS

• Medical and dental benefits for employee and eligible dependents available on first day of work
• Retirement savings account (401k) with an organization contribution of 10% of annual salary
• Three weeks’ paid vacation in first year of work; four weeks in subsequent years
• Fifteen sick days per year
• Three personal days per year
• Fifteen paid holidays
• Professional development initiatives for growth
• Paid Family Leave

For consideration, please submit cover letter and resume by April 29, 2022, to: https://proteus-fund-inc.checkwritersrecruit.com/job/413732/grants-management-associate

Equal employment opportunity and having a diverse staff are fundamental principles at Proteus Fund, where employment and promotional opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/affectional preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under law.

A cover letter indicating your interest in Proteus Fund must be included. Resumes without cover letters will not be considered.

Proteus is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Proteus will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Human Resources at jobs@proteusfund.org or 413-256-0349 option 3.

Equal employment opportunity and having a diverse staff are fundamental principles at Proteus Fund, where employment and promotional opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/affectional preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under law.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement

Proteus requires its colleagues who are working in an office setting or who will be required to travel as part of their key responsibilities to be fully (3 shots) vaccinated against COVID-19. Where an employee has a medical or bona fide religious reason which prevents them from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, Proteus will consider accommodations which may allow employees to safely perform the essential functions of their job.